Flying Monkey
Patron
http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/archive/index.php/t-815.html
Normally I would just steer readers to the link, but considering it's a blog with a very lengthy point/counter point being debated, I'll paste the part I found interesting(which is extremely lengthy, so bear with me):
Cannabis12-21-2003, 05:50 PM
The California Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs
1700 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
January 30, 2002
To Whom it May Concern,
It is with the utmost urgency and importance that I write this
letter to bring to your attention grave violations of individual
liberty, health standards, medical practice and common decency
taking place at what professes itself to be a residential drug
and alcohol treatment facility in California and, unfortunately
and alarmingly, is a facility licensed by the Department of Drug
and Alcohol Programs in California.
The facility and program of which I speak is Narconon Southern
California, located at 1810 W. Ocean Front, Newport Beach, Orange
County, California. Operating with State sanction and approval
by your Department, Narconon Southern California has long and
claimed and still claims to be a reputable, successful, valid
residential drug and alcohol treatment facility. My personal
experience and that of many others with Narconon Southern
California, however, points towards the Narconon organization and
facility as being anything but what it claims to be.
The Narconon program violates all traditional treatment
methodologies and accepted medical and scientific practice in the
field of drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation. Further,
Narconon misleads and takes advantage of its clients and their
families so as to pursue an aggressive and hidden agenda of
exorbitant fundraising and religious recruitment. My intent
behind this letter is to bring to the attention of those who have
in their power and under their jurisdiction the ability to
commence a thorough and long overdue investigation in to Narconon
and prevent Narconon from continuing to take advantage of the
citizens of California who are duped and misled in to placing
their hopes for recovery in to this corrupt organization.
I entered the Narconon Southern California facility in late June,
2000 in the hopes that through Narconon I would be able to
address my own alcohol addiction. I graduated from the Narconon
program exactly two months after enrolling. Armed with
Narconon's teachings and approaches to my addiction, I attempted
to carry on living a productive and sober life. However, within
a month of leaving Narconon I had fall right back in to a
destructive and demoralizing cycle of alcohol abuse and the
subsequent consequences. I returned to Narconon in December of
2000 intent on finding out why I had relapsed, recommitting
myself to the program and hoping to learn whatever it was I had
failed to grasp my first time through the program that would help
me stay sober for good. Upon returning to Narconon in December
2000, I was quickly made a staff member at the facility and
became a contracted, full time employee of the organization. It
is with that experience and background that I seek to bring to
your attention the alarming practices I witnessed, experienced
and participated in while at Narconon.
Violations of Laws and Regulations at Narconon Southern
California
Firstly I seek to reveal the broad base of legal violations
taking place at Narconon. While I was a client and then employee
of Narconon, the facility was licensed by your Department to
operate a 38-bed adult residential treatment facility. However,
in March 2001 Narconon had enrolled in and living within the
facility in excess of 40 patients. In addition to the number of
patients that was already in excess of licensed limits, there
were at any given time at least 4 and up to 10 staff members
living in the same structure. Therefore, a building licensed to
hold 38 would actually have up and over 50 residents, staff and
clients included. The facility was overcrowded and Narconon
continued to bring in more patients who were poorly supervised
and lived in uncomfortable and disturbing conditions as a result
of the overcrowding. In an attempt to relieve the crowding
problems at the 1810 W. Ocean Front facility, Narconon SC rented
out two small apartments located across the street from the main
facility on Balboa Blvd. One of the apartments was a small one
bedroom, the other one a small two bedroom apartment. In to
these apartments were placed up to 6 and 10 Narconon patients,
respectively. These two apartments had neither been inspected by
the proper authorities nor approved for use as residential
treatment quarters and facilities. Not only was the overcrowding
at Narconon a violation of its own license, but also of county
and state heath and fire codes and regulations. Violations of
the maximum resident licensing stipulation at Narconon also led
to the admittance in March, 2001 of a 17 year old patient.
Narconon Southern California is not licensed to house or treat
juveniles. However, this 17 year old was hidden from state
authorities and kept as an "unofficial" client living and
receiving treatment at the facility.
Another area in which laws were violated at Narconon again
concerns health codes. With a facility not designed to provide
for and house over 40 patients and staff members. In order to
accommodate for the overwhelming numbers of residents, the
kitchen staff would defrost meat in whatever space was available.
This included in the bathtubs of bathrooms that were
simultaneously being used by the residents as restroom
facilities.
The area in which I experienced and witnessed the greatest degree
of illegality was in Narconon's hiring and employment practices.
The information posters printed by the State of California
outlining and displaying an employee's legal rights were nowhere
to be found. Employees were kept in the dark as to their rights
as workers in California. Staff members were required to work a
minimum of 72 hours per week for a starting salary of $50 per
week. This translates in to an hourly wage of less than
$1.45/hour. Clearly, Narconon's payment methods violate minimum
wage laws. Every US worker is entitled to a living wage according
to California and US law.
Furthermore, there are no medical personnel on staff at the
Narconon facility and staff members are not trained in first aid
or addiction recovery. Narconon clients are transported in the
uninsured personal cars of staff members. Automobiles owned and
operated by Narconon Southern California are driven by non-
commercial, uninsured drivers. The cars themselves are not
insured for business purposes, placing staff and clients at risk
whenever they travel with Narconon.
Deception, Lies and Unethical Conduct
Even more disturbing than Narconon Southern California's legal
violations to the addict and alcoholic are their patterns of
lies, deception and ethical misconduct. Narconon claims to have
as evidenced on their website and literature an 80% success rate
in rehabilitating addicts and getting them sober. This success
rate is unfounded and untrue. It is based on 2 studies that were
apparently conducted in Sweden and Spain around two decades ago.
According to Narconon:
A. An independent 1981 Swedish study of 13 Narconon graduates
showed that 76% of those that completed the Narconon Program were
still drug free two years later.
B. An independent Spanish study of 50 Narconon graduates was
conducted in Mar/Apr 1987 by "Tecnicos Asociados de Investigacion
y Marketing" (TAIM) for the Ministry of Health and Social
Services and showed that 70% of the graduates were drug-free two
years later. It was headed by Dr. Esquerdo (105); TAIM, PDAL,
28007, Madrid, Spain. TAIM's telephone number is, according to
John Duff of Narconon International, +34 1 273-7400.
According to John Duff, Narconon commissioned the first two
studies, so it seems to be slightly dishonest to claim that they
are the product of "independent" research. It should also be
noted that TAIM, the research organization mentioned in the
second study, is not at the address given, and not listed in any
current Spanish phone directories or commercial directories. The
phone number given by John Duff seems also to be out of use, so
TAIM has either ceased trading or moved from the Madrid area.
The name of the organization responsible for the Swedish study is
not known. Another curious thing about the Swedish statistics is
that with 13 subjects there is no way you can get "76%" (76.9%
would be the correct figure).
The existence of the latter study has not been yet corroborated
independently, but it seems odd that a program primarily intended
to eliminate drug use should instead be evaluated on its
education and disciplinary benefits.
Nothing is said about the source, duration or methodology used
for any of the studies.
A "Swedish" and "Spanish" study is also quoted in the section on
Narconon in the book "What is Scientology", giving amazingly
accurate statistics for the programs effectiveness (84.6% and
78.37% and respectively). It is not clear whether this reference
is to the same or to different studies. Scientology spokesman
Andrew Milne (formerly at [email protected]) claims that these are
the one-year statistics. Strangely, Narconon does not appear to
have supplied Prof. Folke Sjoqvist with a copy of the supposed
Swedish study when in November 1997 he wrote a report on Narconon
for the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.
Given the claims of studies showing high success rates, it is
strange that when Narconon sought tax rebates in Stuttgart,
Germany, they were unable to provide any evidence to support
their claims of efficacy. The Stuttgart Verwaltungsgerichtshof
(administrative appeals court) found that
"The papers filed by the petitioner offer no evidence of a
successful drug withdrawal at the petitioner."
