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Narconon helps Mexico reduce drug-related violence in Sonora and Michoacan... |
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Substance Abuse Proves to be a Growing Factor in Women’s Incarceration... |
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California Youth Counter Reports of Intercultural Violence with Dr. King’s Message of Peace... |
Painkiller Epidemic Hits the Hospital Nurseries, But Narconon Offers a Solution
Painkiller withdrawal symptoms among newborns have tripled in the last ten years, following a rise in… [more]
Narconon Educator Alerts Parents: Marijuana Use is Not Harmless and is Increasing
Perhaps piggybacking on the widespread use of medical marijuana, use by teens has been increasing for… [more]
Alcohol and Valium Kill Another Beloved Public Figure, Reports Narconon
The name of Thomas Kinkade, world renowned painter, has been added to the list of those who have lost… [more]
Parental Concern About Drugs at Raves Is Warranted – Underground or Public – Attendees Are At Risk
The Narconon Drug Education approach has for decades enabled teens to stand up to peer pressure when… [more]
Narconon Drug Rehabilitation Method Enjoys High Scores and High Success
Narconon® in Part Attributes Its Success to Strategic Implementation of Today’s Established Principles… [more]
Narconon International Supports DUI Checkpoints
Bobby Wiggins, Drug Education Specialist Says It Is Effective Strategy that Saves Lives! When Americans… [more]
Narconon Drug Rehabilitation Center Expands in Mexico
The first Narconon center was established in Mexico in 1998, in the city of Queretero. During the past… [more]
Narconon Drug Prevention Specialist Spells out the Danger of Marijuana in Less than One Minute in New Video
Every day, youth receive many conflicting messages about drug use from their friends, movies and music.… [more]
Narconon Newsletter March 2012
Here is the latest Narconon Newsletter about what Narconon has been doing in Uganda, South TX, Cape Town,… [more]
Alcohol and Valium Kill Another Beloved Public Figure, Reports Narconon
The name of Thomas Kinkade, world renowned painter, has been added to the list of those who have lost everything to substance abuse.
On April 7th, news media around the world reported on the death of Thomas Kinkade, the painter who created peaceful scenes with cottages, rivers, landscapes and religious figures. At first, his death at age 54 was reported as being from natural causes. But the coroner’s report in early May 2012 showed that it was actually caused accidentally by “acute intoxication” from alcohol and Valium. The painter had struggled with alcoholism for several years. (1)
This event provides even more proof that abuse of alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit drugs can be deadly at any time. Families who have a loved one who is abusing or addicted to these drugs know this in their hearts – as they live every day in fear of receiving a phone call that tells them of an overdose.
But according to the Associated Press, while these drugs were the only ones involved in Mr. Kinkade’s death, he also had traces of other anti-anxiety drugs and the club drug GHB in his system when he died. GHB, a central nervous system depressant, is dangerous in combination with alcohol, where it can “result in nausea, loss of muscle control and difficulty breathing… and may also produce withdrawal effects, including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating,” according to The Partnership for a Drug-Free America. “As the dose increases,’ their site says, “the sedative effects may result in sleep and eventual coma or death.” (2)
His body showed signs of healing from a bad fall in the not-too-distant past: healed ribs that had been broken, a bruise on the abdomen and healing injuries to his head. Was this injury also drug or alcohol-related?
The New York Daily News reported that Mr. Kinkade’s brother said the artist had only just relapsed into alcohol use shortly before his death and that he had been drinking through the night before he was found unresponsive. (3)
Narconon Drug Rehabilitation Program Helps Thousands Avoid this Fate
Every year in the US alone, more than 37,000 people die from drug overdoses or other drug-related causes. More than 25,000 people die from alcohol-related causes, as reported by the LA Times. (4) And around the world, more than two million people each year lose their lives due to alcohol overdose, alcohol-related accidents or illnesses caused by alcohol, per a report from the World Health Organization. (5)
“These statistics and Mr. Kinkade’s terribly tragic death reinforce our awareness of the deadliness of drug abuse, excessive alcohol consumption, or worst of all the combination of the two,” said Clark Carr, president of Narconon International, a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating substance abuse and addiction through rehabilitation and prevention. “At Narconon rehab and prevention centers around the world, we work every day to save those who have reached out to be saved from this fate.”
