Review of Narconon’s Approach to Drug Rehabilitation

Source: Excerpts from “They’re Not Addicts, They’re Students | Freedom Magazine”

Date: [Implicitly current, as the copyright is 1996-2025, but the article discusses events in 2017]

Purpose: This briefing document summarizes the key themes, ideas, and facts presented in the provided article from Freedom Magazine, focusing on the Narconon drug rehabilitation program.

Executive Summary

The article “They’re Not Addicts, They’re Students” from Freedom Magazine presents Narconon as a highly effective and distinct drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, contrasting it sharply with traditional 12-step approaches. The core philosophy of Narconon is that individuals struggling with drug use are “students” rather than “addicts for life” and that addiction is not a disease. The program, which has been in operation for over 50 years, claims an 84% success rate in participants remaining drug-free, significantly higher than the 5-10% success rate attributed to 12-step programs. The article highlights Narconon’s four-phase program: Drug-free Withdrawal, New Life Detoxification, Objectives, and Life Skills, emphasizing its holistic approach to addressing physical and mental aspects of drug use and underlying causes.

Key Themes and Most Important Ideas/Facts

Rejection of the “Addict” Label and Disease Model:

• Core Idea: Narconon fundamentally rejects the notion of an individual being an “addict for life” and does not consider addiction a disease.
• Key Quote: “Narconon is not a 12-step program. Narconon does not consider the individual is an addict for life, and it does not regard addiction as a disease. Narconon substitutes the word ‘student’ for addict.”
• Implication: This re-framing aims to empower individuals and remove the stigma often associated with addiction, focusing on learning and personal transformation rather than perpetual illness.

High Stated Success Rate:

• Key Fact: Narconon claims an “Over 84 percent of participants remain drug-free after completing the program.”
• Comparison: This is explicitly contrasted with “The success rate of normal 12-step programs is 5 to 10 percent.”
• Significance: This high success rate is presented as a primary justification for Narconon’s distinct methodology and effectiveness.

Four-Phase, Holistic Rehabilitation Program:

• Overview: Narconon’s program is described as a “precise, strictly organized regimen addressing all aspects of addiction.” It consists of four distinct phases:
• 1) Drug-free Withdrawal: Emphasizes one-on-one expert care, tailored vitamin regimens to “repair the damage drugs have done to the body—drugs mask it,” and “assists” (special techniques) to ease painful symptoms and help students reconnect with their bodies.
• 2) New Life Detoxification (NLD): Based on L. Ron Hubbard’s discovery that “LSD residues apparently remain trapped in the body, mainly in the fatty tissues,” and that “many other toxic substances could also remain in the body.” This phase combines “exercise, sweating in a dry-heat sauna and a carefully monitored regimen of hydration and nutrition” to “break up and flush out the toxic residues.”
• 3) Objectives: Procedures designed to “direct attention away from past memories and onto present and immediate surroundings,” fostering stability and presence. Derrick, a former Marine, states objectives “give you a chance to explore the real you and who you really are.”
• 4) Life Skills: This phase is described as “where the polish work is done,” allowing students to “address the reasons they turned to drugs in the first place.” Courses like “Overcoming Ups & Downs in Life,” “Personal Values,” and “Changing Conditions in Life” aim to instill practical skills for sustained sobriety.

Emphasis on Individualized Care and Supportive Environment:

• Fact: The Narconon Suncoast center is depicted as a “spacious tree-covered pasture stretching as far as the eye can see” with “cozy green interiors,” promoting a calming and refreshing atmosphere.
• Fact: “A registered nurse is on duty, 24 hours a day,” and “Narconon staff are on hand, around the clock, to support all students.”
• Fact: “Each student receives dedicated one-on-one assistance from a Narconon Withdrawal Specialist.”
• Observation: The article notes the normalization of the “students,” stating, “There was nothing unusual about these students. They were people you might see anywhere.”
• Policy: Family visits are “encouraged to help create bonds and relationships that may not have been possible while the family member was on drugs.”

Personal Testimonials and Narratives:

• Derrick (Heroin Addiction, Veteran): Found it challenging to assimilate back to civilian life after Afghanistan, turning to heroin. He highlights how objectives helped him “become aware of my emotions” and “explore the real you.”
• Angela (Opioid Painkiller Addiction): Her addiction began with legally prescribed opioids for a taekwondo injury, escalating to 10-25 pain pills a day. Her intervention was spurred by her children wanting “the old mommy back.” She ultimately committed to Narconon when told “Do this for you.” She states, “It really truly saves your life. Not only yours but your family’s. It’s a total 180.”
• Alessio (Multiple Drug Addiction, Chef): A successful chef whose life “went down the drain” due to low self-esteem. He was influenced to come to Narconon because “I have five friends who went to Narconon in Italy 10 years ago, and they’re still clean.” He particularly values the sauna for feeling drugs “coming out” and a “heightened sense of awareness.”

Connection to Scientology:

• Direct Statement: Freedom Magazine explicitly states, “Freedom is the voice of the Church of Scientology.”
• Program Basis: The New Life Detoxification phase is stated to be based on “L. Ron Hubbard’s breakthrough discovery.”
• Implication: Narconon is presented as a program aligned with or derived from the principles and teachings of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.

Conclusion

The article strongly advocates for Narconon as a superior alternative to conventional addiction treatment, particularly 12-step programs. It champions a drug-free, non-disease model of addiction, emphasizing detoxification, mental clarity, and the acquisition of life skills through a structured, multi-phase curriculum based on L. Ron Hubbard’s discoveries. The testimonials provided aim to validate the program’s effectiveness and its transformative impact on individuals and their families. The publication itself identifies as the voice of the Church of Scientology, positioning Narconon within the broader context of Scientology’s humanitarian and social betterment initiatives.