[Decision of the VGH Stuttgart, 10 May 1993, Az: 1 S 3021/92]
In fact, California's own State Department of Health had the
following to say about Narconon's self-professed success rate a
report done on Narconon in 1974:
"a. Public Descriptions by Pamphlets, Notices, etc.: The 86%
"cure rate" is totally unfounded. Narconon publishes a voluminous
amount of paper for the purpose of public relations. The main
Narconon rehabilitation program bulletin states that a high
percentage of clients, approximately 75%, are rehabilitated
within 3 months. The pamphlet further states that one supervisor
can supervise 42 people a day in three 3-hour periods.
Furthermore, one supervisor can train 14 new supervisors in three
months.
b. Misleading Claims: Narconon claims to have an 86% cure rate
for narcotics addicts, which is simply not true. Mr. Greg
Zerovnik, National Director - Narconon U.S., explained that the
86% figure came from a study of parolees from the Arizona State
Prison who may or may not have been narcotics addicts. This sort
of claim is, of course, misleading to both the prospective client
and to public officials who are sincerely attempting to find ways
to cope with the problem of drug abuse.
Narconon also advertises detoxification with mega-vitamins and
other non-medical procedures that may be hazardous and in some
cases lethal. Attachment 19 is a Narconon letter to the East
Valley Free Clinic advertising an extraordinarily expensive
detoxification procedure. It furthermore claims a 68% two-year
"success rate" for drug abstinence and for arrests "for anything
related to drugs." It implies that these success ratios are
applicable to heroin addicts and alcoholics. This claim is either
misleading or miraculous. Without supporting data the evaluation
team cannot but presume this document, however enticing, is a
misleading claim.
Narconon implies that it can raise I.Q.'s and generally increase
communication skills for their clients. There is no scientific
evidence that these alleged changes cause a cure in approximately
50% of cases seen as stated by Mark Jones [then Executive
Director of Narconon - see "Is Narconon controlled by
Scientology?"] in a Los Angeles Times article. "
In the 8 months I spent at Narconon Southern California, I
witnessed about 60 clients enter the program. The vast majority
of these clients relapsed either while enrolled at Narconon or
soon after graduation. In fact, several of the staff members
relapsed while working at Narconon and Narconon Southern
California admitted for treatment numerous staff members from the
Narconon facilities in Northern California and Oklahoma who had
relapsed while working at those facilities. It is not only
misleading but also extremely disturbing that Narconon would make
such claims as to their success rate with no proof what so ever
to back it up. In fact, overwhelming evidence exists to counter
Narconon's claims evidence showing that their treatment program
does not work. Narconon Southern California now advertises on
their website a study they conducted over the last 3 years that
further supports their unfounded claim of a 80% success rate. I
can say with no uncertainty that this "study" of theirs is loaded
with mistruths and lies. They claim numbers that are impossible
to verify. This totally unscientific, biased, subjective study
of theirs reflects no truth with regards to their claims of
success. The numbers I witnessed in retention and relapse rates
among Narconon clients at the Southern California facility while
I was enrolled and employed there make their numerical claims
completely impossible.
Narconon makes further dubious pronouncements concerning their
program's coverage with insurance companies. Clients are
required to pay the $20,000 enrollment fee up front and promises
are made that most insurance companies will reimburse the
patient. Most insurance companies, however, do not cover
Narconon because the insurance companies consider Narconon
untraditional, unproven, and unsuccessful treatment. My
insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield of California,
personally never reimbursed me. Even though my bosses at
Narconon were aware of this, I heard them promise other Blue
Cross Blue Shield members on several occasions that BC/BS did in
fact cover their program costs. These are lies that cost
vulnerable and desperate families tens of thousands of dollars
each.
Why is I that Narconon so aggressively pursues a policy and
practice of deception, lies, and manipulation? Simply put,
Narconon is no more than a fundraising and recruitment tool for
the Church of Scientology. Narconon patients are heavily
pressured in to become staff members upon graduation. The
pressure comes in emotional, mental, and financial forms. When I
returned to Narconon as a patient in December of 2000, I was
immediately put to work at the Narconon facility as a
"detoxification specialist". I had no medical training, was not
at all familiar with how to care for and treat people detoxifying
from drugs and alcohol, yet worked several hours a day performing
such duties. I had added to my list of duties computer work
because of my background in the Internet. Working 12-hour shifts
as both a detoxification specialist and online marketer for
Narconon, I spent no time working on any of the methods Narconon
claimed would help my rehabilitation. Concerned over this and
the financial situation I was falling in to being unable to get a
job or support myself, I was pressured by Narconon staff members
to sign a contract to work for them. Already having worked 12
hours a day, 6 days a week for no reimbursement from Narconon and
being told my work on their behalf was part of my "rehabilitation
program", I had no money and my family was having trouble
supporting me. Finally, Narconon staff members told me working
long-term for them was the only solution and the only way I would
get paid for the work I was doing. Hesitantly but succumbing to
intense pressure from the staff at Narconon, I signed the 5-year
employment and obligation contract so as to finally get
reimbursed for the work I had already done for them.
Furthermore, I was told that it was my duty to work for them.
Narconon staff members told me I would relapse if I went to work
anywhere else and tried to live life on my own. They told me I
was indebted to them for my sobriety and therefore owed them at
least several years of work. Such intense pressure tactics were
commonplace in getting graduates of the program to sign on for
long periods of employment with them.
Why would Narconon place such value in getting its graduates to
work for them? For one, becoming a staff member for Narconon
subjects one to the heavy scrutiny, oversight and control of the
senior Narconon staff members. Staff members are distanced from
their family members and friends, made to live either at the
facility or in homes with other Narconon staff members, and
constantly under the watchful eye of senior staff members.
Narconon Southern California would rent out small apartments and
place upwards of six to eight staff members in them to live.
Graduates of the program who went on to work for Narconon and
stayed sober did so only through fear of the severe repercussions
of relapse. When a staff member of client of Narconon uses while
at Narconon or uses after graduating and then returns to the
program they are placed on a punishment program consisting of
physical labor, indentured servitude, moral degradation, and
heavy work.
The main reason Narconon goes to such lengths to get graduates to
work for their program, however, is because that is the tool
Narconon uses to funnel money and people in to the Church of
Scientology. Staff members who wish to earn more than $50/week
must take "training courses" at the local Church of Scientology
facilities. Rather than receiving training in drug and alcohol
rehabilitation, substance abuse treatment or other such fields,
Narconon staff members take regular Church of Scientology courses
for which Narconon pays thousands of dollars to the Church of
Scientology. Staff members must buy textbooks and pay for Church
of Scientology auditing courses, as well as the "e-meters" that
are used in these auditing sessions. I refused to take these
Church of Scientology courses and requested permission to take
courses at a local community college instead. I received open
and outright contempt and pressure for choosing to take non-
Scientology courses because I did not play in to their financial
schemes of raising money for Scientology. The financial records
I had access to as a staff member made obvious and evident the
fact that of the $22,000 clients pay for so-called "treatment" at
Narconon, more than half of that money goes to the Church of
Scientology either directly, or through the Scientology-run
Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), which owns
the trademark to Narconon. Notice that ABLE's official address
is 6331 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. The Church
of Scientology headquarters' address is also 6331 Hollywood
Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Narconon clients pay money for
their "treatment", and these moneys are used to send staff
members to the Church of Scientology for "training". The Church
of Scientology wins on two fronts: hundreds of thousands of
dollars a year in course fees as well as new recruits in the form
of Narconon graduates turned staff members turned new Scientology
church members.
Note the following, parts of which are courtesy of Chris Owen and
his Critical Essays on Scientology:
The high degree of similarity between the practices of
Scientology and Narconon has frequently attracted the attention
of observers. The 1974 "Tennant Report" on Narconon commented on
how Narconon was thoroughly permeated by Scientologists and
Scientology doctrine, though it did not demonstrate a direct link
between the two organizations:
"The organizational structure of the program, including program
rules and procedures, criteria and training for staff, work
assignments, educational course content, staff structure,
organizational structure, and program philosophy are derived
directly from a seven volume series entitled "The Organization
Executive Course" by L. Ron Hubbard and published by the Church
of Scientology ...
