Narconon
Encyclopedia
Narconon is a residential program aimed at substance abuse
rs, headquartered in Hollywood, Los Angeles
, California
. It operates through several dozen treatment centers worldwide, chiefly in the United States and Western Europe
. Each Narconon center is independently owned and operated under a license from ABLE International
, a Scientology
-related entity. The program has garnered considerable controversy as a result of its association with Scientology and its drug addiction treatment methods.
The hypothesis underlying the program is that drugs and their metabolites are stored in the body's fatty tissues, causing the addict's cravings when partially released later on, and can be flushed out through a regimen comprising elements such as exercise, sauna and intake of high doses of vitamins. This hypothesis does not enjoy mainstream acceptance, and mainstream researchers and practitioners tend to discount Narconon due to its connection with Scientology.
Some practitioners have reported success with the program in reducing drug use, improving health, in aiding recovery, and influencing knowledge, attitudes and perception of risk of drug use. A peer-reviewed study published in 2008, co-authored by a former Narconon executive, asserted that the Narconon curriculum had a thorough grounding in substance abuse etiology and prevention theory, incorporated a number of tried and tested prevention strategies, and had proven successful in reducing drug use among youths.
and delivered to drug abusers in the Arizona State Prisons. The name "Narconon" originally referred not to an organization but to the program. The program is based on the hypothesis that "small amounts of drugs [and their metabolites] stored in fat are released at a later time causing the person to re-experience the drug effect and desire to use again." Though still being examined, clinical experience with people exposed to environmental chemicals, as well as experience with drug users, indicate that the program of exercise, sauna therapy, and nutrition is helpful.
Narconon's creator was William C. Benitez, a former inmate at Arizona
State Prison who had served time for narcotics offenses. His work was supported by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
, and in 1972 Hubbard sponsored the incorporation of Narconon as an organization. It was co-founded by Benitez and two Scientologists, Henning Heldt and Arthur Maren.
The Narconon website reports the keynote of Narconon is that the “…individual is responsible for his own condition and that anyone can improve his condition if he is given a workable way to do so… man is basically good and it is pain, suffering, and loss that lead him astray.” It positions the program as an approach to rehabilitation without recourse to alternative drugs. This early program did not, however, deal directly with withdrawal symptoms. In 1973, the Narconon program adopted procedures to include drug-free withdrawal.
, Heber Jentzsch
, was arrested in Spain after an investigation into Narconon that resulted in (later dropped) allegations that he and the Church of Scientology were defrauding Spanish citizens and running its centers with unqualified staff. Spanish citizens began inundating the courthouse with phone calls complaining of being hoodwinked by Narconon. The judge in the case said at a news conference after the arrests that the only god of the church of Scientology is money, and he compared the church to a pyramid scheme
in which members pay increasing sums of money. He said that Narconon swindled its clients and lured them into Scientology. In 1989, 75 Scientologists in Italy were arrested and an investigation showed that "parents of drug addicts were paying heavy monthly fees to Narconon, which advertised itself as a drug rehabilitation and cure center, but getting nothing in return." By the end of 1991 the court found there was no evidence to support prosecutors’ allegations that drug rehabilitation and other programs sponsored by the Church of Scientology in Spain amounted to illicit gathering aimed at activities such
as bilking people of money. In April 2002, the charge was formally dropped. The court also ordered that the bail bond deposited for his release in 1988 be returned to the Church along with interest, which nearly doubled the original amount.
Its affiliation with the Church of Scientology
has made Narconon itself a focus of controversy. The organization has never denied that many of its administrators are committed Scientologists or that its methods are based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard. In the early days, Narconon used unaltered Scientology materials in its courses, and Scientology executives were directly managing the organization (founders Heldt and Maren were high-ranking members of the Church's public-relations department known as the Guardian's Office). However, as Narconon promoted its drug-treatment services to a variety of governmental jurisdictions within the US, the organization repeatedly found itself at the center of controversy when the Scientology connection was raised by journalists or politicians. Not only did the Church of Scientology have serious public-image problems, but the link with Scientology raised questions about the constitutional appropriateness of governmental bodies sponsoring a religiously affiliated organization (see Lemon v. Kurtzman
). These problems were further intensified by claims that the treatment program was medically unsound and numerous allegations that the Narconon treatment program serves as a fundraising and recruitment program for the Church of Scientology. A March 1–5, 1998 Boston Herald series exposed how two Scientology-linked groups, Narconon and the World Literacy Crusade
, have used anti-drug and learn-to-read programs to gain access to public schools without disclosing their Scientology ties. After the Herald report was published, Heber Jentzsch
, president of the Church of Scientology International
, confirmed that the church's Los Angeles law firm hired a private-investigative firm to look into the personal life of reporter Joseph Mallia, who wrote the series. The Herald noted numerous other instances over the years where reporters were harassed with "noisy investigations
" after writing stories exposing the Church's misdeeds.
