'My mind had been shattered into a million pieces': inside the Scientology-linked UK rehab centre

It’s listed on the NHS website and claims to be a ‘world leader’ in tackling substance abuse. But there is a shocking side to the Narconon addiction facility – as our nine-month investigation reveals

The Guardian
Shanti Das
Feb 3, 2024

In a secluded compound in the Sussex countryside, surrounded by fields of sheep, sits an addiction centre marketed as the “friendliest rehab” in the UK. Each year, a stream of people arrive at its gates, pass through neatly tended gardens and enter a grand white mansion, hoping to get “drug-free for good”.

The charity that runs the facility, Narconon UK, says it is a world leader in tackling drug and alcohol misuse, claiming results superior to its rivals through a sauna detox, high vitamin doses and psychological exercises.

Its credentials appear to stack up: Narconon is listed on the NHS ­website, included in council ­directories, and displays a “good” rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in its marketing, alongside dozens of testimonials. “Narconon gave me my life back,” says one smiling client.

But behind the glossy image there is another side to the story. A nine-month investigation has ­uncovered allegations of safeguarding ­failings and psychological abuse at Narconon’s premises in Heathfield, East Sussex. It also suggests that – despite reassuring clients it is independent – the rehabilitation programme is more closely entwined with the controversial Church of Scientology than it lets on.
In interviews with the Observer, former patients and staff described how people seeking help were put through intensive ­mental exercises – “drills” – similar to methods used in Scientology’s “auditing” process.

In some cases, they took part in these repetitive drills for so long, while in vulnerable states due to their mental health or prior drug use, that they would go into “hypnotic” states, become paranoid or break down or suffer other extreme reactions. After taking part in the drills, which could last up to five hours a day for several weeks, others were ­allegedly left “traumatised”, feeling suicidal, with their minds “shattered”.

One former Narconon staff member, racked with guilt over their part in the operation, claimed they watched ­people “break” during exercises they likened to “obedience training”.

The allegations, and evidence gathered in undercover calls, also suggest clients were admitted to the rehab despite histories of mental illness and were misled about the extent of Scientology’s influence. Yet despite attempts to raise the alarm – including 19 complaints to the CQC, the watchdog responsible for overseeing substance misuse services in England – the facility has not been inspected for eight years and has never been assessed to ensure it is safe. The regulator says Narconon’s “alternative” approach does not fall within its remit – so it has no duty to investigate. The Department of Health said it was a matter for the CQC.

So who is accountable for safeguarding vulnerable people at unregulated rehabs such as Narconon? And how can a facility accused of abuse, linked to one of the world’s most controversial movements, have been allowed to operate for years, with no formal oversight at all?

Launched in the US in 1966, Narconon is billed as a “holistic, non-medical and secular” approach to rehabilitation. Its residential programme is based on the belief of L Ron Hubbard, Scientology’s founder, that toxic drug residues lodge in the body long after use, creating a “biochemical barrier to spiritual well-being”.
To remove them, patients complete a “purification rundown” involving five-hour sauna sessions, treadmill exercise and high doses of vitamins. They later do psychological exercises and a course known as “life skills”. The goal is to achieve a “clear body” and a “clear mind”.

Hubbard’s theories about drug residues are rejected by the scientific community, and addiction experts argue the methods are not evidence-based. But Narconon insists its approach is robust. It has 30 centres across the world offering help for substances including alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and prescription drugs, and claims to have saved tens of ­thousands of lives.

In 2015, it announced an expansion of its UK operations with the opening of the 16-bed facility near Heathfield – about 20 miles from Scientology’s HQ. In a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local politicians, it said the centre marked a new era in UK drug treatment. “With the country suffering from a drug abuse epidemic, a new drug-free drug rehabilitation centre brings hope,” it said.
Since then, it has secured listings on luxury rehab websites and run online ad campaigns. Managers regularly post in Facebook groups for those trying to get clean. “The friendliest drug and alcohol rehab in the UK welcomes new programme participants in a safe and welcoming environment,” read a recent post, followed by a ­smiley emoji.

The programme typically lasts three to four months and costs about £15,000. Many of those enrolling are not Scientologists.

Often, they are drawn to Narconon’s purported “natural” approach. “I’d heard of the Priory and this just seemed, from what they were saying, more like a wellness, mental health-y type of place,” one former client said.

Parts of the programme are strict. Patients – referred to as students – are expected to wear identical tracksuits, have regimented schedules and spend hours studying. As is common at some other rehabs, they also surrender their phones upon entry and cut off contact with the outside world, save for pre-approved calls or visits.

They had a duty of care to look after me but it messed me up badly. I came out significantly worse than when I went in
anonymous patient.

During their first days, patients undergo a “drug free” withdrawal, with massages (“assists”) and no medicines such as methadone to wean them off. They complete a five-week “detox”, with up to five hours a day in a sauna, running on a ­treadmill and taking a cocktail of vitamins.

Hubbard’s book Clear Body, Clear Mind recommends the main ingredient, niacin, is taken in an initial dose of 100mg which increases to 5,000mg for those deemed fit to receive it – 333 times the recommended daily amount.

The NHS says high doses of ­niacin can cause skin flushes and – over long periods – liver damage. The approach has previously been linked to reports of adverse reactions. Narconon said safety incidents were “very rare” – and for most people, the detox does not seem harmful. One participant said this phase was “like jail” because you are “left alone with your thoughts,” but that it enabled them to rest. Another said: “That first part, the detox, was kind of cool.”

During the next phase, the intensity ramps up. Participants take

 part in psychological drills which Narconon says are intended to “ground” them in the present moment. “The aim is to help bring a person out of the past and into the present time – ready and able to face life without resorting to drugs,” its website says.

Nine people with knowledge of Narconon’s operations gave corroborating accounts of how participants were put in pairs and required to follow or give commands – touching or pointing to items, or standing up and sitting down – repeatedly.

One former staff member described this phase, known as The Objectives, as “gruesome”. “There are certain criteria the addicts need to reach, but you are not even told what they are. [They] can’t tell you how long the session will last. It’s just: touch that, touch that, touch that, touch that. It can be any inanimate object. Or it might be, ‘Sit down, stand up.”

Other exercises required participants to sit perfectly still for prolonged periods, or saw them asked questions “over and over again”. “I would even compare it at one point to enhanced interrogation techniques,” said an ex-staff member. “Each time you answer they ask the same question again and again until you give a different answer and they say, ‘Why did you answer differently this time?’ and then you have to come up with some revelation like, ah, I just realised: ‘My whole life has been wrong.’”

To move on to the next stage, ­“students” must meet ­criteria – such as demonstrating equal response times between completing commands or having an epiphany unprompted about their behaviour or life. Sessions were monitored by a senior staff member – often Scientologists – who would ensure compliance and decide when the exercise was completed in line with Hubbard’s writings, which ex-staff said were treated “like the Bible”.

Sometimes people would sometimes be stuck on stages “for days” because they “didn’t understand what they were expected to do”, one person said. If participants asked questions, they got no reply. “It is ignored. There is no input whatsoever.”