[W]e must point out that any connection between Narconon and
Scientology other than coincidental was usually vehemently
denied. The interview data and our observations support a
rehabilitation conception perhaps best termed a "corrective
educational experience." Occuring in a stepwise fashion from
rigidly simple rote exercises through the more complex "auditing"
process and (for those who can afford it) a multiplicity of
"clear" and "Post-Clear" states promising total personal and
environmental control. Theoretically it is a patchwork of
Freudian, Gestalt, Pavlovian, science fiction and Eastern
(reincarnation) ideas unequivocably sutured together with L. Ron
Hubbard's terminology. Indeed, the initial exercises require in
addition to a standard English dictionary, a special Narconon
dictionary enabling the "student" to understand the
Narconon/Scientology terminology ...
The [Narconon] terminology is strikingly similar and presumably
parallels, if not merging, the Scientology hierarchy. The latter
presumption was underscored by a lengthy conversation with
"members" - "employees" at the Scientology/ Westwood office where
it was stated that Narconon was simply the application of
Scientology "technology" to the problem of drug addiction.
Additionally two patients interviewed on a local methadone
program reported that their unsuccessful treatment for heroin use
at Narconon was by the application of Scientology techniques and
was essentially directed at eventually attaining a "clear" state.
Again, any connection with Scientology other than coincidental
was vigorously denied by Dr. Gibson and his principal assistants
...
[T]here is little doubt that the religion of Scientology is
advocated, openly discussed, and encouraged within Narconon.
Since the Church of Scientology is a religion it appears that
State money is being directly used to support a church. There
appears to be little difference between Narconon and the Church
of Scientology. For example, there was one book entitled "The
Problem of Work" by L. Ron Hubbard and on the inside cover of the
book was a statement "For religious use only." The evaluation
team was also given a demonstration of the use of the E-meter.
All of the literature and books are directly derived from
Scientology and most staff are already or are becoming
Scientologists. It would appear that Narconon is receiving state
funds for treating "addicts" and is using primarily methods or
"technology" of the Church of Scientology."
[Outline for recovery, House Evaluation ("Tennant Report") - by
Forrest S. Tennant, Jr., M.D., Dr.P.H., Jane Thomas, R.N., Mike
Reilly, and Joseph Shannon, M.D., M.P.H. Submitted to Don Z.
Miller, Deputy Director, Health Treatment System, State
Department of Health, Sacramento, CA, on 31 Oct 1974.]
Behind the scenes at Narconon
Lt Col Mark Jones was Narconon's first Director, serving in that
position through the 1970s until the organisation was
restructured around 1983. In 1995 he submitted an extraordinary
sworn declaration, supported by documentation, that (at least
until the early 1980s) Narconon was wholly controlled by the
Church of Scientology. He states:
In or about 1971 I was approached by Arthur Maren who was the
Assistant Guardian for Public Relations in the United States
branch of the Guardian's Office of the Church of Scientology.
Maren asked if I was willing to set up a Narconon office and
establish programs under the direction of the Guardian Office ...
Throughout my period as director of Narconon, I reported to the
Guardian's Office. Meetings were held at regular intervals at
which the executives of the Guardian's Office determined the
affairs of Narconon. All Narconon activities including the
disposition of Narconon finances were approved by the Church of
Scientology Assistant Guardian for Public Relations and the
Assistant Guardian for Finance, Henning Heldt. From the time I
became involved until I ultimately resigned, the Guardian Office
controlled all directorships of Narconon, although Narconon was
held out to be independent of the Church of Scientology.
Although it was publicly admitted that Narconon used the
teachings of L. Ron Hubbard, and was sponsored by the Church of
Scientology, it's true relationship - i.e. that it was wholly
controlled by the Church of Scientology, was never publicly
admitted.
(Declaration of Lt Col Mark Jones, USMC (Rtd), 10 February 1995)
Arthur Maren's involvement with Narconon is corroborated by a
Scientology disciplinary report on him, WISE INT Ethics Order
1501 of 6 December 1989. In mitigation for a long list of
"crimes", "high crimes" and "misdemenors", it states: "The
Committee found that Arte [Arthur] has made major contributions
to the expansion of the Church and Narconon during his 26 years
as a Scientologist."
But what advantage would Scientology gain from covertly running a
drug rehabilitation agency? A possible answer appears to lie in a
briefing document issued by the Guardian's Office on 15 February
1982. It states:
"Part of the original [Overwhelming Public Popularity Campaign]
idea was to really move out into society with the Purification
Rundown and use it to bridge masses of people into Scientology
...
Now the Guardian's Office has its target of $50 million Purif
sales to be made by 1 July ... we are looking at expanding our
purpose and areas of operation so that we really are taking over
the handling of the field of mental health.
It is the job of PRs to make the Purif the thing to do - to
create a craze greater than jogging."
(Internal GO briefing document, "Briefing - Purification Campaign
- The Vital Role of PR", 15 February 1982)
This relates directly to L. Ron Hubbard's campaign against
psychiatry and psychology, which continues to be waged by the
Church of Scientology. In a confidential minute which he wrote in
1969 and which related experience suggests may still be in force,
he laid down the following goal for Scientology:
"Our war has been forced to become 'To take over absolutely the
field of mental healing on this planet in all forms' ...
Our total victory will come when we run [the enemy's]
organizations, perform his functions and obtain his financing and
appropriations."
(L. Ron Hubbard, "Intelligence Actions - Covert Intelligence -
Data Collection", 2 December 1969. See also the "Scientology's
Secret Service" pages for more on Scientology's covert war
against the mental health profession and governments worldwide.)
In the light of this statement, it is possible to interpret
Narconon as representing an attempt to wrest control of health
care funding from the "psychs" whom Hubbard so reviled.
The Church of Scientology went to extraordinary lengths to hide
its control over Narconon. In 1977, the FBI raided the
Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles headquarters of Scientology,
seizing over 33,000 documents. The documents showed that Narconon
and other supposedly independent bodies such as Applied
Scholastics and the Citizens Commission on Human Rights were run
through the Guardian's Office's Bureau 6, also known as "B6" or
"Social Coordination". One document in particular, itemised by
the FBI as item 104 in Box C16, orders the use of codes to
obscure Scientology's control of "B6 groups":
"SC [Social Coordination] headings for data needing coding ...
4. Anything that gives specific and actual evidence that
Scientology is in legal control of B6 type groups. These are
groups that are separate legal entities to the C of S."
(Undated document seized by the FBI in July 1977)
On the next page, the document lists a number of "B6 type groups"
to whom corporate links are to be concealed; Narconon is second
on the list.
Despite its outward denial of corporate links to Narconon,
Scientology made no secret of those links to those on the inside.
On 18 August 1982, the Church of Scientology of California's
United States Guardian Office (USGO) issued a commendation to
Jones for his Narconon work. The citation states:
"FOR OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF THE GUARDIAN OFFICE AND VALUABLE BACK
UP OF ORG DELIVERY ON AN INTERNATIONAL BASIS.
THE MATERIAL THIS CELEBRITY PROVIDED IS GREATLY ASSISTING IN
BRINGING ABOUT WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCES OF SCIENTOLOGY AND
OVERWHELMING PUBLIC POPULARITY OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF L. RON
HUBBARD.
THE SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
TOM WHITTLE,
USGO MISSIONAIRE"
(Commendation issued by Church of Scientology of California, 18
August 1982)
Similarly, Jones' Narconon work was rewarded by the Church of
Scientology by awards of Scientology training levels. An
Executive Directive from L. Ron Hubbard, dated 2 June 1972 and
annotated by David Gaiman, then a leading member of the UK
Guardian's Office, states:
"Mark Jones is awarded his next training level, Class IX, for the
excellent work he has done on the Narconon Programme."
(LRH ED 8 Int, 2 June 1972)
Class IX, "Hubbard Advanced Technical Specialist", is defined in
the Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary (Bridge
Publications, 1974) as being "taught at Saint Hill organizations
and contains data concerning advanced procedures and developments
since Class VIII". This is clearly full-blown Scientology, rather
than the supposedly separate and secular Narconon "technology".