Mr. Carr noted that the long-term Narconon rehab program, which is residential in most locations, helps addicts overcome the three most common factors that keep them locked in addiction: cravings, guilt and depression.
“News reports on Mr. Kinkade’s death have remarked on his recent separation from his wife, the bankruptcy of one of his companies, and the difficulty he had in dealing with critics who disapproved of his style of art, despite his great success,” stated Mr. Carr.
“Factors like these have driven too many persons to alcohol or drugs as a toxic solution,” Mr. Carr added. “But at Narconon rehabs, we teach those in recovery how to resolve such life problems so they are not drawn back into substance abuse. That’s why seven out of ten of out graduates often find lasting recovery at a Narconon center.”
Narconon rehab centers are located across North America and in South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. This rehab program uses no drugs in treatment but instead provides a thorough detoxification step that helps reduce cravings, and extensive life skills training to enable graduates to live a sober life from then on.
“Mr. Kinkade’s name has been sadly added to the list of bright lights we have recently lost, including Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse,” said Mr. Carr. “At Narconon, we will continue to offer our help to minimize the damage that addiction can do to our artists, performers and other good citizens.”
For more information on the Narconon drug addiction program or prevention activities, call 1-800-775-8750.
Resources:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/37792-died-from-drug-overdoses-in-2010-us-says.html
1 http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-09-30-drug-overdose_N.htm
2 http://www.drugfree.org/drug-guide/ghb
3 http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-04-13/news/31339105_1_painter-thomas-kinkade-relapse-alcoholism
4 http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/coroner-valium-alcohol-killed-painter-kinkade-16298780#.T68L6e1SFSV
5 http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/en/Alcohol%20Policy%20Report.pdf
Painkiller Epidemic Hits the Hospital Nurseries, But Narconon Offers a Solution
Painkiller withdrawal symptoms among newborns have tripled in the last ten years, following a rise in prescription drug abuse figures, indicating an increased need for a lasting solution.
Since the 1990s, prescription drug abuse and addiction figures in the US have been rising, following the vast increases in prescriptions written for these drugs. But now, this epidemic of addiction has reached many of the world’s tiniest citizens: newborn babies.
As covered in the Christian Science Monitor, a new report states that one painkiller-addicted baby is now born every hour of every day in the US. (1) The number of babies born with signs of opiate withdrawal symptoms has tripled in the last decade, proving that pregnant women are using more of these drugs either legally or illegally. Also included in these figures are the babies born to women on methadone or Suboxone treatment programs as these medications are also opiates.
Increases in Prescription Drug Use Started in 1991
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 1991, there were about 76 million opioid painkiller prescriptions issued, for example. By 2010, this number had shot up to more than 210 million. The number of people dependent on these addictive drugs followed, naturally enough. By 2007, the number of people who died of overdoses from these prescription painkillers outnumbered the deaths from heroin and cocaine combined. (2)
As the number of women using or abusing these drugs or on opiate treatment programs grow, it naturally follows that many of their babies would turn up with the same addiction. And once born, their source of opiates is withdrawn – and their struggles with withdrawal symptoms start.
These babies suffer the same withdrawal symptoms that their parents would have if they had discontinued drug use including muscle and bone pain and aches, spasms, diarrhea, vomiting, restlessness. Some babies are put on small doses of methadone as a way of alleviating the symptoms.
“Every time we help a young woman overcome her addiction to painkillers, we may be saving a baby from these miseries,” stated Bobby Wiggins, Director of Drug Education at Narconon International. Narconon is a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of substance abuse and addiction through effective rehabilitation and education. “At Narconon centers around the world, we provide lasting sobriety for seven out of ten graduates of our long-term rehab program. This means that these individuals are free from the ‘revolving door’ of repeated rehab visits that plague many people trying to find a new life free from substance abuse.”
Narconon centers use only nutritional supplements to help ease withdrawal symptoms and lift the moods of those going through withdrawal or detoxifying from addictive substance. What follows next is a comprehensive course of life skills training that enables those in treatment to gain the drug-free skills they need for lasting recovery. The sober graduate is free from any need of continuing reliance on medication-assisted treatment like methadone or Suboxone treatment programs that can result in a newborn going through withdrawal sickness.