Narconon has developed its own secularized course materials in response to the concerns they operate as a marketing tool for the Church. These have evolved through several iterations to produce Narconon's current "New Life Program." While this program is very similar to pre-existing Scientology courses, Narconon insists that it is entirely "non-religious" in nature and rarely if ever mentions Scientology in its publications. At least one Narconon organization describes themselves as FSMs, a Scientology abbreviation for Field Staff Member.
These changes have not silenced the controversy. In the early 1990s, Narconon opened a large treatment center near Newkirk, Oklahoma
, resulting in a series of critical articles in a local newspaper. The Oklahoma Department of Health demanded that Narconon be licensed with the state, but the Board of Mental Health refused approval, stating "No scientifically well-controlled independent, long-term outcome studies were found that directly and clearly establish the effectiveness of the Narconon program for the treatment of chemical dependency and the more credible evidence establishes Narconon's program is not effective ... The Board concludes that the program offered by Narconon-Chilocco is not medically safe." Even the New York Times wrote a story detailing how the town's initial euphoria at the prospect of a drug treatment center has been replaced by distrust, frustration, and fear. Townspeople said that Narconon was not honest about its affiliation with the Church of Scientology, its financing, its medical credentials, and its plans for the project. A Narconon spokesman quoted for the story said that all the appearances of deception reported by the townspeople, such as the group that praised Narconon at a public ceremony and presented it with a check for $200,000 and turned out to itself be part of Narconon, were due to "false information being fed in there by somebody who's in favor of drug abuse ... They're either connected to selling drugs or they're using drugs."
Narconon's Scientologist attorney Tim Bowles
filed a series of lawsuits against Oklahoma institutions and officials and eventually obtained accreditation through the Arizona-based Commission on Accreditation and Rehabilitation Facilities
(CARF) in 1992; Oklahoma officials then agreed to exempt Narconon from the state licensing requirement and the facility was allowed to operate.
In 1999, Scientologists from Clearwater, Florida
tried to get a Narconon drug-education program installed into the Pinellas County, Florida
school district. After a hearing on the matter, a school-district committee refused to allow students to participate in an anti-drug program based on the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, citing that teaching students about the "tone scale
" and other trappings of Scientology was inappropriate for a drug-education program for their schools.
A number of celebrities have publicly attested that Narconon was helpful in their own lives. Musician Nicky Hopkins
and actress Kirstie Alley
have credited Narconon for their recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol. Alley has since become a public spokesperson for Narconon. The New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project
has, successfully by some accounts, used Hubbard's sauna detoxification regimen to improve the health of rescue workers exposed to toxic substances from 9/11, although the results are disputed.
By the end of 2005, according to the International Association of Scientologists
, Narconon was operating 183 rehabilitation centres around the world. New centres opened in that year included Hastings, UK, and Stone Hawk, in Battle Creek, Michigan
.
On July 17, 2006, one Narconon center, Narconon Trois-Rivieres (Three-Rivers) based in Canada, opened up a website at http://narcodex.ca. Narcodex is wiki
purporting to contain drug information. The domain name of Narcodex.ca is owned by ABLE Canada
, another Scientology business entity. The funding for the website comes entirely from Narconon Trois-Rivieres, which also controls the content on the site.
, consists of six elements: exercise, sauna
, supplements, sufficient liquids, regular diet with fresh vegetables, and adequate sleep. Sources suggest that exercise helps release toxins from body fat as fat deposits are burned for energy, while concurrently releasing chemicals via sweating, sebum (produced by the skin's sebaceous glands), and regular bowel movements. Sauna
use promotes sweating and sebum production, and methadone, amphetamines, methamphetamines, morphine, copper, mercury, and other toxins have been found in human sweat. Drinking water to offset liquid loss from sweating and eating a diet with plenty of high fiber, fresh-vegetables help keep bowel elimination regular. Vitamin and mineral supplements address nutritional deficiencies and offset nutrient loss due to sweating. Nutrient deficiencies hamper the body's ability to break down and eliminate drugs and other chemicals. Another key element in the program is the use of niacin
due to its ability to temporarily increase free fatty acid mobilization, and including polyunsaturated fats due to these fats ability to increase the excretion rate of some toxin compounds. In getting a proper amount of sleep, mobilization and elimination of stored toxins reduces physical stress.