Is Narconon still controlled by Scientology?
There are no known "smoking guns" along the lines of Lt Col
Jones' testimony and supporting documentation, or the documents
seized by the FBI in 1977, to corroborate the continued corporate
control of Narconon by the Church of Scientology. However, there
are two interesting pieces of evidence which suggest close links
at the very least.
The first comes from the Church of Scientology Flag Service
Organization's Flag FSM Newsletter, distributed to Scientology
"Field Staff Members" (Scientologists who act as salemen,
disseminating Scientology in return for a 10% cut of the
recruit's fees - by which means considerable sums can be earned
for the FSM). In Volume XIX, number XVII of the newsletter
(published 1992), a list of "International Top Ten FSMs" appears.
This is subdivided into "Individuals" and "Orgs, Missions and
Groups". Narconon Los Molinos appears in the latter category as
having raised $2661 for Scientology (see below). Why is Narconon
in this list if it is independent of Scientology?
The other piece of evidence is an 8-page Executive Directive from
Narconon International, entitled "Narconon UK Non-Existence
Program" and dated 23 May 1995. It states:
"INFORMATION:
While Narconon has been incorporated in UK for several years, it
has in fact been forming up over the last few months, getting new
premises and getting its drug and alcohol rehabilitation license
which however allows for only three students.
This program is designed to assist Narconon U.K. to successfully
get out of Non Existence and to put in the basics it needs so it
can expand.
Drug education services will also be delivered to immediately
expand Narconon UK's reach.
PURPOSE:
NARCONON EXPANDED AND GOTTEN OUT OF NON-EXISTENCE IN THE UK SO
THAT A ROUTE OUT OF THE TRAP OF DRUGS IS ESTABLISHED IN THAT
COUNTRY."
(Narconon International Executive Directive of 23 May 1995,
"Narconon UK Non-Existence Program")
The "Non-Existence Formula" is taken from L. Ron Hubbard's
"management technology"; essentially, a person or organisation in
a state of "Non Existence" is someone who is not known to anyone
in the vicinity and has made no impact, hence is not existing.
This is certainly a fair summation of Narconon UK, which cannot
be said to have made much of a splash; although it is recognised
as a charity (the only Scientology-related entity in the United
Kingdom to enjoy this status, in fact), it has been quiescent for
many years.
The document goes on to list a series of "Major Targets",
"Primary Targets" "Vital Targets" and "Operating Targets" in the
usual quasi-military style dictated by "management technology". A
number of these targets are of considerable interest. Primary
Target 4 instructs the Executive Director of Narconon UK to
"report on the program to ED NN [Narconon] Int[ernational], info
ED ABLE UK." ABLE, the Association for Better Living and
Education, is an umbrella organisation which licenses the use of
L. Ron Hubbard's educational and social works (adapted chiefly
from Scientology versions). In April 1990, ABLE announced that it
was giving $200,000 to Narconon's Chilocco centre in recognition
of the latter's "remarkable success in treating addicts". It did
not mention any corporate links with Narconon, but it
subsequently emerged that Narconon was a subsidiary of ABLE. The
"Narconon UK Non-Existence Program" recognises this relationship
in Operating Target 8: "Alert ABLE UK that you are now ready for
a new inspection to a pass and ask that the inspection be done."
Clearly, ABLE sets a stringent set of criteria for endorsement of
Narconon organisations. In a very real sense, it appears that
ABLE controls the establishment and possibly the operation of the
organisations to whom it licenses Hubbard materials.
The chain of control demonstrably leads back to the Religious
Technology Center, the body which owns Hubbard's copyrights and
sits at the top of Scientology's convoluted corporate structure.
Only bodies "in good standing" with the RTC can make use of
Hubbard's works, albeit for a generous fee; the RTC reserves the
right to withdraw licenses without notice. As the Californian
courts have ruled, this enables the RTC to exercise de facto
control of supposedly independent entities such as Narconon. The
RTC itself acknowledged this control in the agreement which it
reached with the US Internal Revenue Service on 1 October 1993.
In section VIII.C.4, Narconon International is described as a
"Scientology-related entity". Its unpaid tax dues, along with
those of the Church of Scientology and various other related
entities, were covered by a single payment of $12.5 million made
by the Church of Scientology International.
More interesting targets appear further on in the "Narconon UK
Non-Existence Program". Operating Targets 27, 37, 47 and 48 are
highly significant in that they appear to show a direct link to
the Church of Scientology. The targets state:
"27. On OK, get the contracts for the house verified and approved
by OSA.
37. Brief ED ABLE UK, PR OSA UK and LRH PPRO UK on creating a
Science and Advisory Board for Narconon UK, with respected high
level professionals who can use their expertise to communicate
the value of the Narconon tech in the country.
47. Get the filing verified by OSA.
48. On OSA's OK, get the extension to your license filed."
(Narconon International Executive Directive of 23 May 1995,
"Narconon UK Non-Existence Program")
The significance of this is that OSA - the Office of Special
Affairs - is the department of the Church of Scientology
responsible for legal, public relations and intelligence matters:
it is a combination of press agency, legal consultancy and secret
intelligence service. It is also the direct successor to the old
Guardian's Office, which - as already discussed - apparently
exercised strong behind-the-scenes control over Narconon. The
reference to "LRH PPRO UK" is also significant. The purpose of
the "L. Ron Hubbard Personal Public Relations Officer" is defined
as follows:
"The post purpose is to get LRH's technologies utilized by the
external publics internationally. Ron's external publics are
those publics outside of Scientology - governments, media, social
reform, education, the arts, business, specialist activities are
all included in Ron's external publics."
(Modern Management Technology Defined, Bridge Publications, 1982)
If Narconon is indeed independent of the Church of Scientology,
then why is its UK Executive Director liaising so closely with
departments of the Church dedicated to the promotion of
Scientology?
Where the Burden Now Lies
Beyond any doubt it is clear through Narconon's practices,
records, policies as well as the honest personal experiences of
anyone who has been through or works for the Narconon program
that this self-professed "drug and alcohol rehabilitation
program" exists to serve no other purpose than to raise money and
membership for the Church of Scientology, as well as spread
Scientology doctrine in California, the United States, and the
world. Whether or not the State of California wishes to take
action against Narconon on this front, it is vital that action be
taken nonetheless to prevent Narconon from continuing to violate
laws with respect to health codes, its own license, fire codes,
employment laws, and financial practices regardless of any
alleged religious affiliations. The fact of the matter is that
decent citizens of California and this nation driven to
excessive states of vulnerability and desperation by the severity
of their addictions are taken advantage of by Narconon, lied to,
misled, deceived and defrauded. The abuse of drugs and alcohol
tears at the very fabric of the Californian's way of life. It
tears apart entire families and communities. Drug and alcohol
abuse threatens the right of every Californian to be prosperous,
secure, and comfortable while also having respect for self and
others. The citizens of California reiterated this fact when
they voted to pass and implement Proposition 36 and established
rehabilitation as our greatest weapon to combat addiction and the
social maladies that result from it. In this environment and
within these settings exists a parasite on society and the good
people of California who seek to fight drug and alcohol addiction
and all of its ill effects. This parasite operates with the
sanction of license from - and in defiance of the policies, laws
and regulations of - the State of California and the Department
of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The Department of Drug and Alcohol
Programs has been tasked to enforce and implement the laws and
high standards of practice Californians have deemed necessary to
combat drug and alcohol addiction in our state. With that burden
shouldered and responsibility assumed, I urge you to do whatever
is in your power to investigate, expose and take the appropriate
action to make sure that Narconon no longer tears apart families,
contaminates societies, manipulates people and ultimately ruins
the lives of honest, decent human beings. After all, social
implications aside, this is about people and the rights of the
citizenry of this State and Nation. I implore you to do all you
can to prevent Narconon from continuing to ruin the lives of
people unfortunate enough to look towards Narconon for assistance
in battling their addictions to drugs and alcohol.