Northeast, Southeast and Midwest US Regions Lead this Trend
In Maine, Florida, West Virginia, parts of the Midwest and other regions of the country, this new phenomenon is widespread. Florida and West Virginia have long had reputations for rampant prescription drug abuse. In fact, West Virginia’s problems were the source of the nickname “hillbilly heroin” for the prescription drug OxyContin, frequently abused in the area. (3) Florida finally got legislation controlling prescription pain medication enacted in 2011, slowing the flood of improperly used drugs from the pharmacies in this state. (4)
But the person who is already addicted to prescription pain relievers may turn to street supplies of painkillers or heroin, which is cheaper, to quell their cravings. If the addicted person is a woman who gets pregnant, then the outcome is seen in the hospital nursery.
Narconon Provides the Solution for Hundreds of People Each Year
When a young woman finds the Narconon drug addiction program in locations across the US and around the world, she has just found a 70% chance of eliminating her addiction to painkillers. And so if she becomes pregnant after completing this program, she can be relieved to know that it will be born addiction-free.
“We are very proud of our graduates who go on to establish clean, sober lives for themselves, marry and raise drug-free children,” concluded Mr. Wiggins. “We will continue in our mission until this trend is a thing of the past.”
For more information on the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, contact the international offices of Narconon at 1-800-775-8750.
References:
1 http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2012/0501/Painkiller-addiction-becoming-more-common-in-infants-study-shows
2 http://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/rrprescription.pdf
3 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/25/usa.julianborger
4 http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-09-01/news/os-prescription-drug-monitoring-begins-20110901_1_drug-database-prescription-drug-monitoring-model-state-drug-laws
Narconon International Hosts 2012 Narconon Drug Rehab And Education Conference
Narconon International hosted its 2012 Narconon® Drug Rehab and Drug Education Conference in Tulsa, OK. Executive Directors from Narconon centers around the world gathered to celebrate expansion and coordinate future growth.
Los Angeles, CA – Narconon International hosted its 2012 Narconon Executive Directors Conference held in Tulsa, OK, April 27th- April 29th. Executive Directors and senior staff from Narconon centers and groups around the world gathered to participate in a full schedule of training, planning and celebration of unprecedented expansion.
Guests of the International conference, some of whom have worked in the network for up to 40 years, arrived from centers in the Eastern and Western United States, United Kingdom, Nepal, Russia, Sweden, Italy, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and South Africa.
The first day’s schedule was highlighted with a trip to Narconon Arrowhead, the international training center of the Narconon network. The visit consisted of a tour of the center and attending its weekly graduation with over 200 students who are studying the Narconon program. There was not a dry eye left in the room as students spoke of their successes and life changing wins.
The Narconon program is comprised of 8 parts and students graduate from each one. The first course is a drug-free withdrawal followed by the Narconon New Life Detoxification program which removes harmful drug and other toxins stored in body tissue which process helps reduce persistent drug cravings. Life skills courses follow that help the student improve his confront and communication and develop his ability to discover why he turned to drugs in the first place. Three out of four Narconon graduates go on to live productive drug free live.
Awards to the various levels of Narconon centers and groups who achieved the most expansion last year were awarded Saturday evening by Narconon International President Clark Carr. First Place Winners included: Narconon Freedom Center in Michigan for Residential Centers, Narconon of Georgia for Outpatient Centers, and Europe Drug Prevention for Drug Education.
“We are proud of our Narconon drug rehab and drug prevention centers and the substantial worldwide network expansion this year. It is a rewarding career to provide effective drug education programs to help keep our young people off drugs or to provide rehab programs to help addicts truly free themselves from alcohol and other drugs,” says Carr.
The Narconon drug rehabilitation and education program was founded in 1966 by heroin addict William Benitez. It uses drug-free rehabilitation and social education methodology based on research by American author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. For these last four decades, Narconon staffs have dedicated themselves to eliminating drug abuse and drug addiction through drug prevention, education and rehabilitation. The Narconon drug rehabilitation program routinely results in drug-free lives, the majority of its graduates going on to live stable, productive, drug-free lives. These Narconon graduates, whether drug-free for ten, twenty or even 45 years, demonstrate that recovery is really possible. If you know someone struggling with alcohol addiction or drug abuse, or are looking for a career in substance abuse, visit http://www.narconon.org or call 877-237-3307.