The drills left some feeling “degraded” and “stuck”. “It was like I had been chained. I can’t leave the room. I can’t answer the ­questions. I can’t not do the command. I can’t make it end,” one person said. While not physically restrained, they were strongly discouraged from leaving.

Other times, participants became paranoid, anxious or acutely distressed. “They were clearly very unwell,” a ­witness said. “I saw people yelling and screaming. Physical outbursts. Some people would laugh, others would cry.”
Several witnesses described how people would go into hypnotic or trance-like states, “spacing out” or experiencing “depersonalisation”. “They taught me that usually you go through these exercises until you … get to a point where you feel that your body doesn’t belong to you. You might see yourself from above,” one person said.

Sheila MacLean, Narconon’s manager, said the drills were designed to teach the participants self-determinism, self-control and discipline, and to help them break away from destructive habits. “These phases are not easy but our feedback has been hugely positive and the results speak for themselves,” she said.
But some former participants described being left “traumatised”. “The best way to describe it is that my mind had been shattered into a million pieces. I’d lost all sense of myself,” one person said.

“They had a duty of care to look after me but it messed me up badly. I came out worse – significantly worse – than when I went in.”
The Observer also spoke to ex-staff who described being left distressed by their part in the process.

Although most senior employees are understood to be Scientologists, many junior staff and volunteers are not. Despite having no history of substance misuse, they too were required to complete the programme.

Speaking through tears, years after leaving Narconon for another job, one argued the approach was dangerous. “They are training you to follow orders, but these are vulnerable people and it can be traumatic,” they said. “I knew it was wrong. But at the moment I didn’t summon the strength to stand up.”
Independent experts said the drills were reminiscent of a “military boot camp” or “obedience training”. The Observer first asked their views without disclosing the link to Scientology.

Prof Tim Millar, professor of substance use and addictions at Manchester University, said he was astonished by the allegations. During 30 years researching drug treatment in England he said he had never seen such techniques. “They’re not approaches that I’m aware of being used in any other mental health context,” he added.

He said he was concerned the “instruction sessions” could feel “punitive” for people seeking treatment. “My personal view is that rehabilitation should be about using humane approaches to help people to regain their sense of self worth, which makes me doubt that any punitive approach would be helpful,” he said.“I find some of the descriptions of people’s reactions quite shocking. They are so far removed from anything that I’ve encountered that it’s hard to put into words.”
Dr David Bremner, medical director for drug and alcohol charity Turning Point, said requiring vulnerable ­people to complete repetitive drills could leave them in a state of “heightened suggestibility”. “Through these repetitive actions, the process of breaking someone down to being less than what they think they are makes them even more susceptible to ­suggestion. And then you’ve got somebody who’s in a position of psychological obedience where you are able to then tell them what you want them to believe,” he said.

Prof Sally Marlow, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, likened the approach to reprogramming. “The methods, as they are described, do not appear to be therapeutic. They appear to be something else. This is not understanding a person and where a person is coming from,” she said. “I think it is extremely concerning, regardless of what I think about Scientology.”

Participants later took part in a “life skills” course where exercises included writing down everything bad they had ever done, and handing this to Narconon. People who spoke to the Observer said this left people feeling exposed. “It’s like they’re poking around in the darkest corners of your soul,” an ex-staff member said. They said they believed the programme could be beneficial for some, but often believed it did “more damage than good”.

The Observer’s investigation also casts doubt on Narconon’s claim to be a secular programme that is ­separate from Scientology. Clients said they had been reassured the centre was independent of the movement. One ex-staff member with knowledge of the sales process said: “They [Narconon] are really good at convincing the families that this is what your child or your family member needs. They don’t focus on the Scientology aspect at all.”

But the two are closely entwined. The International Association of Scientologists is the principal funding source for the Narconon Trust charity – which owns Narconon’s Heathfield premises and supports Narconon’s work in the UK. Several senior Narconon figures are Scientologists, including Janet Laveau, the managing director of Scientology UK and a trustee of the Narconon Trust, and MacLean, Narconon UK’s executive director and registered manager.

Scientology beliefs also appear to influence Narconon’s approach. Participants are allegedly told they cannot take part if they are on ­psychiatric medication, consistent with Scientology’s belief that psychiatry is harmful.

Meanwhile Narconon’s psychological drills resemble methods used in wider Scientology. Scientologists believe spiritual beings known as thetans infest every person’s body. Through a process known as “auditing”, they believe they can bring these thetans under control – helping people on a path to spiritual enlightenment.
You’re helpless there, and the only way out is blind submission or lose thousands of pounds

To learn the skills Scientology says are needed for auditing, followers take part in a series of drills known as “training routines”. Scientology materials show these include giving and receiving directions, sitting still for prolonged periods, and repetitive questioning – much like in the Narconon drills. US campaign group Narconon Exposed has argued the two are closely linked, claiming the Narconon Objectives are a “religiously-based doctrine and practice”, with “absolutely no clinical relevance to drug rehabilitation”. Narconon denies this.

The link raises the question of whether participants are exposed to Scientology methods without informed consent. Several were reportedly unaware of the closeness with Scientology when they signed up. Once there, they were deterred from leaving by the fear of losing money or being rejected by friends or family.
“You’re helpless there, and the only way out is blind submission or lose thousands of pounds,” one person said. “If I’d have had any concept of what the programme actually was, I would never have signed up.”

To independently verify their claims, an Observer reporter approached the facility posing as the relative of someone needing treatment for addiction. During the call, a representative said Narconon was based on work by Hubbard, whom she described as a “humanitarian” who founded Scientology.

But she went on to claim that Narconon was “not related” to the religious movement. “Narconon is basically a secular organisation that is completely … It’s not related to the Church of Scientology,” she said.

“We try to keep it very straight to the point. We don’t promote it, and we shouldn’t do that either. If we did that, people would accuse Narconon of actually being a front to get people to Scientology. And that’s not what we’re trying to do.” She also described how Narconon had a “no refund policy”, with ­clients usually required to pay up front.

“Just think about the mental responsibility the addict has if the fees have been paid up front,” she said. “It’s a way of keeping the addict on the programme.”
In order to enrol, she said the proposed patient – a man in his thirties who was a drinker and cocaine user – could not be on antidepressants, and advised he speak to his GP.

Asked what to say, the Narconon representative said: “I think it has to be a decision that is communicated … He should go to a GP and say, ‘I have made a decision. I want to do alternative or natural remedies. I would like to come off this medication. How do I do it?’ It’s kind of a business in a way.” She added: “Doctors prescribe medication. That’s what they do.”

In an emailed statement to the Observer, Narconon UK said it had a “proven track record” of “successful rehabilitation for substance addiction” over five decades.
It denied downplaying its link to Scientology, saying it was open about its link to Hubbard. It did not deny similarities between the Narconon programme and Scientology methods, but said Hubbard’s approaches had a “positive secular application”.

Before being ­admitted, participants are sent to see a GP familiar with the programme. Concerns have been raised that these assessments were not thorough and that the focus was on physical rather than mental health. Narconon disputed this and said it had a policy of refusing people with “a history of psychosis, extensive psychiatric treatment or suicide attempts”.

