Narconon

Narconon

This letter was sent by the author to The California
Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs in 2002. Reprinted here
from http://xenu.net/archive/narconon/

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:

1. 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.

2. 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 milne@crl.com) 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 &91;then
Executive Director of Narconon - see “Is Narconon controlled by
Scientology?”&93; 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 … &91;W&93;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 &91;Narconon&93;
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 … &91;T&93;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.”

&91;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.&93;

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 &91;Arthur&93; 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 &91;Overwhelming Public Popularity
Campaign&93; 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 &91;the enemy’s&93; 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 &91;Social Coordination&93; 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 &91;Narconon&93;
Int&91;ernational&93;, 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.