Normally I would just steer readers to the link, but considering it's a blog with a very lengthy point/counter point being debated, I'll paste the part I found interesting(which is extremely lengthy, so bear with me):
Cannabis12-21-2003, 05:50 PM
The California Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs
1700 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
January 30, 2002
To Whom it May Concern,
It is with the utmost urgency and importance that I write this
letter to bring to your attention grave violations of individual
liberty, health standards, medical practice and common decency
taking place at what professes itself to be a residential drug
and alcohol treatment facility in California and, unfortunately
and alarmingly, is a facility licensed by the Department of Drug
and Alcohol Programs in California.
The facility and program of which I speak is Narconon Southern
California, located at 1810 W. Ocean Front, Newport Beach, Orange
County, California. Operating with State sanction and approval
by your Department, Narconon Southern California has long and
claimed and still claims to be a reputable, successful, valid
residential drug and alcohol treatment facility. My personal
experience and that of many others with Narconon Southern
California, however, points towards the Narconon organization and
facility as being anything but what it claims to be.
The Narconon program violates all traditional treatment
methodologies and accepted medical and scientific practice in the
field of drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation. Further,
Narconon misleads and takes advantage of its clients and their
families so as to pursue an aggressive and hidden agenda of
exorbitant fundraising and religious recruitment. My intent
behind this letter is to bring to the attention of those who have
in their power and under their jurisdiction the ability to
commence a thorough and long overdue investigation in to Narconon
and prevent Narconon from continuing to take advantage of the
citizens of California who are duped and misled in to placing
their hopes for recovery in to this corrupt organization.
I entered the Narconon Southern California facility in late June,
2000 in the hopes that through Narconon I would be able to
address my own alcohol addiction. I graduated from the Narconon
program exactly two months after enrolling. Armed with
Narconon's teachings and approaches to my addiction, I attempted
to carry on living a productive and sober life. However, within
a month of leaving Narconon I had fall right back in to a
destructive and demoralizing cycle of alcohol abuse and the
subsequent consequences. I returned to Narconon in December of
2000 intent on finding out why I had relapsed, recommitting
myself to the program and hoping to learn whatever it was I had
failed to grasp my first time through the program that would help
me stay sober for good. Upon returning to Narconon in December
2000, I was quickly made a staff member at the facility and
became a contracted, full time employee of the organization. It
is with that experience and background that I seek to bring to
your attention the alarming practices I witnessed, experienced
and participated in while at Narconon.
Violations of Laws and Regulations at Narconon Southern
California
Firstly I seek to reveal the broad base of legal violations
taking place at Narconon. While I was a client and then employee
of Narconon, the facility was licensed by your Department to
operate a 38-bed adult residential treatment facility. However,
in March 2001 Narconon had enrolled in and living within the
facility in excess of 40 patients. In addition to the number of
patients that was already in excess of licensed limits, there
were at any given time at least 4 and up to 10 staff members
living in the same structure. Therefore, a building licensed to
hold 38 would actually have up and over 50 residents, staff and
clients included. The facility was overcrowded and Narconon
continued to bring in more patients who were poorly supervised
and lived in uncomfortable and disturbing conditions as a result
of the overcrowding. In an attempt to relieve the crowding
problems at the 1810 W. Ocean Front facility, Narconon SC rented
out two small apartments located across the street from the main
facility on Balboa Blvd. One of the apartments was a small one
bedroom, the other one a small two bedroom apartment. In to
these apartments were placed up to 6 and 10 Narconon patients,
respectively. These two apartments had neither been inspected by
the proper authorities nor approved for use as residential
treatment quarters and facilities. Not only was the overcrowding
at Narconon a violation of its own license, but also of county
and state heath and fire codes and regulations. Violations of
the maximum resident licensing stipulation at Narconon also led
to the admittance in March, 2001 of a 17 year old patient.
Narconon Southern California is not licensed to house or treat
juveniles. However, this 17 year old was hidden from state
authorities and kept as an "unofficial" client living and
receiving treatment at the facility.
Another area in which laws were violated at Narconon again
concerns health codes. With a facility not designed to provide
for and house over 40 patients and staff members. In order to
accommodate for the overwhelming numbers of residents, the
kitchen staff would defrost meat in whatever space was available.
This included in the bathtubs of bathrooms that were
simultaneously being used by the residents as restroom
facilities.
The area in which I experienced and witnessed the greatest degree
of illegality was in Narconon's hiring and employment practices.
The information posters printed by the State of California
outlining and displaying an employee's legal rights were nowhere
to be found. Employees were kept in the dark as to their rights
as workers in California. Staff members were required to work a
minimum of 72 hours per week for a starting salary of $50 per
week. This translates in to an hourly wage of less than
$1.45/hour. Clearly, Narconon's payment methods violate minimum
wage laws. Every US worker is entitled to a living wage according
to California and US law.
Furthermore, there are no medical personnel on staff at the
Narconon facility and staff members are not trained in first aid
or addiction recovery. Narconon clients are transported in the
uninsured personal cars of staff members. Automobiles owned and
operated by Narconon Southern California are driven by non-
commercial, uninsured drivers. The cars themselves are not
insured for business purposes, placing staff and clients at risk
whenever they travel with Narconon.
Deception, Lies and Unethical Conduct
Even more disturbing than Narconon Southern California's legal
violations to the addict and alcoholic are their patterns of
lies, deception and ethical misconduct. Narconon claims to have
as evidenced on their website and literature an 80% success rate
in rehabilitating addicts and getting them sober. This success
rate is unfounded and untrue. It is based on 2 studies that were
apparently conducted in Sweden and Spain around two decades ago.
According to Narconon:
A. An independent 1981 Swedish study of 13 Narconon graduates
showed that 76% of those that completed the Narconon Program were
still drug free two years later.
B. An independent Spanish study of 50 Narconon graduates was
conducted in Mar/Apr 1987 by "Tecnicos Asociados de Investigacion
y Marketing" (TAIM) for the Ministry of Health and Social
Services and showed that 70% of the graduates were drug-free two
years later. It was headed by Dr. Esquerdo (105); TAIM, PDAL,
28007, Madrid, Spain. TAIM's telephone number is, according to
John Duff of Narconon International, +34 1 273-7400.
According to John Duff, Narconon commissioned the first two
studies, so it seems to be slightly dishonest to claim that they
are the product of "independent" research. It should also be
noted that TAIM, the research organization mentioned in the
second study, is not at the address given, and not listed in any
current Spanish phone directories or commercial directories. The
phone number given by John Duff seems also to be out of use, so
TAIM has either ceased trading or moved from the Madrid area.
The name of the organization responsible for the Swedish study is
not known. Another curious thing about the Swedish statistics is
that with 13 subjects there is no way you can get "76%" (76.9%
would be the correct figure).
The existence of the latter study has not been yet corroborated
independently, but it seems odd that a program primarily intended
to eliminate drug use should instead be evaluated on its
education and disciplinary benefits.
Nothing is said about the source, duration or methodology used
for any of the studies.
A "Swedish" and "Spanish" study is also quoted in the section on
Narconon in the book "What is Scientology", giving amazingly
accurate statistics for the programs effectiveness (84.6% and
78.37% and respectively). It is not clear whether this reference
is to the same or to different studies. Scientology spokesman
Andrew Milne (formerly at [email protected]) claims that these are
the one-year statistics. Strangely, Narconon does not appear to
have supplied Prof. Folke Sjoqvist with a copy of the supposed
Swedish study when in November 1997 he wrote a report on Narconon
for the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.
Given the claims of studies showing high success rates, it is
strange that when Narconon sought tax rebates in Stuttgart,
Germany, they were unable to provide any evidence to support
their claims of efficacy. The Stuttgart Verwaltungsgerichtshof
(administrative appeals court) found that
"The papers filed by the petitioner offer no evidence of a
successful drug withdrawal at the petitioner."