A spokesperson also suggested people had concealed their histories of mental illness upon joining; denied advising people to come off medication to join the programme; said participants’ health was closely monitored, and said those with addictions that involved “dangerous withdrawals” underwent medically supervised withdrawal elsewhere first.

MacLean, Narconon’s registered manager, said it was “deeply regrettable” that some people did “not get on with the methods the programme employs”. “Even the best-run services have their critics,” she said.
She added: “We are running a programme for people with self-harm issues, who are seeking to break down deeply entrenched habits, which is not easy to do, and we do not pretend it is.

“The vast majority of people who come through the programme really benefit from it and are very happy with the outcome.” Narconon shared a folder of testimonials from ex-patients who say it transformed their lives.
But the allegations raise questions over why the facility is not subject to the same regulatory scrutiny that other rehabilitation units receive.

Records released under freedom of information laws show the Care Quality Commission has received 19 complaints about Narconon, including concerns about its methods and link to Scientology.

However, it has not formally investigated 14 of these – received since 2019 – claiming it has no duty to investigate and that the complaints are outside its remit.

There is no evidence to suggest the service is providing regulated activities for which they are registered

CQC guidance says services providing accommodation with substance misuse treatment are providing a regulated activity and must be registered for this, adding that this includes a range of interventions “such as managed withdrawal or detoxification, or a structured psychosocial treatment programme”.

But a CQC spokesperson suggested Narconon’s programme did not meet this criteria because the approach was “alternative” and did not involve medication. “There is no evidence to suggest that the service is currently providing regulated activities, for which they are registered with the Care Quality Commission, and therefore they remain dormant at this time,” they said.

Despite its programme being unregulated, Narconon continues to display a previous CQC “good” rating on its website. Records show the rating was from a 2016 inspection which covered the facilities, personal care and the safety of its sauna and vitamins – but did not judge the effectiveness of its programme.
The CQC report did not include details of the psychological drills or mention Scientology.

Former clients said they had been reassured by the CQC stamp of approval, believing it meant the programme was being actively monitored. “We did our research and it all looked above board,” one said. They added that they were “flabbergasted” Narconon had been able to accept vulnerable people for years without regulatory oversight. Dr Bremner, from the Turning Point charity, said: “We need better regulation.”

Another former Narconon participant, who we have chosen not to name, said his time there left him in a “dark place”. He has a history of severe mental illness, including psychosis and depression, but says he was ­permitted to complete the programme regardless.

It left him feeling “pressured” and increasingly paranoid until he eventually suffered what he describes as a psychotic episode. Since leaving, he has received professional help.

Looking back, he believes he should not have been admitted at all. A note on his entry form stated he was “emotionally unstable”, but he was accepted anyway. If Narconon’s programme is able to continue running unchecked, he fears others may be at risk. “I think they prey on ­people at their most vulnerable,” he said.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/03/scientology-linked-uk-rehab-centre-nhs-website-substance-abuse-narconon-investigation

With lawsuit settled, Scientology-linked company will operate small rehab at Trout Run

·        Frederick News-Post 

·        By Cameron Dodd 

Mar 30, 2019

Frederick County has settled a long-running lawsuit with a Church of Scientology-linked real estate company over plans to build a controversial drug rehabilitation center on Catoctin Mountain.

Frederick County Circuit Court approved a joint motion March 20 to dismiss the case of Social Betterment Properties International v. Frederick County over the former’s plans for the Trout Run property, a 40-acre site near Thurmont. SBPI is now moving forward with plans for an eight-bed rehabilitation home based on Scientology teachings that would operate within the property’s long-standing zoning restrictions.

The settlement agreement reached between SBPI and the county allows the company to “do what it’s been allowed or permitted to do all along, and nothing more,” county spokeswoman Vivian Laxton said in an email Wednesday.

SBPI brought the suit over a 2015 Frederick County Council decision to deny a historic designation and zoning exemption for the Trout Run property on Catoctin Mountain. SBPI had purchased the 40-acre property in 2013 with the intention that the Scientology-based Narconon International rehabilitation program would open a 16-bed center there.

That use was not approved under Trout Run’s resource conservation zoning and would have required the council to add the property to the county’s Register of Historic Places. Although the Frederick County Historic Preservation Commission recommended the designation, the council voted against it following a wave of public concern expressed during hearings.

According to a history of Trout Run, gates were installed on the county road that runs through the property to create a private area for President Herbert Hoover to fish. At one of a number of public hearings in 2015 related to the request to get the designation added, SBPI argued that, among other things, the site was a “rare surviving example of an early twentieth-century private recreational camp.”

Under the settlement agreement, Trout Run still doesn’t have the historic designation or any of the accompanying zoning exemptions.

SBPI still plans for the Narconon program to operate at Trout Run, just on a smaller scale, according to attorney Bruce Dean.

“My client, in the spirit of partnership with local government, has chosen to move forward with the operation of an eight-bed residential drug rehabilitation facility that will be operated by the Narconon organization,” Dean said Friday.

Narconon is controversial for its approach to substance abuse treatment, which prohibits medically assisted treatment and psychiatric services in favor of aerobic exercise and long periods in a sauna.

Former program staff and participants have called Narconon ineffective at best and traumatic and deadly at worst. At least four clients of the 200-bed Narconon facility in Arrowhead, Oklahoma, have died since 2009, according to The Oklahoman.

Narconon, meanwhile, sees its service as a part of the solution to the ongoing national opioid addiction crisis.

“We are pleased that we were able to come to an accommodation with Frederick County that will allow the proposed residential drug rehabilitation facility at Trout Run to contribute to the vital work of saving lives and repairing families,” Dean said.

Court proceedings in the litigation against the county have been relatively inactive since 2016. Frederick County Circuit Court judges approved a dozen extensions of SBPI’s deadline to file a memorandum of support for their legal challenge to the county’s decision. In November, Judge Julia Martz-Fisher stayed the litigation to allow the settlement talks to continue.

https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/crime_and_justice/courts/with-lawsuit-settled-scientology-linked-company-will-operate-small-rehab/article_c39940a8-0040-5153-a288-36fb1a1c2a56.html

Oklahoma woman files lawsuit against Narconon Arrowhead

Wichita Eagle
Associated Press
October 30, 2018

An Oklahoma woman has filed a lawsuit alleging a drug rehab center linked to the Church of Scientology breached its contract.

Attorneys for Sefika Talic filed the petition Friday at the Pittsburg County Courthouse, The McAlester News-Capital reported . The lawsuit was filed against Narconon International, along with its flagship rehabilitation center, Narconon Arrowhead, and parent company Association for Better Living and Education. The association is owned by the Church of Scientology.

Narconon Arrowhead is a 200-bed facility near the tiny town of Canadian that promotes substance abuse treatment theories by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The lawsuit alleges Talic was persuaded to enroll her son in a three-month program at the facility in 2016 for $32,500 through "misrepresentations, lies, deceit, and fraud."

