Drug Free USA (U.S. 2020)

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Announced by the USPS October 31st.

[press release]
U.S. Postal Service Marks Red Ribbon Week with Drug Free USA Stamp
Forever Stamp Will Be Issued in October 2020

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today revealed the Drug Free USA Forever stamp during Red Ribbon Week, the nation’s oldest and largest drug use prevention awareness program. The stamp will go on sale in October 2020. Additional details about the stamp dedication ceremony will be announced next year.

“This Drug Free USA Forever stamp will help further raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse, and the toll it is taking on families and communities around our country,” said Robert M. Duncan, chairman of the USPS Board of Governors. “The Postal Service is glad to do its part in marking Red Ribbon Week, and renewing our commitment to helping these efforts to educate youth about the dangers of illegal drugs.”

In 1988, the National Family Partnership coordinated the first National Red Ribbon Week with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons. The week runs Oct. 23-31 and coincides with National Substance Abuse Prevention Month every October.

Red Ribbon Week was started after the death of Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was tortured and murdered in 1985 by drug traffickers he was investigating in Mexico. After Camarena’s death, people started wearing red ribbons to honor Kiki’s sacrifice.

“I am very pleased that the U.S. Postal Service will issue a stamp affirming our commitment to a drug-free America,” said DEA Acting Administrator Dhillon. “This stamp will help raise awareness of the fight against drug addiction and honor those who have dedicated their lives to that cause.”

The Drug Free USA Forever stamp art features a white star with lines of red, light blue and blue radiating from one side of each of the star’s five points, suggesting the unity necessary at all levels to effectively address drug abuse. Charlottesville, VA, designer Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original artwork by Portland, OR, graphic designer Aaron Draplin. USPS Acting Stamp Services Director William J. Gicker was the art director.

The stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Added later: This stamp will be issued October 27th with a first-day city of Washington, DC.

Here is a larger version of the design:

Further information about this issue will be posted below the line, with the most recent nearest the top.

Updated December 5th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5542.

Updated October 22nd:

The first-day city has been changed from Washington, DC, to Arlington, VA. It will have a virtual first-day ceremony. More details from the press release:

[press release]
Miss America 2020 Attending Postal Service Ceremony For Drug Free USA Stamp Dedication Oct. 27

WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service joins the Drug Enforcement Administration to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse with the release of the Drug Free USA stamp. The release coincides with Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31, promoting drug abuse prevention.

A pictorial postmark of the first-day-of-issue location, Arlington, VA, is available at usps.com/shopstamps.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #DrugFreeStamp.

WHO:
Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer,
U.S. Postal Service

Timothy Shea, acting administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration

Gary Barksdale, chief postal inspector, U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Peggy Sapp, president, National Family Partnership

Camille Schrier, Miss America 2020

WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. EDT

WHERE:
The stamp dedication ceremony will be livestreamed on the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The ceremony will not be open to the public to remain in compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be designated space for media covering the event.

BACKGROUND: Red Ribbon Week, which takes place in schools and communities nationwide every year from Oct. 23-31, helps parents as well as teachers, business owners and neighborhood organizations promote drug abuse awareness and prevention.

Participants wear a red ribbon or red to symbolize their dedication to preventing drug abuse. The annual campaign is sponsored by the National Family Partnership.

The Drug Free USA stamp features original artwork by Aaron Draplin. The image of a white star with lines of red, light blue and blue radiating from one side of each of the star’s five points suggests the unity that is necessary at all levels to effectively address drug abuse. The stamp’s background is dark blue. “Drug Free USA” appears above the stamp art, while the stamp’s denomination, “Forever,” appears below it. The year 2020 runs vertically along the bottom right corner of the image.

Greg Breeding designed the stamp and was also the typographer. USPS Stamp Services Director William J. Gicker was the art director.

The Drug Free USA stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Here are the revised first-day cancels for this issue; The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.68″ x 1.35″ The pictorial postmark measures 2.58″ x 1.25″

Updated September 24th:

Several VSC Facebook Group participants don’t like this design; what do you think?

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Today’s Postal Bulletin says the first-day city is Washington, DC.