At six-month follow-up, youths who received the Narconon drug education curriculum showed reduced drug use compared with controls across all drug categories tested. The strongest effects were seen in all tobacco products and cigarette frequency followed by marijuana. There were also significant reductions measured for alcohol and amphetamines. The program also produced changes in knowledge, attitudes and perception of risk. The study concluded that the eight-module Narconon curriculum has thorough grounding in substance abuse etiology and prevention theory, and reduced drug use among youths.
At the 1989 American Academy of Environmental Medicine annual meeting, physician David Root reported the results of a five-year follow-up study of 44 drug abuse patients that he had treated using the Hubbard program. Twenty-seven of these patients had used drugs for more than ten years at the time of treatment; 14 had used drugs for four to ten years; and the remaining three had been abusers for one to three years. The group used an average of 4.7 different drugs before treatment, including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, hallucinogens, heroin or other opiates, antidepressants, and alcohol. After treatment, 22 of the 44 still used alcohol (down from 38), and four people reported using drugs—albeit less powerful ones than they had used before treatment. About 91% in Root's study reported "no ongoing drug abuse." Dr. Root viewed this report as possible evidence that excreting residual drugs and their metabolites, stored in body fat, aids recovery.
crisis while undergoing treatment at a Narconon center in Grancey-sur-Ource
(near Dijon
). The assistant-director of that center was sentenced for lack of assistance to a person in danger and the Narconon center was closed.
In Italy, a 33-year-old Italian female patient of the Narconon center in Torre dell'Orso died under similar conditions in 2002.
profession has been sharply critical of Narconon's methods, which rely on theories of drug metabolism
that are not widely supported. Particular criticism has been directed at the therapy's use of vitamins (including massive doses of niacin
) and extended sauna sessions. Although Narconon claims a success rate of over 70%, no verifiable evidence for this appears to have been published by the organization, and independent researchers have found considerably lower rates—at least one website critical of Narconon claims that the rates were as low as 6.6% in the case of a Swedish research study.
(ABLE). Narconon refers frequently to its connection to L. Ron Hubbard and its website acknowledges that Narconon's name and logo are trademarks and service marks owned by ABLE and are used with its permission. In return for license of the trademarks from ABLE, Narconon centers pay 10% of their gross income to Narconon International.
for their websites heroinaddiction.com and cocaineaddiction.com, among others. The editor of Urban75
posted up comparisons of the copying, showing that Narconon had not even removed Urban75s hidden javascript code, unique to Urban75. The Register noted the irony of this scandal, quoting a critic who wrote, "Scientology has sued countless individuals and organizations putatively for 'copyright violation' and the organization claims loudly that they're at the 'forefront of protecting proprietary information on the Internet'." After pressure from Urban75 readers, Narconon eventually removed the copied layout, but never responded to queries about the site nor admitted any copying.
threatening legal action for criticism. Residents of the Leona Valley were concerned that Narconon would increase crime. The local town council recommended an eight foot security fence and independent security, which was objected to by Narconon officials.
reported that Narconon was one of the Scientology groups that would pay back a total of 3.5 million dollars of illegal funds from EarthLink
co-founder Reed Slatkin
:
said this was because schools are less aware of Narconon's links to the Church of Scientology.
In April 2008, as part of an investigation in Ulyanovsk
into the Church of Scientology, police searched a Narconon office in the town of Dimitrovgrad
.
Others
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
rs, headquartered in Hollywood, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It operates through several dozen treatment centers worldwide, chiefly in the United States and Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. Each Narconon center is independently owned and operated under a license from ABLE International
Association for Better Living and Education
The Association for Better Living and Education is a non-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It states that it is "dedicated to creating a better future for children and communities." It promotes secular uses of L. Ron Hubbard's works, and has been classified as a...
, a Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
-related entity. The program has garnered considerable controversy as a result of its association with Scientology and its drug addiction treatment methods.
The hypothesis underlying the program is that drugs and their metabolites are stored in the body's fatty tissues, causing the addict's cravings when partially released later on, and can be flushed out through a regimen comprising elements such as exercise, sauna and intake of high doses of vitamins. This hypothesis does not enjoy mainstream acceptance, and mainstream researchers and practitioners tend to discount Narconon due to its connection with Scientology.