The organizations have yet to file written responses to the allegations.

Talic alleges her son was forced to read literature that promoted Scientology, went through "bizarre punishments" as part of treatment and experienced physical and mental anguish from the facility's treatment. Talic withdrew her son from the program after three weeks "in fear of his health," the filing said.

The lawsuit also alleges the facility didn't have certified medical personnel. Talic is seeking damages between $10,000 and $75,000.

"The conduct of the defendants was in reckless disregard for the rights of the plaintiff. The defendants were aware, or did not care, that there was a substantial or unnecessary risk that their conduct would cause serious injuries to others," the lawsuit said.

Narconon Arrowhead has operated under scrutiny following four patient deaths in recent years. Oklahoma enacted Stacy's Law in 2013 after 20-year old Stacy Dawn Murphy died at the Narconon Arrowhead facility of an accidental drug overdose a year earlier. The law is intended to provide more oversight of drug and alcohol rehab centers.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the center, and Narconon Arrowhead has settled many of them under confidential terms.

https://www.kansas.com/news/article220838705.html

Narconon (scientology) - former staff member

"Ex-narconon staff member talks about her journey into scientology via narconon, Discusses the dangerous "rehab" methods, financial coercion, attitude towards children and family, and ultimately her planned escape from the cult."

Off-shoot organisation of Scientology confirms plans for drug rehab centre in Meath

Louise Walsh
Irish Examiner
February 22, 2018

Narconon has confirmed its plans for a controversial drug rehabilitation centre in Meath and has contacted a number of local politicians to seek a meeting to address any 'misinformation'.

The off-shoot group of the Church of Scientology, which has to date never confirmed its role in the purchase of a former school in Ballivor, has emailed politicians through a Dublin PR group.

The email, which has also been sent to the Ballivor Community Council says it wants to address 'a lot of misinformation circulating about the Narconon programme and its plans'.

It says it's 'willing' to answer any questions on themselves or their plans.

It also confirms that Narconon has bought a premises in the village and their 'wish' to open a drug rehabilitation facility under the Narconon name.'

Narconon says it wants to meet all interested people to tell them about their plans including the 'benefits to the community' and offer them a chance to meet former drug addicts who have completed the programme.

The email says: "I am writing to you on behalf of Narconon who you might know has purchased a premises in Ballivor and wish to open a drug rehabilitation facility under the Narconon name.

"As you may be aware there is a lot of mis information circulating about the Narconon programme and its plans and we now want to give everyone and anyone who is interested, an opportunity to brief them and have them ask whatever questions they wish of us.

"As a courtesy we first contacted the Ballivor Community Council yesterday and are awaiting a date and time from them to let us know when we might be able to meet with them – hopefully over the next few days.

"We would like to offer you an opportunity, at a venue, date and time of your convenience to hear from us about Narconon, what they do, what the plans are for the premises in Ballivor including the potential benefits to the community and also to talk to a couple of former drug addicts who have successfully gone through the programme.

"We want to give you a full brief on the proposed premises and we are open and are willing to answer any and all questions that you or your constituents may have."

However, Meath Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín, who was one of the TDs to receive the email, said he will not be meeting with the group without the wishes of the Ballivor locality.

He added that he intends to introduce a Dáil bill to regulate the whole sector and stop 'rogue operators from functioning.'

He said: "After a blinding absence of consultation the Church of Scientology are now looking to employ a publicity form to convince locals and elected reps alike.

"The key points in all of this is that this service is completely unregulated, that the state itself has stated that there is no evidence as to the efficacy of the service.

"There is widespread worries in the community as to the dangers of this service and its effect on the community.

"I hope to introduce a bill in the Dáil that will see regulation in this whole sector and this will in all likelihood prevent rogue operators from functioning.

"I wont be meeting with the Church of Scientology without the expressed will of the community of Ballivor".

It is understood the local community of Ballivor are meeting to discuss the new proposals from Narconon.

The Ballivor Says No group are still intent to travel to Dublin next week to present a petition from the local community against the plans for the centre to the Dáil.

A spokesperson for Narconon added today that they were 'keen to outreach to the people of Ballivor initially, with a wider communications outreach planned' at a later date for the media.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/off-shoot-organisation-of-scientology-confirms-plans-for-drug-rehab-centre-in-meath-829355.html

Peadar Tóibín TD urges Minister to take a 'pro-active approach' with Ballivor Scientology Centre

Peadar Tóibín TD
Sinn Fein
February 15, 2018

Peadar Tóibín had a meeting with Minister of State Catherine Byrne, who has responsibility for the National Drugs strategy, in relation to the crisis in regarding the Scientology residential drug rehabilitation centre in Ballivor County Meath, yesterday evening.

“I raised the major concerns that exist with regard the complete lack of regulation of the residential drug rehabilitation centres in this country.

"I also pressed the Minister on the fact that the government does not even know how many of these centres exist in the country.

“Minister Byrne’s department reiterated that there was no medical evidence to suggest that Scinetology/Narconon’s treatments had positive outcomes.

"The Minister indicated that her department would research further into how to deal with this issue.

“I have submitted Parliamentary Questions seeking to find out how many residential drug rehabilitation centres are operating outside of government overview, and I’m currently working on legislation to resolve this issue.

"The state cannot sit on its hands on this issue. Drug addicts are vulnerable and the state should know what’s happening to people in the care of others in this country.

"I am urging the government to take a proactive approach before its too late in Ballivor."

http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/48259

Difficult for Government to act if people attend Scientology centre of 'own free will'

Taoiseach says Ireland ‘a free country which guarantees free association’

Marie O'Halloranhare
Irish Times

January 23, 2018

It would be difficult for the Government to do anything about a controversial drug rehabilitation treatment centre if people go there “of their own free will”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.

He acknowledged the “worries and legitimate concerns” of the people of Ballivor, Co Meath about the proposed opening of a Narconon centre there.

Narconon is closely associated with the Church of Scientology and has been sharply criticised for its controversial practices, which include lengthy saunas and vitamin treatments.

But Mr Varadkar said the Government might not to be able to do anything in relation to the proposed establishment of a drugs rehabilitation centre by the Church of Scientology.

Planning permission is being sought to allow a former national school operate as a drugs rehabilitation centre.

He stressed that Ireland “is a free country which guarantees free association to people and citizens, so I am not sure whether the Government can do anything if it has planning permission for the centre.”
Addiction

He was responding to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams who asked if there was a way to allay the concerns of local people. He pointed out that his colleague and local TD Peadar Tóibín said there was no provision in legislation for the regulation or inspection of residential treatment or rehabilitation centres specialising in addiction.

Mr Varadkar said that “if people are there by free will and their own decision and they are not been detained against their will, it is difficult to know what actions the Government can take”.

He said he would speak to his public representatives in the area to see if a way forward could be found.

Last week Fianna Fáil TD Shane Cassells raised concerns about the centre in advance of a protest by local residents outside the proposed centre.

Mr Varadkar said then: “I am absolutely of the view that the only people who should provide addiction services are those who are appropriately qualified and licensed to do so.”