[Decision of the VGH Stuttgart, 10 May 1993, Az: 1 S 3021/92]
In fact, California's own State Department of Health had the
following to say about Narconon's self-professed success rate a
report done on Narconon in 1974:
"a. Public Descriptions by Pamphlets, Notices, etc.: The 86%
"cure rate" is totally unfounded. Narconon publishes a voluminous
amount of paper for the purpose of public relations. The main
Narconon rehabilitation program bulletin states that a high
percentage of clients, approximately 75%, are rehabilitated
within 3 months. The pamphlet further states that one supervisor
can supervise 42 people a day in three 3-hour periods.
Furthermore, one supervisor can train 14 new supervisors in three
months.
b. Misleading Claims: Narconon claims to have an 86% cure rate
for narcotics addicts, which is simply not true. Mr. Greg
Zerovnik, National Director - Narconon U.S., explained that the
86% figure came from a study of parolees from the Arizona State
Prison who may or may not have been narcotics addicts. This sort
of claim is, of course, misleading to both the prospective client
and to public officials who are sincerely attempting to find ways
to cope with the problem of drug abuse.
Narconon also advertises detoxification with mega-vitamins and
other non-medical procedures that may be hazardous and in some
cases lethal. Attachment 19 is a Narconon letter to the East
Valley Free Clinic advertising an extraordinarily expensive
detoxification procedure. It furthermore claims a 68% two-year
"success rate" for drug abstinence and for arrests "for anything
related to drugs." It implies that these success ratios are
applicable to heroin addicts and alcoholics. This claim is either
misleading or miraculous. Without supporting data the evaluation
team cannot but presume this document, however enticing, is a
misleading claim.
Narconon implies that it can raise I.Q.'s and generally increase
communication skills for their clients. There is no scientific
evidence that these alleged changes cause a cure in approximately
50% of cases seen as stated by Mark Jones [then Executive
Director of Narconon - see "Is Narconon controlled by
Scientology?"] in a Los Angeles Times article. "
In the 8 months I spent at Narconon Southern California, I
witnessed about 60 clients enter the program. The vast majority
of these clients relapsed either while enrolled at Narconon or
soon after graduation. In fact, several of the staff members
relapsed while working at Narconon and Narconon Southern
California admitted for treatment numerous staff members from the
Narconon facilities in Northern California and Oklahoma who had
relapsed while working at those facilities. It is not only
misleading but also extremely disturbing that Narconon would make
such claims as to their success rate with no proof what so ever
to back it up. In fact, overwhelming evidence exists to counter
Narconon's claims evidence showing that their treatment program
does not work. Narconon Southern California now advertises on
their website a study they conducted over the last 3 years that
further supports their unfounded claim of a 80% success rate. I
can say with no uncertainty that this "study" of theirs is loaded
with mistruths and lies. They claim numbers that are impossible
to verify. This totally unscientific, biased, subjective study
of theirs reflects no truth with regards to their claims of
success. The numbers I witnessed in retention and relapse rates
among Narconon clients at the Southern California facility while
I was enrolled and employed there make their numerical claims
completely impossible.
Narconon makes further dubious pronouncements concerning their
program's coverage with insurance companies. Clients are
required to pay the $20,000 enrollment fee up front and promises
are made that most insurance companies will reimburse the
patient. Most insurance companies, however, do not cover
Narconon because the insurance companies consider Narconon
untraditional, unproven, and unsuccessful treatment. My
insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield of California,
personally never reimbursed me. Even though my bosses at
Narconon were aware of this, I heard them promise other Blue
Cross Blue Shield members on several occasions that BC/BS did in
fact cover their program costs. These are lies that cost
vulnerable and desperate families tens of thousands of dollars
each.
Why is I that Narconon so aggressively pursues a policy and
practice of deception, lies, and manipulation? Simply put,
Narconon is no more than a fundraising and recruitment tool for
the Church of Scientology. Narconon patients are heavily
pressured in to become staff members upon graduation. The
pressure comes in emotional, mental, and financial forms. When I
returned to Narconon as a patient in December of 2000, I was
immediately put to work at the Narconon facility as a
"detoxification specialist". I had no medical training, was not
at all familiar with how to care for and treat people detoxifying
from drugs and alcohol, yet worked several hours a day performing
such duties. I had added to my list of duties computer work
because of my background in the Internet. Working 12-hour shifts
as both a detoxification specialist and online marketer for
Narconon, I spent no time working on any of the methods Narconon
claimed would help my rehabilitation. Concerned over this and
the financial situation I was falling in to being unable to get a
job or support myself, I was pressured by Narconon staff members
to sign a contract to work for them. Already having worked 12
hours a day, 6 days a week for no reimbursement from Narconon and
being told my work on their behalf was part of my "rehabilitation
program", I had no money and my family was having trouble
supporting me. Finally, Narconon staff members told me working
long-term for them was the only solution and the only way I would
get paid for the work I was doing. Hesitantly but succumbing to
intense pressure from the staff at Narconon, I signed the 5-year
employment and obligation contract so as to finally get
reimbursed for the work I had already done for them.
Furthermore, I was told that it was my duty to work for them.
Narconon staff members told me I would relapse if I went to work
anywhere else and tried to live life on my own. They told me I
was indebted to them for my sobriety and therefore owed them at
least several years of work. Such intense pressure tactics were
commonplace in getting graduates of the program to sign on for
long periods of employment with them.
Why would Narconon place such value in getting its graduates to
work for them? For one, becoming a staff member for Narconon
subjects one to the heavy scrutiny, oversight and control of the
senior Narconon staff members. Staff members are distanced from
their family members and friends, made to live either at the
facility or in homes with other Narconon staff members, and
constantly under the watchful eye of senior staff members.
Narconon Southern California would rent out small apartments and
place upwards of six to eight staff members in them to live.
Graduates of the program who went on to work for Narconon and
stayed sober did so only through fear of the severe repercussions
of relapse. When a staff member of client of Narconon uses while
at Narconon or uses after graduating and then returns to the
program they are placed on a punishment program consisting of
physical labor, indentured servitude, moral degradation, and
heavy work.
The main reason Narconon goes to such lengths to get graduates to
work for their program, however, is because that is the tool
Narconon uses to funnel money and people in to the Church of
Scientology. Staff members who wish to earn more than $50/week
must take "training courses" at the local Church of Scientology
facilities. Rather than receiving training in drug and alcohol
rehabilitation, substance abuse treatment or other such fields,
Narconon staff members take regular Church of Scientology courses
for which Narconon pays thousands of dollars to the Church of
Scientology. Staff members must buy textbooks and pay for Church
of Scientology auditing courses, as well as the "e-meters" that
are used in these auditing sessions. I refused to take these
Church of Scientology courses and requested permission to take
courses at a local community college instead. I received open
and outright contempt and pressure for choosing to take non-
Scientology courses because I did not play in to their financial
schemes of raising money for Scientology. The financial records
I had access to as a staff member made obvious and evident the
fact that of the $22,000 clients pay for so-called "treatment" at
Narconon, more than half of that money goes to the Church of
Scientology either directly, or through the Scientology-run
Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), which owns
the trademark to Narconon. Notice that ABLE's official address
is 6331 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. The Church
of Scientology headquarters' address is also 6331 Hollywood
Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Narconon clients pay money for
their "treatment", and these moneys are used to send staff
members to the Church of Scientology for "training". The Church
of Scientology wins on two fronts: hundreds of thousands of
dollars a year in course fees as well as new recruits in the form
of Narconon graduates turned staff members turned new Scientology
church members.
Note the following, parts of which are courtesy of Chris Owen and
his Critical Essays on Scientology:
The high degree of similarity between the practices of
Scientology and Narconon has frequently attracted the attention
of observers. The 1974 "Tennant Report" on Narconon commented on
how Narconon was thoroughly permeated by Scientologists and
Scientology doctrine, though it did not demonstrate a direct link
between the two organizations:
"The organizational structure of the program, including program
rules and procedures, criteria and training for staff, work
assignments, educational course content, staff structure,
organizational structure, and program philosophy are derived
directly from a seven volume series entitled "The Organization
Executive Course" by L. Ron Hubbard and published by the Church
of Scientology ...