Some practitioners have reported success with the program in reducing drug use, improving health, in aiding recovery, and influencing knowledge, attitudes and perception of risk of drug use. A peer-reviewed study published in 2008, co-authored by a former Narconon executive, asserted that the Narconon curriculum had a thorough grounding in substance abuse etiology and prevention theory, incorporated a number of tried and tested prevention strategies, and had proven successful in reducing drug use among youths.
History
Narconon was established February 19, 1966 as a drug-rehabilitation program based on "The Fundamentals of Thought" by L. Ron HubbardL. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
and delivered to drug abusers in the Arizona State Prisons. The name "Narconon" originally referred not to an organization but to the program. The program is based on the hypothesis that "small amounts of drugs [and their metabolites] stored in fat are released at a later time causing the person to re-experience the drug effect and desire to use again." Though still being examined, clinical experience with people exposed to environmental chemicals, as well as experience with drug users, indicate that the program of exercise, sauna therapy, and nutrition is helpful.
Narconon's creator was William C. Benitez, a former inmate at Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
State Prison who had served time for narcotics offenses. His work was supported by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
, and in 1972 Hubbard sponsored the incorporation of Narconon as an organization. It was co-founded by Benitez and two Scientologists, Henning Heldt and Arthur Maren.
The Narconon website reports the keynote of Narconon is that the “…individual is responsible for his own condition and that anyone can improve his condition if he is given a workable way to do so… man is basically good and it is pain, suffering, and loss that lead him astray.” It positions the program as an approach to rehabilitation without recourse to alternative drugs. This early program did not, however, deal directly with withdrawal symptoms. In 1973, the Narconon program adopted procedures to include drug-free withdrawal.
Narconon and Scientology
In December 1988, the president of the Church of ScientologyChurch of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, Heber Jentzsch
Heber Jentzsch
Heber Carl Jentzsch has served as president of the Church of Scientology International since 1982.-Biography:Heber Jentzsch grew up in a Mormon family, and identified himself as a "believing Mormon". He is the son of polygamist Carl Jentzsch and Carl's third wife Pauline; Heber has 42 siblings...
, was arrested in Spain after an investigation into Narconon that resulted in (later dropped) allegations that he and the Church of Scientology were defrauding Spanish citizens and running its centers with unqualified staff. Spanish citizens began inundating the courthouse with phone calls complaining of being hoodwinked by Narconon. The judge in the case said at a news conference after the arrests that the only god of the church of Scientology is money, and he compared the church to a pyramid scheme
Pyramid scheme
A pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that involves promising participants payment or services, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, rather than supplying any real investment or sale of products or services to the public...
in which members pay increasing sums of money. He said that Narconon swindled its clients and lured them into Scientology. In 1989, 75 Scientologists in Italy were arrested and an investigation showed that "parents of drug addicts were paying heavy monthly fees to Narconon, which advertised itself as a drug rehabilitation and cure center, but getting nothing in return." By the end of 1991 the court found there was no evidence to support prosecutors’ allegations that drug rehabilitation and other programs sponsored by the Church of Scientology in Spain amounted to illicit gathering aimed at activities such
as bilking people of money. In April 2002, the charge was formally dropped. The court also ordered that the bail bond deposited for his release in 1988 be returned to the Church along with interest, which nearly doubled the original amount.
Its affiliation with the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
has made Narconon itself a focus of controversy. The organization has never denied that many of its administrators are committed Scientologists or that its methods are based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard. In the early days, Narconon used unaltered Scientology materials in its courses, and Scientology executives were directly managing the organization (founders Heldt and Maren were high-ranking members of the Church's public-relations department known as the Guardian's Office). However, as Narconon promoted its drug-treatment services to a variety of governmental jurisdictions within the US, the organization repeatedly found itself at the center of controversy when the Scientology connection was raised by journalists or politicians. Not only did the Church of Scientology have serious public-image problems, but the link with Scientology raised questions about the constitutional appropriateness of governmental bodies sponsoring a religiously affiliated organization (see Lemon v. Kurtzman
Lemon v. Kurtzman
Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 , was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Pennsylvania's 1968 Nonpublic Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which allowed the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to reimburse nonpublic schools for the salaries of teachers who...