He added that on occasion addiction services are provided by religious groups. “I know that a number of Catholic groups provide alcohol counselling services and do so very well.”



https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/difficult-for-government-to-act-if-people-attend-scientology-centre-of-own-free-will-1.3366296

Saunas and high vitamin doses: The discredited Scientology-backed drug rehab programme slated for Meath

There have been a number of protests against Scientology’s presence in Ireland.

thejournal.ie
January 21, 2018

LAST MONTH, REPORTS emerged that a drug rehabilitation clinic linked to the Church of Scientology could open in the Meath village of Ballivor.

The centre, which could feature the Narconon programme, is believed to be slated for development on the site of a former national school.

Last year, TheJournal.ie broke the news that a new Scientology community centre was opening in Firhouse and that there had been plans to bring a number of the church-backed initiatives (such as Narconon) to Ireland.

There have been local concerns that the rehab facility will open in Westmeath in the coming months.

Over 200 people protested to express their concerns over the reported plans in Ballivor this week.
But what is Narconon and why are locals so concerned?

According to its official website, Narconon “uses unique rehabilitation technology that gets to the problem at its source and provides a path for long-term success”.

But their methods have proven controversial.

Their drug detoxification programme uses high doses of vitamins along with long periods in dry saunas which it says is an attempt to flush toxins out of your body.

Narconon-providing facilities have also been involved in wrongful death lawsuits in the US. There were four deaths in three years at one Narconon facility in Oklahoma although these have not been linked specifically to the treatment administered during the programme.

The Church of Scientology offers a so-called religious version of this called the purification rundown.

A former member of the group explained what it was like.

John McGhee told TheJournal.ie: “I was put onto the “purification rundown”, also know in ‘scientologese’ as the Purif, as my first step on Scientology’s ‘Bridge to Total Freedom’.

“It consisted of me going into the sauna every day for up to 4 hours for 32 days. Immediately before each session in the sauna I was given high doses of niacin (vitamin B3) and brought on a two-mile jog so as to induce the niacin flush. Once my skin start turning bright red and feeling like I have been stung by fire ants, it was time to jog back to the mission and get straight into the sauna.

“It was absolutely unbearable and I would often fall asleep inside the sauna with my Purif twin (another guy who was undergoing the purification rundown with me) waking me up and talking about how great L Ron Hubbard was and that how the rest of the world was deficient without Scientology in their lives.

“The person supervising our purification rundown was called the Purif i/c (in-charge). They will periodically check on us in the sauna and administer to us salts to take orally, with water, and ensure that we would have brief cold showers and return to the sauna promptly.

“I was told by Scientology the purification was the first step on the bridge because one needed a clear body and clear mind to proceed with the intense auditing which was to follow.”

A vocal opponent of the centre setting up in Westmeath is TD for the area Peadar Tóibín.

He is worried that there is no legislation in place that requires private drug treatment facilities to be independently assessed. He said that the State has a duty of its care to all people here.

In an answer to a parliamentary question by Tóibín, the Department for Health admitted that there is currently no provision in legislation for the regulation or inspection of residential treatment or rehabilitation centres specialising in addiction.

He said that this causes “significant concern”.

“The Department of Health also stated to me that organisations which provide addiction services and are funded by the HSE are required to meet minimum standards in the delivery of services across a range of criteria which form the basis of any service level agreement.

It appears that anyone can set up a residential treatment facility without accreditation and regulation in Ireland at the moment. To me this is a major gap in the state’s responsibility to protect the most vulnerable people.

“People in the grip of addiction are often at their most vulnerable. Over 80% of people presenting with substance abuse suffer with anxiety, depression and have backgrounds of trauma.”

TheJournal.ie contacted the HSE to get the Irish health service’s opinion on the detox. A consultant psychiatrist in substance misuse from the National Drug Treatment Centre said that Scientology’s programme has no basis in science.

The doctor said: “Scientology’s drug treatment programme has no standing amongst medical professionals involved in the treatment of persons with alcohol and drug use disorders.

“It comprises a series of interventions (‘Narconon’) with limited or no basis in a scientific understanding of human physiology and brain functioning and may potentially be harmful directly (with overuse of vitamins and other products) and indirectly in that persons are engaging in an intervention with no evidence of potential benefit for them.”

In response from a request from TheJournal.ie about the purification programme, which shares many similar characteristics with Narconon such as saunas and vitamins, the Church of Scientology said:

“The Purification Rundown is a part of the spiritual path a member of the Scientology religion will take part in. It has been found that drugs and toxins can take a heavy toll on the emotional and spiritual well-being of an individual and the programme enables an individual to rid himself of the harmful effects of drugs, toxins and other chemicals that lodge in the body and create a biochemical barrier to spiritual well-being.

We live in a chemical-oriented society. Virtually everyone is regularly subjected to an intake of food preservatives, pesticides, atmospheric poisons and the like.

The statement quoted a paragraph from the book Clear Body Clear Mind, authored by the founder of the Church of Scientology L Ron Hubbard:

“The Purification program cannot be construed as a recommendation of medical treatment or medication and it is not professed as a physical handling for bodies nor is any claim made to that effect.

There are no medical recommendations or claims for the Purification program or for any of the vitamin or mineral regimens described in this book.

“Contributions for taking such services are given willingly by our members and our members are well aware they are used by the Church to further our community betterment activities.”

TheJournal.ie specifically asked for a comment on Narconon but was told by the PR for Scientology in Ireland that is a completely separate entity and that he would be unable to comment.

http://www.thejournal.ie/narconon-ballivor-scientology-3803385-Jan2018/

Addicts in Scientology-linked centre to be treated with saunas and vitamins

Conor Gallagher
The Irish Times
January 17, 2018

A Scientology-linked drug treatment facility opening in Co Meath intends to treat addicts with sauna sessions and vitamins, according to planning documents.

The facility, which will be run by The Narconon Trust, will operate out of a redeveloped facility on the old National School site in the small village of Ballivor.

Narconon has long attracted controversy over its close connections to Scientology and because of its controversial treatment practises.

In 2012 Narconon lost its license to operate in Oklahoma following an investigation into several deaths at its flagship facility there.

On Wednesday afternoon, about 100 Ballivor locals, out of a population of 1,700, gathered outside the site of the proposed treatment centre to protest against its presence in the village. It is understood Narconon intends to have the facility open by May.

Locals say they intend to use planning laws to stop the facility from opening but there may be little they can do.

The previous owners of the site, Smyth and Smyth, applied for and obtained permission in December 2014 to open a nursing home on the site.

In September 2016 Narconon asked Meath County Council if it would have to reapply for planning permission if it bought the site and opened a drug treatment facility there.

The Council replied that, per its understanding of planning regulations, no new application would be necessary. Narconon went on to buy the site in 2017.

This meant there was no public consultation process, meaning locals only became aware of the plans around October 2017 when rumours spread around the town about the identity of the new owners.

A Council spokeswoman told The Irish Times, “the applicant is not a consideration” under the planning code.

