When someone in your family is taking a dangerous drug, your role is no longer support of drug prevention efforts. You need to act fast.
A recent daunting report from NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), estimates that abuse and addiction still cost the American public upwards of half a trillion dollars a year. Despite reported success with drug prevention, which has dropped the drug use by young adults from 19.4 percent in 2001 to 14.9 percent in 2006, many families still have to face the need to seek intervention to help a loved one.
Drugs do destroy people’s lives, figuratively and literally. Take the Southern California wife of a talented musician. She experienced the death of her husband in front of her eyes from a cocaine overdose. She knew he had a serious cocaine addiction, but she did not act quite fast enough. More tragic, at the time of his death, her husband was on the verge of going into a drug rehab program.
Ultimately, if the problem is substance abuse, the only answer is getting the addict into rehab before tragedy strikes. If this is your situation, your only thought must be to get the addict to stop taking drugs before it is too late.
There are two questions left unanswered that can delay many intended interventions: Can anything really be done to end the drug cravings? And will my loved one reject my help?
The simple answer to the first question is Yes. If someone you know is addicted to drugs or alcohol, introduce them to the Narconon® program It has a 40 year track record handling addicts’ cravings for drugs so they can live lives free of urges to revert.
To answer the second one, there is this. Every wife, husband, parent needs to know that when addicts can begin to believe that life could be drug free, even if there are still doubts, most will try for it.
It may seem only drugs are important to an addict. But look closer – there is a life to be lived that is flickering. Getting your son or daughter or other family member to a truly successful drug rehab program will resuscitate that life. There are four decades of families who know this is true, because they have seen it for themselves. Don’t wait until it is too late.
Thousands of people have successfully completed Narconon’s drug rehabilitation program and, unlike many other alcohol and drug treatment methods, the vast majority of graduates go on to live stable, ethical, productive, drug-free lives.
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Narconon network celebrates its 44th birthdayFebruary 25th, 2010The Narconon drug rehabilitation program began on February 19th, 1966, based on a decision by Arizona State Prison inmate by the name of William Benitez. After reading a book by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, “The Fundamentals of Thought”, Benitez recognized there could be a whole new approach to curing himself and helping others get permanently off drugs - concentrate on your abilities, rather than your addiction. It sounds simple now, but it wasn’t to an inmate who had tried every other method to get off drugs way back in ‘66. It worked. Benitez created a new program and helped dozens of others get off drugs in the prison, too. Following his release, he continued his mission by starting to deliver drug education presentations to students, one of the first persons to do so. It set an example now followed by Narconon® drug education specialists all over the world, reaching millions of youth. The Narconon drug education curriculum has even been studied and found to reduce drug use in all categories addressed. Benitez also founded the first Narconon residential treatment center in Los Angeles, from which have descended centers across the world, from Nepal to Cape Town, St. Petersburg to Oklahoma. Since 1995, when the network began to keep formal track, 30,000 persons have graduated the full four-to-six month life skills program.