). These problems were further intensified by claims that the treatment program was medically unsound and numerous allegations that the Narconon treatment program serves as a fundraising and recruitment program for the Church of Scientology. A March 1–5, 1998 Boston Herald series exposed how two Scientology-linked groups, Narconon and the World Literacy Crusade
World Literacy Crusade
World Literacy Crusade is a non-profit group fighting illiteracy formed in 1992 by the Rev. Alfreddie Johnson. The group utilizes "study technologies" and "drug rehabilitation technologies" developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction author and founder of the Church of Scientology...
, have used anti-drug and learn-to-read programs to gain access to public schools without disclosing their Scientology ties. After the Herald report was published, Heber Jentzsch
Heber Jentzsch
Heber Carl Jentzsch has served as president of the Church of Scientology International since 1982.-Biography:Heber Jentzsch grew up in a Mormon family, and identified himself as a "believing Mormon". He is the son of polygamist Carl Jentzsch and Carl's third wife Pauline; Heber has 42 siblings...
, president of the Church of Scientology International
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, confirmed that the church's Los Angeles law firm hired a private-investigative firm to look into the personal life of reporter Joseph Mallia, who wrote the series. The Herald noted numerous other instances over the years where reporters were harassed with "noisy investigations
Fair Game (Scientology)
The term Fair Game is used to describe policies and practices carried out by the Church of Scientology towards people and groups it perceives as its enemies. Founder L. Ron Hubbard established the policy in the 1960s, in response to criticism both from within and outside his organization...
" after writing stories exposing the Church's misdeeds.
Narconon has developed its own secularized course materials in response to the concerns they operate as a marketing tool for the Church. These have evolved through several iterations to produce Narconon's current "New Life Program." While this program is very similar to pre-existing Scientology courses, Narconon insists that it is entirely "non-religious" in nature and rarely if ever mentions Scientology in its publications. At least one Narconon organization describes themselves as FSMs, a Scientology abbreviation for Field Staff Member.
These changes have not silenced the controversy. In the early 1990s, Narconon opened a large treatment center near Newkirk, Oklahoma
Newkirk, Oklahoma
Newkirk is a city in Kay County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,243 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kay County.-Geography:...
, resulting in a series of critical articles in a local newspaper. The Oklahoma Department of Health demanded that Narconon be licensed with the state, but the Board of Mental Health refused approval, stating "No scientifically well-controlled independent, long-term outcome studies were found that directly and clearly establish the effectiveness of the Narconon program for the treatment of chemical dependency and the more credible evidence establishes Narconon's program is not effective ... The Board concludes that the program offered by Narconon-Chilocco is not medically safe." Even the New York Times wrote a story detailing how the town's initial euphoria at the prospect of a drug treatment center has been replaced by distrust, frustration, and fear. Townspeople said that Narconon was not honest about its affiliation with the Church of Scientology, its financing, its medical credentials, and its plans for the project. A Narconon spokesman quoted for the story said that all the appearances of deception reported by the townspeople, such as the group that praised Narconon at a public ceremony and presented it with a check for $200,000 and turned out to itself be part of Narconon, were due to "false information being fed in there by somebody who's in favor of drug abuse ... They're either connected to selling drugs or they're using drugs."
Narconon's Scientologist attorney Tim Bowles
Tim Bowles
Timothy Bowles is an American attorney who has worked for the Church of Scientology and its related organizations for the majority of his career....
filed a series of lawsuits against Oklahoma institutions and officials and eventually obtained accreditation through the Arizona-based Commission on Accreditation and Rehabilitation Facilities
Commission on Accreditation and Rehabilitation Facilities
The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities , is an international, non-profit organization founded in 1966 with the assistance of Mary E. Switzer, then U.S. Social and Rehabilitation Services Commissioner...
(CARF) in 1992; Oklahoma officials then agreed to exempt Narconon from the state licensing requirement and the facility was allowed to operate.
In 1999, Scientologists from Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
tried to get a Narconon drug-education program installed into the Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...
school district. After a hearing on the matter, a school-district committee refused to allow students to participate in an anti-drug program based on the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, citing that teaching students about the "tone scale
Tone scale
In Scientology, the tone scale or emotional tone scale is a characterization of human behavior. It is based on the idea that some people appear to be more lively and alive than other people. Author L. Ron Hubbard spelled the idea out saying, "just draw a horizontal line on the page...
" and other trappings of Scientology was inappropriate for a drug-education program for their schools.