“Once a permission is granted then anyone with sufficient legal interest in the land is entitled to develop in accordance with that permission.”
Sweating it out

According to a letter sent to the Council by The Narconon Trust, which has been seen by The Irish Times, users of the facility will undergo a three-month course during which time they are not allowed to leave the facility except towards the end of their stay when they may take a walk accompanied by a member of staff.

The detoxing of drug users will be done using daily sauna sessions for 2-3 weeks and “sweating out of the body all the drug residues still in the body.”

This phase must be authorised by a doctor due to the number of hours spent in the sauna and “the physical stress involved,” the letter states. It is understood users can spend up to five hours per day in the sauna.

No methadone or other drugs are used in the process. Instead users are given “vitamins and minerals which help alleviate their symptoms”.

The Department of Health this week said the treatment programme has “limited or no basis” in the science of human physiology and brain functioning.

However, with no legislation currently in place to regulate private addiction treatment services, the centre will be free to operate without permission or supervision from the Department of Health or the HSE.

Scientology’s Irish representative has previously said she has no knowledge of the plans for Ballivor and claims Narconon is a separate, “secular” organisation to Scientology.

However the two organisations are closely linked and share many of the same staff, documents show.

The person who corresponded with Meath County Council in 2016 is Massimo Angius, who described himself as a director of the Narconon Trust in the UK. Company documents show Mr Angius is also listed as a director of the Church Of Scientology Religious Education College.

Land Registry documents for Co Meath show the site was purchased in January 2017 by Ryan Alabaster, represented by the law firm Noel Smyth & Partners.

When asked by phone last week whether Mr Alabaster was available to talk, a staff member at the Church of Scientology national affairs office in Merrion Square said Mr Alabaster was not in the office but had visited Ireland a number of times in recent months to work on a “project” in the country.

The staff member also confirmed that Mr Alabaster “moves around a lot” and that he is based in the US.

The firm, Noel Smyth & Partners, has represented Scientology in several legal cases in Ireland.

Updated requests for comment from the Church of Scientology and Narconon in the UK went unanswered this week.
Wacky

On Wednesday Fianna Fáil TD Shane Cassells asked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar “if the cult’s wacky drug rehabilitation programme is legally permitted to operate in the State”.

The Taoiseach replied: “I am absolutely of the view that the only people who should provide addiction services are those who are appropriately qualified and licensed to do so.”

Mr Varadkar said he had read a little about the issue in the papers but did not know all the details or facts.

On Thursday Mr Cassells attended the protest where he told The Irish Times: “We need the Department of Health to investigate. If [Narcanon]do arrive the Department must act and ensure they do not proceed.

“It is incumbent on the Taoiseach and Minister [for Health Simon] Harris to look into the actual legal standing as to whether this can proceed.”

In the eyes of locals, the opening of a Narconon centre in Ballivor does little to help the area but creates several challenges.

Residents complain the village will be become associated with the controversial religion but few jobs will be created as Narconon and Scientology tends to bring in staff from overseas.

There were less than 100 Scientologists in Ireland according to the last census.

There are also concerns about the ability of an isolated village with few amenities to accommodate a 56-bed drug treatment centre, no matter who is operating it.

One of the organisers of the protest, local councillor Noel French said he believes opposition to the centre “breaks down 60/40”.

“Sixty per cent of locals are in opposition to Scientology and the fear as to what it entails and 40 per cent would be concerned about the drug rehab aspect,” he said. He said the proximity of the centre to schools is a particular concern.

“You have the child care centre here, you have the playground and Montessori school there and the national school. And you have the community centre down there.

“I’m involved in a drug organisation in Navan. It has twelve people in a population of 30,000. Here, if every bed is full, there will be 56 in a population of 1,700”.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/addicts-in-scientology-linked-centre-to-be-treated-with-saunas-and-vitamins-1.3359313

Western World wins dispute over Scientology-based rehab operation

Judy Greenwald
Business Insurance
January 12, 2018

A federal district court has largely ruled in favor of Western World Insurance Company in a dispute with an insurer that provides coverage for nonprofits, in a dispute as to whether it is obligated to provide defense costs for a Church of Scientology-affiliated drug rehabilitation operation.

The issue in the litigation in Western World Insurance Company v. Nonprofits Insurance Alliance of California is which insurer must provide the defense in two lawsuits filed against Los Angeles-based Narconon International, which oversees a Scientology-based treatment program implemented by local state affiliates, according to Tuesday’s ruling by the U.S. District Court in San Jose.

The first lawsuit was filed on behalf of Patrick Desmond, who was a patient at Narconon affiliate Narconon of Georgia. In June 2008, after consuming alcohol provided by Narconon staff at a staff member’s apartment, Mr. Desmond left with two former patients to purchase heroin and died early the next morning from a heroin overdose, according to the ruling. Mr. Desmond’s family sued Narconon of Georgia and Narconon International for claims including negligence.

The second lawsuit was brought on behalf of Heather Landmeier, who was a patient at Narconon of Oklahoma. Litigation in the case alleges that employees provided drugs and alcohol to Ms. Landmeier and allowed her to enter into sexual relationships with staff members.

In March 2008, Narconon of Oklahoma forced Ms. Landmeier to leave the facility, and a day later she overdosed on heroin and OxyContin, leaving her in a vegetative state paralyzed from the neck down. A lawsuit filed by her family also claimed negligence, among other charges.

Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey-based Western World and Santa Cruz, California-based Nonprofits Insurance provided overlapping insurance coverage to Narconon International.

NIAC’s policy had commercial general liability, liquor liability and improper sexual conduct coverage forms. The CGL coverage form also included an exclusion for bodily injury due to the “failure to render any professional service.”

The NIAC refused to provide a defense to Narconon, and Western World filed suit in the District Court seeking summary judgment on NIAC’s duty to defend.

In the Desmond case, the parties disagreed as to whether Mr. Desmond’s death was caused by an “occurrence,” said the ruling. The ruling held that it was.

“The neglectful provision of alcohol to and deficient supervision of a patient in rehab leading to the patient’s unexpected death constitute an ‘occurrence’ or ‘accident,’ ” said the ruling.

“NIAC improperly refused to defend on the ground that there was no ‘occurrence’ triggering policy coverage,” the ruling said.

The ruling also held NIAC was obligated to provide a defense in both cases under the professional service exclusion and, in Ms. Landmeier’s case, the improper sexual conduct form.

The court ruled in favor of NIAC with respect to the liquor liability coverage form because, it said, the situations in the lawsuits did not involve providing alcohol in a business or formal setting.

http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20180112/NEWS06/912318484/Western-World-wins-insurer-dispute-over-Scientology-based-rehab-operation

Former 'students' claim core focus of Australian drug rehabilitation centre is converting addicts to Scientologists

A Current Affair
9news.com.au
May 19, 2017

A former staff member at a controversial drug rehabilitation program claims the core focus of the treatment is Scientology conversion.

A Current Affair has spoken to many ex-Narconon students and their families - who are too frightened to appear on camera - that claim they were mistreated within the facility.

Students at the facility in Warburton, east of Melbourne, are expected to consume huge amounts of vitamins, yell at inanimate objects and spend hours in saunas.