[W]e must point out that any connection between Narconon and
Scientology other than coincidental was usually vehemently
denied. The interview data and our observations support a
rehabilitation conception perhaps best termed a "corrective
educational experience." Occuring in a stepwise fashion from
rigidly simple rote exercises through the more complex "auditing"
process and (for those who can afford it) a multiplicity of
"clear" and "Post-Clear" states promising total personal and
environmental control. Theoretically it is a patchwork of
Freudian, Gestalt, Pavlovian, science fiction and Eastern
(reincarnation) ideas unequivocably sutured together with L. Ron
Hubbard's terminology. Indeed, the initial exercises require in
addition to a standard English dictionary, a special Narconon
dictionary enabling the "student" to understand the
Narconon/Scientology terminology ...
The [Narconon] terminology is strikingly similar and presumably
parallels, if not merging, the Scientology hierarchy. The latter
presumption was underscored by a lengthy conversation with
"members" - "employees" at the Scientology/ Westwood office where
it was stated that Narconon was simply the application of
Scientology "technology" to the problem of drug addiction.
Additionally two patients interviewed on a local methadone
program reported that their unsuccessful treatment for heroin use
at Narconon was by the application of Scientology techniques and
was essentially directed at eventually attaining a "clear" state.
Again, any connection with Scientology other than coincidental
was vigorously denied by Dr. Gibson and his principal assistants
...
[T]here is little doubt that the religion of Scientology is
advocated, openly discussed, and encouraged within Narconon.
Since the Church of Scientology is a religion it appears that
State money is being directly used to support a church. There
appears to be little difference between Narconon and the Church
of Scientology. For example, there was one book entitled "The
Problem of Work" by L. Ron Hubbard and on the inside cover of the
book was a statement "For religious use only." The evaluation
team was also given a demonstration of the use of the E-meter.
All of the literature and books are directly derived from
Scientology and most staff are already or are becoming
Scientologists. It would appear that Narconon is receiving state
funds for treating "addicts" and is using primarily methods or
"technology" of the Church of Scientology."
[Outline for recovery, House Evaluation ("Tennant Report") - by
Forrest S. Tennant, Jr., M.D., Dr.P.H., Jane Thomas, R.N., Mike
Reilly, and Joseph Shannon, M.D., M.P.H. Submitted to Don Z.
Miller, Deputy Director, Health Treatment System, State
Department of Health, Sacramento, CA, on 31 Oct 1974.]
Behind the scenes at Narconon
Lt Col Mark Jones was Narconon's first Director, serving in that
position through the 1970s until the organisation was
restructured around 1983. In 1995 he submitted an extraordinary
sworn declaration, supported by documentation, that (at least
until the early 1980s) Narconon was wholly controlled by the
Church of Scientology. He states:
In or about 1971 I was approached by Arthur Maren who was the
Assistant Guardian for Public Relations in the United States
branch of the Guardian's Office of the Church of Scientology.
Maren asked if I was willing to set up a Narconon office and
establish programs under the direction of the Guardian Office ...
Throughout my period as director of Narconon, I reported to the
Guardian's Office. Meetings were held at regular intervals at
which the executives of the Guardian's Office determined the
affairs of Narconon. All Narconon activities including the
disposition of Narconon finances were approved by the Church of
Scientology Assistant Guardian for Public Relations and the
Assistant Guardian for Finance, Henning Heldt. From the time I
became involved until I ultimately resigned, the Guardian Office
controlled all directorships of Narconon, although Narconon was
held out to be independent of the Church of Scientology.
Although it was publicly admitted that Narconon used the
teachings of L. Ron Hubbard, and was sponsored by the Church of
Scientology, it's true relationship - i.e. that it was wholly
controlled by the Church of Scientology, was never publicly
admitted.
(Declaration of Lt Col Mark Jones, USMC (Rtd), 10 February 1995)
Arthur Maren's involvement with Narconon is corroborated by a
Scientology disciplinary report on him, WISE INT Ethics Order
1501 of 6 December 1989. In mitigation for a long list of
"crimes", "high crimes" and "misdemenors", it states: "The
Committee found that Arte [Arthur] has made major contributions
to the expansion of the Church and Narconon during his 26 years
as a Scientologist."
But what advantage would Scientology gain from covertly running a
drug rehabilitation agency? A possible answer appears to lie in a
briefing document issued by the Guardian's Office on 15 February
1982. It states:
"Part of the original [Overwhelming Public Popularity Campaign]
idea was to really move out into society with the Purification
Rundown and use it to bridge masses of people into Scientology
...
Now the Guardian's Office has its target of $50 million Purif
sales to be made by 1 July ... we are looking at expanding our
purpose and areas of operation so that we really are taking over
the handling of the field of mental health.
It is the job of PRs to make the Purif the thing to do - to
create a craze greater than jogging."
(Internal GO briefing document, "Briefing - Purification Campaign
- The Vital Role of PR", 15 February 1982)
This relates directly to L. Ron Hubbard's campaign against
psychiatry and psychology, which continues to be waged by the
Church of Scientology. In a confidential minute which he wrote in
1969 and which related experience suggests may still be in force,
he laid down the following goal for Scientology:
"Our war has been forced to become 'To take over absolutely the
field of mental healing on this planet in all forms' ...
Our total victory will come when we run [the enemy's]
organizations, perform his functions and obtain his financing and
appropriations."
(L. Ron Hubbard, "Intelligence Actions - Covert Intelligence -
Data Collection", 2 December 1969. See also the "Scientology's
Secret Service" pages for more on Scientology's covert war
against the mental health profession and governments worldwide.)
In the light of this statement, it is possible to interpret
Narconon as representing an attempt to wrest control of health
care funding from the "psychs" whom Hubbard so reviled.
The Church of Scientology went to extraordinary lengths to hide
its control over Narconon. In 1977, the FBI raided the
Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles headquarters of Scientology,
seizing over 33,000 documents. The documents showed that Narconon
and other supposedly independent bodies such as Applied
Scholastics and the Citizens Commission on Human Rights were run
through the Guardian's Office's Bureau 6, also known as "B6" or
"Social Coordination". One document in particular, itemised by
the FBI as item 104 in Box C16, orders the use of codes to
obscure Scientology's control of "B6 groups":
"SC [Social Coordination] headings for data needing coding ...
4. Anything that gives specific and actual evidence that
Scientology is in legal control of B6 type groups. These are
groups that are separate legal entities to the C of S."
(Undated document seized by the FBI in July 1977)
On the next page, the document lists a number of "B6 type groups"
to whom corporate links are to be concealed; Narconon is second
on the list.
Despite its outward denial of corporate links to Narconon,
Scientology made no secret of those links to those on the inside.
On 18 August 1982, the Church of Scientology of California's
United States Guardian Office (USGO) issued a commendation to
Jones for his Narconon work. The citation states:
"FOR OUTSTANDING SUPPORT OF THE GUARDIAN OFFICE AND VALUABLE BACK
UP OF ORG DELIVERY ON AN INTERNATIONAL BASIS.
THE MATERIAL THIS CELEBRITY PROVIDED IS GREATLY ASSISTING IN
BRINGING ABOUT WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCES OF SCIENTOLOGY AND
OVERWHELMING PUBLIC POPULARITY OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF L. RON
HUBBARD.
THE SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
TOM WHITTLE,
USGO MISSIONAIRE"
(Commendation issued by Church of Scientology of California, 18
August 1982)
Similarly, Jones' Narconon work was rewarded by the Church of
Scientology by awards of Scientology training levels. An
Executive Directive from L. Ron Hubbard, dated 2 June 1972 and
annotated by David Gaiman, then a leading member of the UK
Guardian's Office, states:
"Mark Jones is awarded his next training level, Class IX, for the
excellent work he has done on the Narconon Programme."
(LRH ED 8 Int, 2 June 1972)
Class IX, "Hubbard Advanced Technical Specialist", is defined in
the Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary (Bridge
Publications, 1974) as being "taught at Saint Hill organizations
and contains data concerning advanced procedures and developments
since Class VIII". This is clearly full-blown Scientology, rather
than the supposedly separate and secular Narconon "technology".
