NARCONON DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM IS CULT RECRUITING TOOL

Detox center seeks acceptance, story, March 30. Scientology intends to open
its drug treatment program called Narconon. In no way should our schools,
courts or community be involved with this program. The cult has tried this
in many areas of the country. The Boston area concluded, after the cult
infiltrated the school system, that it is an unproven and possibly
dangerous program.

The methods that Narconon uses are very antipsychiatric because that is the
cult way. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard was antipsychiatry for obvious
reasons. The $1,200 detoxification program called the "purification
rundown" is unproven and may be harmful -- and $1,200 for a sauna,
vitamins, treadmill and cooking oil? This often is the first step in the
cult's high-priced teachings. According to the Food and Drug
Administration, the only things the procedure removes from the body are
salt and water.

According to the Oklahoma Board of Mental Health, Narconon's program is not
safe. There are no scientific, independent, well-controlled studies that
document its safety. Yet according to Hubbard, the purification rundown can
cure, among other things, radiation sickness! Narconon only appears to have
decent results for two reasons. One, it doesn't take addicts that would
require professionals to treat them, and two, the patients are declared
cured by unqualified members of the cult.

The cult has always been looking for ways to get at our children in the
public schools. Don't our elected officials and judges care about the
welfare of our kids and citizens? If they did, they would not endorse this
program.

The bottom line is, you can't give taxpayer dollars to what is essentially
a cult recruiting tool. You have to understand the cult's only goal is to
sell expensive programs and expand. It doesn't do anything unless it
benefits the cult.

David Rodman, Dunedin