The idea behind the traveling DeBakey Drug Education Program was developed in 1993 by the late Ernest G. DeBakey, M.D.  Recognized by his peers as one of the most outstanding general surgeons in the Southeast, Dr. DeBakey saw the need to educate children on the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Dr. DeBakey and Infirmary Health teamed up to bring the Drug Education Vehicle to life.

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Today, the Drug Education Vehicle travels to almost 200 sites in Mobile, Alabama, and surrounding counties each year visiting public, private, and parochial schools, as well as, attending community events and special programs educating children on the dangers of drugs and alcohol. To date, the DeBakey Drug Education Vehicle has reached over 350,000 students in the Gulf Coast Region since its inception in 1993