At Narconon Georgia in Atlanta, one of the first persons Benitez helped free from addiction back in Arizona, Gordy Weinand, sat his students down and told them stories from successes he’s known over the last 40 years. Rehab is always personal. Narconon has had dozens of other accomplishments this year, such as opening its first drug rehab center in Costa Rica. It is doing pioneering work helping rehabs in Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico to cope with the enormous drug crisis precipitated when drug cartels began warring there. Narconon Nepal in Kathmandu delivered drug education across the entire nation. Vittorio Poti, Mayor of Melendugno, Italy where there is the 100-bed Narconon Gabbiano attended its anniversary. Narconon Ghana celebrated UN Day Against Drugs with drug education events reaching 1000’s of youth. And thousands of addicts achieved stable drug-free lives this year, probably the hardest accomplishment of their lives so far. Their wins are only beginning. We invite you to learn more about the Narconon program. Or you might like to help by volunteering. Visit www.narconon.org or email us at info@narconon.org
Narconon International drug education seminar for beleaguered Mexico City parentsFebruary 18th, 2010Narconon International president Clark Carr gave a three and a half hour drug education seminar to 100 parents and college age youth in Mexico City on February 10th, offering key data to explain why youth turn to drugs and also how to combat this perennial risk to youthful wellbeing. A recent national Mexican study of alcohol and other drug use indicated that alcohol is the worst problem, that 27,000,000 Mexicans between 12 and 65 drink, a quarter of those drinking heavily. Marijuana follows as the other gateway drug with abuse of pharmaceuticals from the house and internet also growing alarmingly, paralleling U.S. drug use. Some parents said that there has been an increase in bullying and other youthful violence mirroring the increase in binge drinking by Mexico City youth. But the explosion of youthful use of the internet is probably what is driving up the sale and use of pharmaceuticals, just as it is in the U.S. Carr told the parents that before they are going to talk to their children about drugs, they have to be willing to be honest about their own use, not just of the medicine cabinet but of alcohol. There was lots of back and forth on how to recognize symptoms and the toxic effects of drugs, with the greater concentration on how talk to young people about drugs. “More important than knowing about each separate drug,” Carr said, “is to know that drugs, including alcohol, are basically toxic and that it’s really the quantity of a drug used that creates its different effects.” Alcohol in moderation is a stimulant, and this is its popular, desirable effect. But the same alcohol used in excess begins to sedate, slow the person down both physically and mentally, and finally too much, too fast can put one into an alcohol coma or kill him. The conversation turned quite lively over whether or not “cerveza” (beer) is toxic. “It’s not that one beer is toxic,” said Carr, “but how much beer, how fast, for how long. Ethyl alcohol is toxic, yes. But the liver can detoxify alcohol when consumed in moderation. The parents asked Narconon International for further training and drug education sessions in the future. For further information on Narconon drug education visit www.narconon.org.
Drug Rehabilitation Program Uses Holistic Methods to Help Addiction-Related SymptomsFebruary 10th, 2010While the majority of addiction treatment programs throughout the country have been using antidepressants and similar drugs to treat depression and other addiction-related symptoms manifested by their enrollees, the Narconon drug rehabilitation program has demonstrated its efficacy in dealing with these problems in a drug-free manner. According to an article recently published in Newsweek, the number of Americans on antidepressants doubled from about 13.3 million in 1996 to 27 million in 2005. During that period the pharmaceutical marketing machines raked in billions of dollars, yet a researcher in the article was quoted as saying, “The belief that antidepressants can cure depression chemically is simply wrong.” The researcher, Irving Kirsch, said that his study of both published and unpublished clinical trials of antidepressants found that 82 percent of patients benefit as well from a plecebo, making negligible the difference in taking an antidepressant. In addition, when someone weighs in the long list of toxic side effects from the mind-altering drugs, one could surmise that patients might be better off not taking the drugs in the first place. Under alcohol and other drug addiction, depression is a natural symptom that most substance abusers feel at some point. This may be the result of the chemical alteration their body endures and the highs and lows associated, or due to the mental anguish and guilt of having committed many harmful acts to themselves and others during the addiction. Either way, they are very real feelings to these people that need to be addressed at source, not chemically camouflaged. For over four decades, Narconon has been successfully using drug-free methods to deal with the real causes of such symptoms. One important component is to fully detoxify the body by eliminating stored chemical residues that alter its chemical balance. Through a unique and intense physical cleansing process based on research by American author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, program participants are able to flush out old toxins with the aid of healthy, natural supplements, which they need in any case to begin to feel better. These include essential minerals, vitamins and oils. In addition, Narconon’s responsibility-based approach uses cognitive learning to address behavior. Graduates of the program, whether on antidepressants before or not, do not feel the need to take any such medications after completion. In the words of one of tens of thousands of Narconon graduates, “Before I came to Narconon, I had all the classic signs of major depression, my doctor wanted to put me on medication. But today I am happy to report I have been drug- and alcohol-free for 10 years and couldn’t ever imagine having to take a drug to try and feel better. I credit that new-found life to Narconon without question.” For more information on Narconon’s drug-free approach, or to find a program near you, visit www.narconon.org today. Here, find a video of the history of the Narconon program.