The practise has been linked to deaths at Narconon centres in the US.

No doctors or psychologists are on-site to help addicts and it's kilometres away from a hospital or police station.

But despite this, desperate families regularly pay $30,000 to get treatment for their drug-addicted loved ones.

Alan - who has asked for his surname to be withheld - worked at the facility as a chef for several years.

He says students were often violent and there was nowhere near enough security.

A private security company is currently suing the Scientology-backed rehabilitation centre over more than $150,000 in unpaid bills for round-the-clock sniffer and guard dogs.

Students at the facility work on a course based on the teachings of Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard.

Alan says management expected staff to do the course, but he refused.

The former Narconon chef is an ashmatic and once suffered an attack while working.

"I Actually had an asthma attack there one day and they did one of their things, which they do, which is called a Body Com and they'll put their hands on you and they'll go, 'can you feel my hands?' And you'll say, 'yes,' and they'll thank you. They'll put their hands around your body and say, 'can you feel my hands?' 'Yes, thank you.' 'Can you feel my hands?' 'Yes, thank you,'" Alan said.

Despite being asthmatic, Alan claims management refused to allow him to use Ventolin.

"I used to keep my Ventolin hidden. They knew I was an asthmatic, but I'd keep it well hidden so no one saw it. They never saw me take it. I'd just go to the back of the kitchen if I had to," he said.

Australian Therapeutic Communities Association executive officer Dr Lynn Magor-Blatch is highly sceptical of the controversial treatment methods.

"If you are coming in to treatment or your family member is coming in to treatment, you obviously want to know what you're getting is based on the best practise and also evidence, so that also includes qualified staff to actually run the place and give the person the best treatment that they need," Dr Magor-Blatch said.

"In terms of actually helping them to work through their drug and alcohol problem, to work through the underlying issues, there's no evidence to say that (Narconon) is actually good practise."

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon wants Narconon shut down and has slammed the Victorian Government for leasing public land to the Scientology-backed company.

"What's happening at Narconon highlights the fact that there is inadequate regulation or no regulation when it comes to treating people with substance abuse," Senator Xenaphon said.

"If any government is giving a leg up to Narconon, they should demand accountability for the fact that they're effectively getting taxpayer help to operate. They should demand transparency in their books, they should demand accountability in their treatment programs."

"When you have people so vulnerable, so desperate for help, to be roped in to something that appear to be a front for Scientology is just not on."


http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/05/19/19/48/core-focus-of-australian-drug-rehabilitation-centre-is-converting-addicts-to-scientologists

Scientology-backed rehab center continues to operate with little oversightfy

It lost certification as medical detox center in 2013; now halfway house

Tulsa World
January 22, 2017 1
Brianna Bailey

The Oklahoman

CANADIAN — After the death of 20-year-old Stacy Dawn Murphy at a Church of Scientology-backed drug rehab program in Pittsburg County, the state enacted a new law to provide more oversight of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers.

However, Narconon Arrowhead, where Murphy and three other clients died, continues to operate legally because the law allows only limited supervision from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

“I am very surprised they are still open, I sure am,” said Gary Richardson, a Tulsa attorney who represents former Narconon Arrowhead clients and their parents, including Murphy’s parents, in nearly a dozen lawsuits against Narconon.

Murphy, a former waitress from Owasso, sought treatment for heroin addiction at Narconon Arrowhead. She died of an accidental drug overdose at the program in July 2012. Her parents are suing for negligence and wrongful death. The case is set for trial later this year in Pittsburg County District Court at McAlester.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/scientology-backed-rehab-center-continues-to-operate-with-little-oversight/article_1c69982f-5392-597f-902d-db4da80e7863.html

Council issues Trout Run findings, nearly a year later

Danielle E. Gaines

Frederick News Post 

April 19, 2016

 

Five Frederick County Council members signed a seven-page document Tuesday afternoon to explain their 2015 decision that ultimately blocked the opening of a Church of Scientology-affiliated substance abuse treatment center on Catoctin Mountain.

The written findings are required as a result of a religious discrimination case filed in Frederick County Circuit Court by Social Betterment Properties International, which acts as the church's real estate arm.

In January, Judge William R. Nicklas Jr. ruled that he could not consider the claims of religious discrimination without having the written findings of facts and conclusions from the council. The council voted 6-1 in June against a historic designation that would have allowed a Narconon center to open on the property.

The resolution signed Tuesday is similar to the county's filings in the court case, which was closed after Nicklas remanded the issue to the council.

Tuesday's resolution outlines the history of the property since Social Betterment applied for a historic designation in 2013.

Social Betterment bought the 40-acre camp south of Thurmont that September. Its aim was to open a group home for drug and alcohol abuse treatment operated by Narconon, a program based on the writings and techniques of L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology's founder.

The Trout Run property is zoned for resource conservation, and a group home would not have been allowed. However, properties with historic designation may apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals for special-exception uses, and a group home has been among those allowed uses.

Social Betterment has alleged that the council's decision not to designate the site as historic was not based on its history, zoning and legal grounds. The council made its decision after receiving oral and written comments critical of the Church of Scientology. Social Betterment alleges that the decision was influenced by religious discrimination.

The council addressed that argument in Tuesday's resolution.

"As it has been advised by its Attorney, the Council did not consider any of the testimony or documents related to the 'Narconon' or 'Scientology' entities or programs, because it was not relevant to making a decision on whether the Applicant had established that the site met the selected criteria for placement on the County Register of Historic Places," Tuesday's resolution read.

Five council members — Democrats M.C. Keegan-Ayer, Jerry Donald and Jessica Fitzwater and Republicans Tony Chmelik and Bud Otis — voted to sign the resolution.

Councilman Billy Shreve, a Republican, voted against the resolution; he is the only council member who voted in favor of the historic designation in June.

Councilman Kirby Delauter, also a Republican, originally voted against the historic designation, but voted not to sign the resolution on Tuesday. Delauter said he considered the votes two discrete issues. "I just think the whole thing was dishonest," he said.

An attorney who represented Social Betterment in the original court case was not immediately available for comment Tuesday night.

Two other cases filed by Social Betterment are pending in Frederick County Circuit Court.

Follow Danielle E. Gaines on Twitter: @danielleegaines​.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/continuing_coverage/trout_run/council-issues-trout-run-findings-nearly-a-year-later/article_bd16416b-7eb4-5dc6-8e8e-a9b317c194d2.html

Class action lawsuit against Scientology’s drug rehabs refiled with new plaintiffs

Tony Ortega
The Underground Bunker
April 13, 2016

Rana v Narconon (Burgoon Second Amd Complaint)

The last time we checked in with Indiana attorney Jonathan Little, we talked to him about how a class-action lawsuit against Scientology’s Narconon system had hit a rough patch.

If you’ve been keeping up with our Narconon coverage over the last few years, you know that suing the rehab network turned into a cottage industry as a number of lawyers realized that Narconon’s essentially deceptive business model made it ripe for accusations of fraud.