More from the Bulletin:

On October 27, 2020, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Drug Free USA stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478900). The stamp will go on sale nationwide October 27, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

The Postal Service™ joins the effort to raise awareness about the dangers of drug use with the release of the Drug Free USA stamp. The stamp art features a white star with lines of red, light blue, and blue radiating from one side of each of the star’s five points, suggesting the unity necessary at all levels to effectively address drug use. Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original artwork by Aaron Draplin. William J. Gicker was the art director.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Drug Free USA Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by February 27, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Drug Free USA Stamp
Item Number: 478900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 27, 2020, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: William J. Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Aaron Draplin, Portland, OR
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: PMS 533 C Dark Blue, PMS 2121 C Light Blue, PMS 2133 C Blue, PMS 485 C Red, PMS Cool Gray 7C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.92 x 7.24 in./150.368 x 183.896 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 11.84 x 21.72 in./300.736 x 551.688 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by five (5) single digits in four corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (478900) • Plate position diagram (6) • Promotional text

Updated September 22nd:

This stamp will be issued October 27th. The city has not yet been announced.

[press release]
Postal Service Dedicating Drug Free USA Forever Stamp on Oct. 27

WHAT: The U.S. Postal Service joins the effort to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse with the release of the Drug Free USA Forever stamp, coinciding with Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31, promoting drug abuse prevention.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #DrugFreeStamp.

WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. EDT.

BACKGROUND: Red Ribbon Week, which takes place in schools and communities nationwide every year from Oct. 23-31, helps parents as well as teachers, business owners and neighborhood organizations promote drug abuse awareness and prevention.

Participants wear a red ribbon or red to symbolize their dedication to preventing drug abuse. The annual campaign is sponsored by the National Family Partnership.

The Drug Free USA Forever stamp features original artwork by Aaron Draplin. The image of a white star with lines of red, light blue and blue radiating from one side of each of the star’s five points suggests the unity that is necessary at all levels to effectively address drug abuse. The stamp’s background is dark blue. “Drug Free USA” appears above the stamp art, while the stamp’s denomination, “Forever,” appears below it. The year 2020 runs vertically along the bottom right corner of the image.

Greg Breeding designed the stamp and was also the typographer. William J. Gicker was the art director.

The Drug Free USA stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Postal Products: Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

12 thoughts on “Drug Free USA (U.S. 2020)”

  1. I’m just trying to understand how this image has anything to do with drugs/drug abuse/drug addiction…ect. It’s a nice image, but if it didn’t say Drug Free USA, I’d be lost as to the point of the issue – it might as well be another patriotic star that Aaron Draplin did last year.

    • It’s a rehash of the Patriotic Star alright. Problem is, is that USPS can’t promote drugs or alcohol. Sad really, because the post offices of other countries can. Russia, for example, issued a stamp dedicated to fighting drug overdose in 1995. The image features cells which are used to produce meth. Ukraine did the whole set dedicated to it in 2001.

    • My guess is that the red stripes are representing the Red Ribbons of the anti-drug organization. I agree with you and the others about the design’s irrelevance. How about a dead hand next to a spent syringe?

  2. The Drug Free issue fails to convey it’s message by not revealing the true horror. Previoud US issues on this theme have been much more provocative. We are left with a stylistic picture of of a star in red, white, and blue!

    • Previous issues that you referring to, was it that 8-cent Prevent Drug Abuse stamp? There was Alcoholism You Can Beat It! stamp with an 18-cent price tag.

      • The big problem with the Alcoholism: You Can Beat It stamp (Sc. 1927 – “Roaring 20s? – 1981) was that people were afraid to use it on their mail, for fear the recipients would think they were being accused of being alcoholics! I imagine it would be even worse if the person really did drink too much!

        • I guess people just afraid of facts. The design of the Alcoholism – You Can Beat It! stamp was abysmal. As for “people afraid using it on their mail” thing, was it the same case with the 10-cent Retarded Children Can Be Helped? I don’t see many postmarked versions of that one either.

    • Agreed. The 8c Prevent Drug Abuse stamp from 1971 was much better. Aaron Draplin is a good graphic designer, I feel like he could have come up with something much better for this issue. I wonder how much the USPS had his hands tied. I can’t wait to hear from him on this. Oh well…not surprised that the USPS misses the mark on something yet again.

      • There is a 51 year-old difference between 8c Prevent Drug Abuse and this commemorative piece of trash. I really can’t call it a commemorative stamp. This stamp will be another example why the USPS should never rush with an approved design and make it out of the door. This is maybe off topic, but I do get very puzzled why USPS always releases stamps not based on the anniversary but rather just because it should be out and that’s it. Example: Arnold Palmer stamp came out this year, but his birth anniversary will be in nine years! Just because you need to wait 3 years after the person’s death, doesn’t mean you need to release it exactly 4 years after it. Same thing goes with Gwen Iffil.

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