New Study Reveals A Killer Combination of Abused SubstancesFebruary 3rd, 2010Substance abuse by itself is bad enough in that it can lead to addiction or arrest. But in some situations, drug abuse leads to sudden death. A study just released by the Institute of Legal Medicine in Seville, Spain, discovered a combination of factors that resulted in death for twenty-one drug abusers. These deaths weren’t caused by drug overdoses – it was the fatal combination of drugs that ended these lives. The Spanish study set out to determine factors involved in sudden deaths in southwest Spain between 2003 and 2006. Through autopsies and toxicology reports, the study determined that in three percent of sudden deaths, a fatal combination of cocaine, alcohol and tobacco use caused sudden death. Among these cocaine-related deaths, 76 percent had also used alcohol at the time of death, and 81 percent were smokers. It’s long been known that cocaine places stresses on one’s heart, a fact tragically brought to light when Len Bias, the promising young basketball star, died suddenly after using cocaine in 1986. These days, many substance abusers abuse multiple drugs at the same time. In the U.S., 72 percent of drug-related deaths are caused by poly-drug use. In the Spanish study, 62 percent of the cocaine-related deaths were associated with cardiovascular (heart) problems. Another 14 percent were associated with cerebrovascular causes (blood vessels in the brain) like strokes or aneurysms. The Spanish report emphasizes the importance of effective drug rehabilitation. Providing drug addiction treatment is how the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program has saved lives for four decades. Although traditional drug treatment centers have success rates of 16 percent or less, Narconon rehab centers achieve a 70 percent success rate year after year. Around the world in 120 centers, Narconon drug rehabs help addicts return to stably drug-free and alcohol-free lives, thus preserving them from the damage found in this study. In addition, Narconon centers and staffs provide drug prevention services for schools and community groups. If you would like more information on Narconon’s drug education, prevention and rehabilitation programs, visit www.narconon.org.
Rehabilitation for Opiate Addiction Without Maintenance DrugsJanuary 28th, 2010The Narconon program provides successful drug-free rehabilitation for people addicted to heroin, oxycodone and other opiates without putting them on methadone or buprenorphine. Los Angeles, CA - According to recent survey information from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), more than 350,000 people throughout the country entered some form of treatment or rehabilitation program listing an opiate as their primary drug. Opiate addiction has been a major problem in America for decades. The main difference has been what type of opiate, such as morphine, heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone or other synthetic drugs. Over the years there has also been a push by the pharmaceutical industry to get opiate addicts onto their replacement drugs such as methadone, and more recently, buprenorphine. Opiate addiction comes with very heavy withdrawal symptoms, and so many addicts are drawn to the idea of not having to experience them by taking a legalized substitute that feeds their bodies’ dependency, but hopefully with less behavioral consequences. It’s a genius sales tactic that has generated billions of dollars for the drug industry and methadone clinics, many of which are for-profit corporations instead of non-profit treatment centers. The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Servicess (N-SSATS) showed that on the day of the last survey there were more than 260,000 Americans who were being given methadone as a substitute drug. While methadone clinics made up just about ten percent of the total treatment facilities, they had the highest average number of clients to accumulate more than 22 percent of all people receiving services for substance abuse. In addition, more than one-third of programs that prescribed methadone didn’t even offer detoxification - they were strictly dispensaries for maintenance drugs. Methadone has drawn more scrutiny in recent years with an alarming increase in the number of overdoses and related deaths. Some states are seeking to regulate the drug and its clinics, such as a bill in West Virginia that proposes methadone treatment centers to report and track take-home doses of the drugs. Others are just now seeing the social problems attached to the drug, such as police officers in Maine who reported a number of automobile accidents caused by methadone patients nodding off at the wheel while driving. While the long-term maintenance plan for methadone is to eventually wean off it over an approximate 18-month time period, the majority of methadone addicts actually increase their dosages due to further tolerance and wind up going into detox and rehabilitation programs after all. One program that has offered drug-free rehabilitation methods for opiate addicts for decades is the Narconon program, which is based on research and developments by the late American author and humanitarian, L. Ron Hubbard. Rather than putting heroin and other opiate addicts on replacement drugs or having them withdraw completely “cold turkey,” the Narconon program uses nutritional and light physical therapies to help ease withdrawal symptoms in their social detoxification. The rest of the program includes a body cleansing process to rid the drug residues called the New Life Detoxification Program, which helps to eliminate physical cravings for the drug and rehabilitate mental clarity for the education, counseling and life skills portion of the treatment. Narconon has over 140 groups and centers in dozens of countries throughout the world, with many facilities from coast to coast in the United States. The overall success of the program in returning people to becoming responsible, ethical and productive citizens has led to continued growth, which is spearheaded by the Narconon International office in Los Angeles. For more information about this life-saving drug-free rehabilitation program or to get help for a loved one in need, visit www.narconon.org today.