21st century
More recently, Narconon offered an anti-drug program to public schools in California, free of charge. A series of articles in the San Francisco Chronicle on June 9 and 10, 2004, resulted in California school officials investigating Narconon's claims. The study found that Narconon's program did not reflect medically and scientifically based practices and that it offered students misleading information about drug use and abuse. As a result of the investigation, on February 23, 2005, the state's superintendent of public instruction, Jack O'Connell, officially recommended that all schools in the state reject the Narconon program. O'Connell's secretary announced that the school systems in Los Angeles and San Francisco had dropped the program. The president of Narconon, Clark Carr, responded that the study presented only limited information about his organization's work, and that those efforts were "accurate and relevant to the current challenges children face with drugs."A number of celebrities have publicly attested that Narconon was helpful in their own lives. Musician Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
and actress Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
have credited Narconon for their recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol. Alley has since become a public spokesperson for Narconon. The New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project
New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project
The New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project was founded in New York City in 2003 with the purpose of treating rescue workers for toxins inhaled from the smoke of the September 11 attacks. It has two clinics; Downtown Medical on Fulton Street, two blocks from the site of the World Trade...
has, successfully by some accounts, used Hubbard's sauna detoxification regimen to improve the health of rescue workers exposed to toxic substances from 9/11, although the results are disputed.
By the end of 2005, according to the International Association of Scientologists
International Association of Scientologists
The International Association of Scientologists is an English non-profit organization, which was formed in October 1984 by a group of Scientologists, who assembled at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, Sussex, England...
, Narconon was operating 183 rehabilitation centres around the world. New centres opened in that year included Hastings, UK, and Stone Hawk, in Battle Creek, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
On July 17, 2006, one Narconon center, Narconon Trois-Rivieres (Three-Rivers) based in Canada, opened up a website at http://narcodex.ca. Narcodex is wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
purporting to contain drug information. The domain name of Narcodex.ca is owned by ABLE Canada
Association for Better Living and Education
The Association for Better Living and Education is a non-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It states that it is "dedicated to creating a better future for children and communities." It promotes secular uses of L. Ron Hubbard's works, and has been classified as a...
, another Scientology business entity. The funding for the website comes entirely from Narconon Trois-Rivieres, which also controls the content on the site.
Narconon's treatment method
The "New Life Program" consists of two principal stages: "detoxification" and "rehabilitation." The "New Life Detoxification Program", adapted from Hubbard's Purification RundownPurification Rundown
The Purification Rundown, also known as the Purif or the Hubbard Method, is a controversial detoxification program developed by Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard and used by the Church of Scientology as an introductory service. Scientologists consider it the only effective way to deal with the...
, consists of six elements: exercise, sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
, supplements, sufficient liquids, regular diet with fresh vegetables, and adequate sleep. Sources suggest that exercise helps release toxins from body fat as fat deposits are burned for energy, while concurrently releasing chemicals via sweating, sebum (produced by the skin's sebaceous glands), and regular bowel movements. Sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
use promotes sweating and sebum production, and methadone, amphetamines, methamphetamines, morphine, copper, mercury, and other toxins have been found in human sweat. Drinking water to offset liquid loss from sweating and eating a diet with plenty of high fiber, fresh-vegetables help keep bowel elimination regular. Vitamin and mineral supplements address nutritional deficiencies and offset nutrient loss due to sweating. Nutrient deficiencies hamper the body's ability to break down and eliminate drugs and other chemicals. Another key element in the program is the use of niacin
Niacin
"Niacin" redirects here. For the neo-fusion band, see Niacin .Niacin is an organic compound with the formula and, depending on the definition used, one of the forty to eighty essential human nutrients.Niacin is one of five vitamins associated with a pandemic deficiency disease: niacin deficiency...
due to its ability to temporarily increase free fatty acid mobilization, and including polyunsaturated fats due to these fats ability to increase the excretion rate of some toxin compounds. In getting a proper amount of sleep, mobilization and elimination of stored toxins reduces physical stress.
Efficacy
In 2008, Lennox and Cecchini, a former Narconon executive, published a peer-reviewed paper in the journal Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy presenting the findings of a research study conducted with approximately 1,000 Oklahoma and Hawai'i high-school students to test Narconon International’s high-school curriculum efficacy. They evaluated students using the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Participant Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs survey at three time periods: baseline, one month later, and six-month follow-up. Schools assigned to experimental conditions scheduled the Narconon curriculum between the baseline and one-month follow-up test; schools in control conditions received drug education after the six-month follow-up.At six-month follow-up, youths who received the Narconon drug education curriculum showed reduced drug use compared with controls across all drug categories tested. The strongest effects were seen in all tobacco products and cigarette frequency followed by marijuana. There were also significant reductions measured for alcohol and amphetamines. The program also produced changes in knowledge, attitudes and perception of risk. The study concluded that the eight-module Narconon curriculum has thorough grounding in substance abuse etiology and prevention theory, and reduced drug use among youths.