Scientology either claims credit for Narconon as its glorious attempt to rid the earth of drug addiction or, depending on the circumstances, pretends that it has almost no connection to the rehab centers. The truth is that Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, as documents show, saw Narconon as a way to spread Scientology’s influence as an organization interested in “social betterment.” But Hubbard didn’t want that goal to seem overt. Narconon was one of several stealthy front groups that pushed Scientology concepts while pretending to be “secular” and not a part of the Scientology empire.

Read more: http://tonyortega.org/2016/04/13/class-action-lawsuit-against-scientologys-drug-rehabs-refiled-with-new-plaintiffs/

Church of Scientology rehab centre rejected in Warburton

Sydney Morning Herald
February 9, 2015

Fresh debate over a drug and rehabilitation centre linked to the Church of Scientology has emerged after the program lost a bid to operate in central Warburton in the face of more than a year of intense community opposition.

A Church of Scientology offshoot, the Association for Better Living and Education, appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, after a unanimous Yarra Ranges Council decision to refuse it a permit to operate its drug treatment program from a central location in Warburton.

The controversial international program, Narconon, has operated from a secluded site in East Warburton since 2002. The facility was set to move to a central site that abuts seven residential properties, and is 300 metres from a local primary school. The application drew almost 300 objections from local residents.

ABLE applied for a permit after purchasing the $1.2 million site, but the council rejected it, arguing the program would threaten the community's safety.

The Narconon program has been associated with deaths in the United States and Europe, and has been banned in Quebec. The program's non-medical practices are contentious in drug rehab circles, particularly the detoxification process, which involves weeks of five-hour-long sessions in a sauna and mega-doses of niacin and other vitamins.

The Warburton case follows a similar dispute in NSW, where the Wyong Shire Council rejected a permit application for the same treatment facility in Yarramalong Valley due to risks associated with its flood-affected site.

In a decision handed down on Thursday, VCAT members ruled the residential site was an inappropriate location for the centre, due to the program's insufficient security and management regime. It also ruled that the program was not an education centre, as ABLE proposed in the permit application, but fundamentally a drug and rehab centre.

Information obtained through freedom of information data by local objectors shows 26 police callouts to the centre since 2005, including an incident in which a student threatened staff with an axe, a psychotic offender threatening to kill and an offender detoxing off heroin and ice harassing neighbours.

The dispute in Warburton has brought into question the controversial practices of Narconon.

Local objectors, who formed the campaign "Say No to Narconon", raised concern about the lack of professionalism of the staff, the program's unscientific treatment practices, and they questioned its advertised 75 per cent success rate.

The program's critics have called for increased accountability and performance reviews of the drug and rehabilitation sector. There is currently no requirement under Australian law to seek a licence to run a drug and rehabilitation centre.

Local campaigner Lindy Schneider posed: "Beyond the planning scheme where is our cover? Our recourse? Our backstop?"

Senator Nick Xenophon, the force behind a Senate committee investigation highlighting activities of the Church of Scientology in 2010, said drug rehabilitation programs must be subject to government oversight.

"These are incredibly vulnerable people ... we need to make sure the base level of accreditation is sought and to start ensuring we have the world's best practice in drug rehab."

The program costs about $30,000 for a six-to-nine-month stay – plus $260 weekly fees for board.

Narconon staff are trained internally, learning from the program's own curriculum.

Ninety per cent of the program involves intense study, based on the teachings of the Church of Scientology's founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

Executive director of the organisation running the program Andrew Cunningham said the drug treatment program was fundamentally educational.

"Our program is 90 per cent educational as it addresses why the user took drugs in the first place and deals with this.

"People who enter our program are off drugs and are there of their own free will and have paid for the program (no government funding received)."

He said he was reviewing the tribunal's decision and remained "firmly committed to resolving the serious scourge of drugs on society".

The program will continue to operate at the existing facility in East Warburton.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/church-of-scientology-rehab-centre-rejected-in-warburton-20150208-137mtc.html

Narconon rehab strikes out in second Ontario town

Narconon’s rehab program, inspired by the religious teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, involves detoxifying sauna sessions and high doses of vitamins.

Toronto Star
Jacques Gallant Staff Reporter
February 09, 2015

When Narconon, a controversial rehab program rooted in Church of Scientology teachings, tried to set up shop in Hockley Village near Orangeville two years ago, it was met with angry residents, petitions and “No Narconon” lawn signs.

In Milton, where Narconon is now trying to open a facility, it is staring down Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw 144-2003.

The document may not be as attention-grabbing as furious townsfolk terrified by what they’ve read on the Internet, but it is just as powerful. Milton’s Committee of Adjustment and Consent denied a proposal last October from Social Betterment Properties International for a Narconon centre on a parcel of land it acquired on Milburough Line in an isolated, rural part of town. The committee found it did not fit the town’s definition of a group home.

Social Betterment Properties is appealing that decision to the Ontario Municipal Board, with a hearing scheduled for March 30.

Narconon’s rehab program, inspired by the religious teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, does not involve over-the-counter medication, but rather detoxifying sauna sessions and high doses of vitamins that is all the rage among famous Scientologists like Tom Cruise.

It is also controversial, and the subject of lawsuits in the United States filed by the families of three Narconon clients who died at a facility in Oklahoma.

Clark Carr, president of Los Angeles-based Narconon International, did not return requests for comment. Narconon has previously denied allegations that its practices are unsafe.

“Narconons have always been strong members of the communities in which they operate,” said Tim Lomas, a spokesman for the Association of Better Living and Education, a Scientology-related entity. “We are moving forward to resolve all issues that have come up on the zoning process so that we can work together with the community to help those suffering from addiction.”

Milton officials say that the controversy surrounding Narconon had nothing to do with the committee’s choice.

“This is rural residential, not institutional . . . It’s intended to be agricultural and single-family units, not resorts,” said Councillor Cindy Lunau, whose ward includes the relevant part of Milburough Line. “(The controversy) is certainly another layer of concern, but that has no place in good planning. Good planning doesn’t judge the applicant . . . If we chose every one of our neighbours, we’d have very empty spaces.”

The committee found that Narconon did not meet the town’s definition for “Group Home Type 2,” as the private facility does not fall under the province’s oversight.

Health Ministry spokesman David Jensen said private organizations do not require the ministry’s permission to offer treatment and rehabilitation services for substance abuse, but said that the health professionals who work in them would be subject to legislation governing their profession and the oversight of professional colleges.

College of Physicians and Surgeons spokeswoman Kathryn Clarke said that if a Narconon facility is opened “and we receive any complaints about physicians practising there, we would investigate, and take further action, if appropriate.”

There is currently no Narconon program in Ontario. The organization lost its bid in 2013 to buy the estate of late Conservative MP Donald Blenkarn in Hockley Village amid furor from the locals. Blenkarn’s decided instead to sell the property to a village resident.

Carr, Narconon’s president, told the Star at the time that “Narconon is very interested in opening a facility in Canada and we are continuing to explore opportunities to do so.”



With files from Rachel Mendleson



http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/02/09/narconon-strikes-out-in-second-ontario-town.html