Is Narconon still controlled by Scientology?
There are no known "smoking guns" along the lines of Lt Col
Jones' testimony and supporting documentation, or the documents
seized by the FBI in 1977, to corroborate the continued corporate
control of Narconon by the Church of Scientology. However, there
are two interesting pieces of evidence which suggest close links
at the very least.
The first comes from the Church of Scientology Flag Service
Organization's Flag FSM Newsletter, distributed to Scientology
"Field Staff Members" (Scientologists who act as salemen,
disseminating Scientology in return for a 10% cut of the
recruit's fees - by which means considerable sums can be earned
for the FSM). In Volume XIX, number XVII of the newsletter
(published 1992), a list of "International Top Ten FSMs" appears.
This is subdivided into "Individuals" and "Orgs, Missions and
Groups". Narconon Los Molinos appears in the latter category as
having raised $2661 for Scientology (see below). Why is Narconon
in this list if it is independent of Scientology?
The other piece of evidence is an 8-page Executive Directive from
Narconon International, entitled "Narconon UK Non-Existence
Program" and dated 23 May 1995. It states:
"INFORMATION:
While Narconon has been incorporated in UK for several years, it
has in fact been forming up over the last few months, getting new
premises and getting its drug and alcohol rehabilitation license
which however allows for only three students.
This program is designed to assist Narconon U.K. to successfully
get out of Non Existence and to put in the basics it needs so it
can expand.
Drug education services will also be delivered to immediately
expand Narconon UK's reach.
PURPOSE:
NARCONON EXPANDED AND GOTTEN OUT OF NON-EXISTENCE IN THE UK SO
THAT A ROUTE OUT OF THE TRAP OF DRUGS IS ESTABLISHED IN THAT
COUNTRY."
(Narconon International Executive Directive of 23 May 1995,
"Narconon UK Non-Existence Program")
The "Non-Existence Formula" is taken from L. Ron Hubbard's
"management technology"; essentially, a person or organisation in
a state of "Non Existence" is someone who is not known to anyone
in the vicinity and has made no impact, hence is not existing.
This is certainly a fair summation of Narconon UK, which cannot
be said to have made much of a splash; although it is recognised
as a charity (the only Scientology-related entity in the United
Kingdom to enjoy this status, in fact), it has been quiescent for
many years.
The document goes on to list a series of "Major Targets",
"Primary Targets" "Vital Targets" and "Operating Targets" in the
usual quasi-military style dictated by "management technology". A
number of these targets are of considerable interest. Primary
Target 4 instructs the Executive Director of Narconon UK to
"report on the program to ED NN [Narconon] Int[ernational], info
ED ABLE UK." ABLE, the Association for Better Living and
Education, is an umbrella organisation which licenses the use of
L. Ron Hubbard's educational and social works (adapted chiefly
from Scientology versions). In April 1990, ABLE announced that it
was giving $200,000 to Narconon's Chilocco centre in recognition
of the latter's "remarkable success in treating addicts". It did
not mention any corporate links with Narconon, but it
subsequently emerged that Narconon was a subsidiary of ABLE. The
"Narconon UK Non-Existence Program" recognises this relationship
in Operating Target 8: "Alert ABLE UK that you are now ready for
a new inspection to a pass and ask that the inspection be done."
Clearly, ABLE sets a stringent set of criteria for endorsement of
Narconon organisations. In a very real sense, it appears that
ABLE controls the establishment and possibly the operation of the
organisations to whom it licenses Hubbard materials.
The chain of control demonstrably leads back to the Religious
Technology Center, the body which owns Hubbard's copyrights and
sits at the top of Scientology's convoluted corporate structure.
Only bodies "in good standing" with the RTC can make use of
Hubbard's works, albeit for a generous fee; the RTC reserves the
right to withdraw licenses without notice. As the Californian
courts have ruled, this enables the RTC to exercise de facto
control of supposedly independent entities such as Narconon. The
RTC itself acknowledged this control in the agreement which it
reached with the US Internal Revenue Service on 1 October 1993.
In section VIII.C.4, Narconon International is described as a
"Scientology-related entity". Its unpaid tax dues, along with
those of the Church of Scientology and various other related
entities, were covered by a single payment of $12.5 million made
by the Church of Scientology International.
More interesting targets appear further on in the "Narconon UK
Non-Existence Program". Operating Targets 27, 37, 47 and 48 are
highly significant in that they appear to show a direct link to
the Church of Scientology. The targets state:
"27. On OK, get the contracts for the house verified and approved
by OSA.
37. Brief ED ABLE UK, PR OSA UK and LRH PPRO UK on creating a
Science and Advisory Board for Narconon UK, with respected high
level professionals who can use their expertise to communicate
the value of the Narconon tech in the country.
47. Get the filing verified by OSA.
48. On OSA's OK, get the extension to your license filed."
(Narconon International Executive Directive of 23 May 1995,
"Narconon UK Non-Existence Program")
The significance of this is that OSA - the Office of Special
Affairs - is the department of the Church of Scientology
responsible for legal, public relations and intelligence matters:
it is a combination of press agency, legal consultancy and secret
intelligence service. It is also the direct successor to the old
Guardian's Office, which - as already discussed - apparently
exercised strong behind-the-scenes control over Narconon. The
reference to "LRH PPRO UK" is also significant. The purpose of
the "L. Ron Hubbard Personal Public Relations Officer" is defined
as follows:
"The post purpose is to get LRH's technologies utilized by the
external publics internationally. Ron's external publics are
those publics outside of Scientology - governments, media, social
reform, education, the arts, business, specialist activities are
all included in Ron's external publics."
(Modern Management Technology Defined, Bridge Publications, 1982)
If Narconon is indeed independent of the Church of Scientology,
then why is its UK Executive Director liaising so closely with
departments of the Church dedicated to the promotion of
Scientology?
Where the Burden Now Lies
Beyond any doubt it is clear through Narconon's practices,
records, policies as well as the honest personal experiences of
anyone who has been through or works for the Narconon program
that this self-professed "drug and alcohol rehabilitation
program" exists to serve no other purpose than to raise money and
membership for the Church of Scientology, as well as spread
Scientology doctrine in California, the United States, and the
world. Whether or not the State of California wishes to take
action against Narconon on this front, it is vital that action be
taken nonetheless to prevent Narconon from continuing to violate
laws with respect to health codes, its own license, fire codes,
employment laws, and financial practices regardless of any
alleged religious affiliations. The fact of the matter is that
decent citizens of California and this nation driven to
excessive states of vulnerability and desperation by the severity
of their addictions are taken advantage of by Narconon, lied to,
misled, deceived and defrauded. The abuse of drugs and alcohol
tears at the very fabric of the Californian's way of life. It
tears apart entire families and communities. Drug and alcohol
abuse threatens the right of every Californian to be prosperous,
secure, and comfortable while also having respect for self and
others. The citizens of California reiterated this fact when
they voted to pass and implement Proposition 36 and established
rehabilitation as our greatest weapon to combat addiction and the
social maladies that result from it. In this environment and
within these settings exists a parasite on society and the good
people of California who seek to fight drug and alcohol addiction
and all of its ill effects. This parasite operates with the
sanction of license from - and in defiance of the policies, laws
and regulations of - the State of California and the Department
of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The Department of Drug and Alcohol
Programs has been tasked to enforce and implement the laws and
high standards of practice Californians have deemed necessary to
combat drug and alcohol addiction in our state. With that burden
shouldered and responsibility assumed, I urge you to do whatever
is in your power to investigate, expose and take the appropriate
action to make sure that Narconon no longer tears apart families,
contaminates societies, manipulates people and ultimately ruins
the lives of honest, decent human beings. After all, social
implications aside, this is about people and the rights of the
citizenry of this State and Nation. I implore you to do all you
can to prevent Narconon from continuing to ruin the lives of
people unfortunate enough to look towards Narconon for assistance
in battling their addictions to drugs and alcohol.