At the 1989 American Academy of Environmental Medicine annual meeting, physician David Root reported the results of a five-year follow-up study of 44 drug abuse patients that he had treated using the Hubbard program. Twenty-seven of these patients had used drugs for more than ten years at the time of treatment; 14 had used drugs for four to ten years; and the remaining three had been abusers for one to three years. The group used an average of 4.7 different drugs before treatment, including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, hallucinogens, heroin or other opiates, antidepressants, and alcohol. After treatment, 22 of the 44 still used alcohol (down from 38), and four people reported using drugs—albeit less powerful ones than they had used before treatment. About 91% in Root's study reported "no ongoing drug abuse." Dr. Root viewed this report as possible evidence that excreting residual drugs and their metabolites, stored in body fat, aids recovery.
Controversies
In 1984, a 34 year-old French woman named Jocelyne Dorfmann died from an untreated epilepsyEpilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
crisis while undergoing treatment at a Narconon center in Grancey-sur-Ource
Grancey-sur-Ource
Grancey-sur-Ource is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Geography:The village lies on the left bank of the Ource, which flows northwest through the northeastern part of the commune.-Population:-References:*...
(near Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
). The assistant-director of that center was sentenced for lack of assistance to a person in danger and the Narconon center was closed.
In Italy, a 33-year-old Italian female patient of the Narconon center in Torre dell'Orso died under similar conditions in 2002.
Methods
Since its establishment, Narconon has faced considerable controversy over the safety and effectiveness of its rehabilitation methods and the organization's links to the Church of Scientology. The medicalMedicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
profession has been sharply critical of Narconon's methods, which rely on theories of drug metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
that are not widely supported. Particular criticism has been directed at the therapy's use of vitamins (including massive doses of niacin
Niacin
"Niacin" redirects here. For the neo-fusion band, see Niacin .Niacin is an organic compound with the formula and, depending on the definition used, one of the forty to eighty essential human nutrients.Niacin is one of five vitamins associated with a pandemic deficiency disease: niacin deficiency...
) and extended sauna sessions. Although Narconon claims a success rate of over 70%, no verifiable evidence for this appears to have been published by the organization, and independent researchers have found considerably lower rates—at least one website critical of Narconon claims that the rates were as low as 6.6% in the case of a Swedish research study.
ABLE
Narconon is part of the Association for Better Living and EducationAssociation for Better Living and Education
The Association for Better Living and Education is a non-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It states that it is "dedicated to creating a better future for children and communities." It promotes secular uses of L. Ron Hubbard's works, and has been classified as a...
(ABLE). Narconon refers frequently to its connection to L. Ron Hubbard and its website acknowledges that Narconon's name and logo are trademarks and service marks owned by ABLE and are used with its permission. In return for license of the trademarks from ABLE, Narconon centers pay 10% of their gross income to Narconon International.
Accusation-website graphics design/layout Plagiarism
In January 2001, Narconon came under fire when they appeared to copy the entire layout and site design of the webzine Urban75.comUrban75
Urban75 is a website and messageboard based in Brixton, England. It was founded in 1995 and includes various e-zine content, as well as bulletin boards. The site was founded and is currently run by Mike Slocombe.-History:Urban75 initially originated from a football comic that started in 1991...
for their websites heroinaddiction.com and cocaineaddiction.com, among others. The editor of Urban75
Urban75
Urban75 is a website and messageboard based in Brixton, England. It was founded in 1995 and includes various e-zine content, as well as bulletin boards. The site was founded and is currently run by Mike Slocombe.-History:Urban75 initially originated from a football comic that started in 1991...
posted up comparisons of the copying, showing that Narconon had not even removed Urban75s hidden javascript code, unique to Urban75. The Register noted the irony of this scandal, quoting a critic who wrote, "Scientology has sued countless individuals and organizations putatively for 'copyright violation' and the organization claims loudly that they're at the 'forefront of protecting proprietary information on the Internet'." After pressure from Urban75 readers, Narconon eventually removed the copied layout, but never responded to queries about the site nor admitted any copying.