High Youth Drug Use Statistics Emphasize the Necessity for Effective Drug EducationJanuary 21st, 2010The latest report on teen drug use has just been released. It provides clear evidence that more kids need to be reached with effective drug education. The University of Michigan carries out yearly an updated “Monitoring the Future” survey of 50,.000 middle and high school youth nationwide and then prints a report on drug use by America’s young people. The behavior and attitudes represented in this survey provide advance notice of adult drug use and addiction a few years down the road. Changes in trends over the years also let us know if we are doing better or worse in getting the message of drugs’ dangers to our children. In the latest report, released in December 2009, overall drug use statistics have risen slightly, largely because of a rise in marijuana use. Perhaps more dangerous, due to their rapid addictiveness is the stably high rate of prescription drug abuse among students in their senior year of high school. The rate of “Narcotic Use, other than Heroin” has more than doubled since 1992. Out of every hundred students, thirteen of them have abused a drug such as OxyContin, Vicodin, Lortab or methadone. These drugs are renowned for their ability to send people into drug rehabilitation facilities for treatment. Concerning Vicodin, 8th, 9th and 10th graders stated that their use rates were three percent, eight percent and ten percent respectively. OxyContin use did not increase in the last year, but remains at five percent of 12th graders. Other prescription drugs being abused far too often are amphetamines, sedatives and tranquilizers. Trends within each category of drug also shifted, with Adderall, the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Drug, starting to replace Ritalin as a drug of abuse. What is really startling is that it doesn’t take a drug dealer for most of these kids to get the prescription drugs they are abusing. Better than half the children got the drug for free from a friend or relative. Another third bought it from the friend or relative. About 20 percent took it without asking, mostly from relatives. That means when they go to Aunt Jane’s house and use the bathroom, they might be looking for a few pills they can lift without being obvious, or they might check the purse or the bedside table when no one is looking. An essential component in the fight to save our children from drugs is effective drug education. The Narconon drug prevention curriculum is being used around the world to educate young people so they understand for themselves why they should say “No.” Avoiding unworkable scare tactics and applying effective education that consults student understanding concering the lasting damage done by drugs, Narconon drug educators have reached more than three million school children with their message. One way Narconon drug education effectiveness is monitored is by surveying student ‘change in opinion about using drugs’ and also checking for lowered drug use after receiving the curriculum. Consistently, our surveys have demonstrated our approach produces results. Drug use falls. Students tell us they have thrown away drugs or told other students to stop using them. There is also a peer-reviewed formal study of the Narconon high school drug education curriculum published online (www.substanceabusepolicy.com/content/3/1/8). Informing the minds of our youth so they can reason more clearly on the subject of alcohol and other drugs is a vitally important way to curtail addiction down the road. Children who never start abusing drugs will never become addicts in need of drug recovery.
Latino and Black youth march proudly together in Long Beach to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.January 16th, 2010
LOS ANGELES - Media in southern Los Angeles County have often reported conflict between Latinos and Blacks, but today 35 youths carried a banner in the Long Beach Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade on 16 January specifically to promote peace and to show that the majority of youth want peace and are willing to do something to make peace between the races come true. “I’m trying to smash the statistics that Black and Brown communities don’t get along,” said Luis Guerrero, a youth from Wilmington. “You can see all these youth helping us. There are signs right here that there is a big chance for peace.”
Other sponsoring groups were SoCal Foster Care Mentoring Network and The Positive Art of Hip Hop. One young girl representing Dreamcatcher Foundation, a foster care program, said, “This is a tribute to Martin Luther King. He plays a big part in our having the courage to come together as Black and Brown and just have some harmony and peace.”
Narconon supports youth events such as this all across the United States and the world to support drug-free, ethical, and peaceful communities. Narconon centers across the United States are participating in similar events including in Georgia and Oklahoma. You can find more information about the Narconon drug education and community awareness events.
Narconon South Europe celebrates its 28th anniversary in ItalyDecember 31st, 2009On December 12th, 2009, at the Hotel Milano Brun, Narconon South  Narconon Europe Continental Executive In the presence of 300 guests and Narconon International executives, Phil Hart and Clark Carr, the Executive Director of Narconon South Europe Giovanni Citterio presented the achievements of the past year and gave the Felice Cantù International Award to those who had contributed significantly to the fight against drug abuse. One important attainment was the registration of Narconon drug rehabilitation centers in the website of the Department of Anti-Drug Policy by the President’s Council of Ministers, and Narconon’s participation in the 5th National Conference on Drugs in Trieste. This year’s award recipients were Vittorio Potì, Mayor of Melendugno, Massimo Esposito of Narconon Rome and Salvo Siracusano, a Narconon graduate. They received awards for, respectively, “Narconon and Society,” “Narconon Prevention,” and “Narconon Rehabilitation”. Mayor Potì discussed the evolution of the relationship between Meledugno and Narconon Gabbiano: “As the Regional Councilor and Mayor of a Salerno town with an agricultural and tourist economy, Narconon’s arrival challenged us. We were in the middle of the nineties, and our thoughts about the world of drug addiction were not free from prejudice and superficial evaluation, even to the point of intolerance. The community and I had a distorted view. But after initial distrust and worries about possible conflicts with the center, we developed a climate of real respect, trust, and active mutual collaboration. “Our most recent collaboration was an agreement between Narconon and the Municipal Administration to use Narconon students for combined civic activities to preserve the environment. This, along with many other instances, has made all the difference. “Today, Narconon in Melendugno is not a foreigner viewed with suspicion, but a part of our community. Because of their dedication to their mission, Narconon has gained our support and esteem.”
Holiday Extravaganza at Narconon in CanadaDecember 15th, 2009Holiday Extravaganza at Narconon in Canada
This will be a very special event celebrating living a drug free life, especially over the holiday season. We will be commending all of our students on the program and graduates of the Narconon program. Their individual courage and dedication in achieving a drug free and happy life is something to be celebrated. The event will show case some guest speakers, musical talent, and the first local Narconon choir, whom have all volunteered their time to help celebrate living drug free. We are pleased to be able have a very young and talented French Canadian singer, Lea Morgane, who will be singing a variety of different songs for our listening pleasure. To watch the live graduation on December 18, at 4pm EST, you can visit http://www.narconon.ca/live We hope you enjoy the show, and have a wonder holiday season and a prosperous new year. Drug rehabilitation program special graduation
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Narconon spokesperson Teddy Chambers who worked with the youth to organize for today’s march acknowleged in particular Luis Guerrero and Angela Flores (from Long Beach). These and other young people worked with other adult volunteers, Danny Flores and Ruben Vazquez, to bring youth in from 10 different cities, including besides Long Beach and Los Angeles Hawaiian Gardens, Compton, Lakewood, Wilmington, Artesia, Inglewood, Culver City, and Carson.
Sporting shirts with an artistic, distinctly styled logo, designed by the youth themselves, the young friends marched from 7th and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to MLK Jr. Park. Ruben Vazgquez praised the kids: “They made this beautiful sign all together, working as one. It’s nice to see this.”
The holiday season has arrived; not only are we celebrating the end of another successful year of saving lives, but we are ending it with a bang. For the fourth time this year, Narocnon Trois-Rivieres will broadcast a live graduation on the Internet, December 18, 2009 at 4pm EST.