State code violations
Narconon facilities in California were cited repeatedly for violations by state inspectors. Violations included administering medication without authorization, having alcohol on the facility, and not having proper bedding for clients. Narconon has also attempted to silence opposition, including sending letters to neighbors of a proposed facility in Leona Valley, CaliforniaLeona Valley, California
Leona Valley is a census-designated place located in the geographic Leona Valley of northern Los Angeles County, California, in the transition between the Sierra Pelona Mountains and Mojave Desert, just west of Palmdale and the Antelope Valley. The population was 1,607 at the 2010 census.Leona...
threatening legal action for criticism. Residents of the Leona Valley were concerned that Narconon would increase crime. The local town council recommended an eight foot security fence and independent security, which was objected to by Narconon officials.
Slatkin fraud
On November 8, 2006, the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Narconon was one of the Scientology groups that would pay back a total of 3.5 million dollars of illegal funds from EarthLink
EarthLink
EarthLink , is an Internet service provider headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It claims 1.94 million subscribers.- Business :EarthLink provides a variety of Internet connection types, including dial-up, DSL, satellite, and cable. Both dial-up and high speed Internet access are available...
co-founder Reed Slatkin
Reed Slatkin
Reed Eliot Slatkin was an initial investor and co-founder of EarthLink and the perpetrator of one of the largest Ponzi schemes in the United States since that conducted by Charles Ponzi himself....
:
"Slatkin, who was once an ordained Scientology minister, paid $1.7 million from his scheme directly to Scientology groups, while millions of dollars more were funneled through other investors to groups affiliated with the church, bankruptcy trustee R. Todd Neilson said in court filings. Among the church groups to receive ill-gotten gains from Slatkin's scheme were Narconon International, the Church of Scientology Celebrity CentreCelebrity CentreCelebrity Centres are Church of Scientology facilities that are open to the public but serve mostly artists and celebrities and other "professionals, leaders and promising new-comers in the fields of the arts, sports, management and government", as "those are the people who are sculpting the...
International and the Church of Scientology Western United States, the filings said. The $3.5 million being returned by the church groups was the result of a negotiated compromise, Scientology attorney David Schindler and Alexander Pilmer, an attorney for Neilson, said." http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/15963877.htm
Narconon used in UK schools
The UK prisons ombudsman recommended to prison governors that Narconon rehabilitation programs not be used in prisons although some schools in the UK are using these programs; The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
said this was because schools are less aware of Narconon's links to the Church of Scientology.
Investigated in Russia
In April 2007, it was revealed that Moscow's South District office of public procurator had begun an investigation into Narconon's activities in Russia. The Moskovsky Komsomolets daily paper reported that legal proceedings were begun against the head of the clinic "Narconon-Standard", for violating bans in Russian medical practices. Russian law enforcement became interested after receiving many complaints from citizens about the high fees charged by Narconon. The Narconon office in Bolshaya Tulskaya St., Moscow was searched, and documents and unidentified medications were seized.In April 2008, as part of an investigation in Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk
Ulyanovsk The city is the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin , for whom it is named.-History:Simbirsk was founded in 1648 by the boyar Bogdan Khitrovo. The fort of "Simbirsk" was strategically placed on a hill on the Western bank of the Volga River...
into the Church of Scientology, police searched a Narconon office in the town of Dimitrovgrad
Dimitrovgrad, Russia
Dimitrovgrad is a city in Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Bolshoy Cheremshan River. Population: -History:It was founded in the beginning of the 18th century as a village for workers of the local distillery, which was closed in 1848. As of 1897, its population was 8,500, and in 1919...
.
See also
- Clear Body, Clear MindClear Body, Clear MindClear Body, Clear Mind is a book published in 1990 by the Church of Scientology's publishing house Bridge Publications. It is credited to L. Ron Hubbard who died four years earlier, and is largely a compilation of material he wrote in the 1960s. It is one of the canonical texts of Scientology and...
- CriminonCriminonCriminon is a program for rehabilitating prisoners using L. Ron Hubbard's teachings. Criminon International, a non-profit, public-benefit corporation managing the Criminon program, was spawned from Narconon International in 2000, and is part of Association for Better Living and Education's public...
- Downtown Medical
- Purification RundownPurification RundownThe Purification Rundown, also known as the Purif or the Hubbard Method, is a controversial detoxification program developed by Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard and used by the Church of Scientology as an introductory service. Scientologists consider it the only effective way to deal with the...
External links
Official Narconon SitesOthers
- NarCONon IS Scientology
- Narconon Drug Abuse Prevention Program Evaluation by the State of California.