Shocking New Report Exposes Real Extent of Teen Marijuana Abuse
New survey shows that one in ten teens is lighting up twenty times a month or more, far more than earlier surveys reported.
The argument for drug decriminalization has always been that if drugs were legalized, illicit trafficking would drop, drug cartels would lose their power and financial base, and all would be good. A new survey of America’s teens shows that it’s just not going to work this way.
A new survey from the non-profit anti-drug group The Partnership at Drugfree.org shows that in the years following the liberalization of medical use of marijuana, nearly ten percent of our teens are heavy marijuana users, smoking the addictive drug twenty times a month or more. This means that past-month heavy marijuana use has increased 80% since 2008. (1)
In other results from this survey:
- Every month, more than one out of four teens are lighting up at least once, another statistic that’s on the increase.
- Only 26% of students say that most of their schoolmates do not use marijuana.
- Only about half the students said that they “strongly disapprove” of marijuana use, down 11% since 2005.
- Teen who are “heavy” marijuana users are 30 times more likely to use cocaine or crack, 20 times more likely to use Ecstasy, and 15 times more likely to abuse prescription painkillers. (2)
How Does this Increase Tie in With Medical Marijuana Distribution?
Medical marijuana distribution has now spread to sixteen US states. In California alone, it’s a $2 billion dollar industry annually. (3)
Online directories offers up listings of thousands of marijuana dispensaries. One Los Angeles area directory offers nine dispensaries in the Sunland/Tujunga area and sixty in downtown Los Angeles. A Colorado directory has nineteen cities listed, with East Denver alone possessing 52 locations.
But there are definite signs that the presence of marijuana dispensaries are affecting the judgment and habits of the young of Colorado. School suspensions and expulsions for drug violations have been increasing for the last four years. Expulsions are up 35%, suspensions are up 45%. In Denver, referrals to law enforcement for school drug violations are up 71% over the same four year period. According to one report, students stand outside some of the dispensaries (fifty-three of which are 1,000 feet or less from school premises), asking people who are entering to buy them the drug. (4)
Colorado went through a number of stages of permitting medical marijuana distribution, but the major expansion of this business in the state occurred in 2009.
Teens Surrounded by a Culture that is More and More Pro-Marijuana
Tony Bylsma, President of Drug Prevention and Education California, pointed out that teens receive a steady stream of pro-marijuana messages. “Movies, television shows, magazines, celebrities who use marijuana or stump for its legalization, books, video games, maybe even the presence of a marijuana dispensary on the way to school – why should teens even think twice about using this drug?” he asked.
On their website, President of The Partnership at Drugfree.org Steve Pasierb noted that parents too often have the mindset that their children are just using a little weed and may not assign much importance to it. But according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), there is no greater anti-drug power in the world than parents. Joseph Califanao, CASA’s President, has repeatedly stated that a child who gets through age 21 without smoking, using illegal drugs or abusing alcohol is virtually certain never to do so. (5)
Is Smoking Marijuana Something Parents Should be Worried About?
Mr. Bylsma cited the statistics on the number of young people who need addiction treatment before they can get their marijuana use under control. “In 2009, more than 360,000 people went to treatment programs for help with marijuana addiction. Three out of ten were aged seventeen or younger. Almost half were under twenty-one and two-thirds were twenty-five or younger. This shows that addiction to marijuana is primarily a problem with our young people.” (6)
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a million more young people needed treatment for addiction but they didn’t get it. (7) Marijuana is the top drug by far that sends people to rehab, with alcohol in second place.
“I go from school to school, educating kids on the damage done by smoking marijuana,” added Mr. Bylsma. “They don’t realize that using marijuana results in less motivation, interest in goals or ability to concentrate. (8) When they are well-informed, they can make a better decision.”
Mr. Bylsma’s anti-drug curriculum is based on the drug prevention lessons published by Narconon, an international non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of substance abuse and addiction. “Young people are the only ones who can decide not to use drugs when that joint, pill or drink is handed to them,” he said. “By using the Narconon curriculum, I don’t have to tell them that they should not do drugs, I can educate them on the damaging effects of drug abuse and give them what they need to make the right decision. The Narconon curriculum has proven to be successful in reducing substance abuse among children in trials in Oklahoma and Hawaii – that’s why I use it.” (9)
For more information on the Narconon drug education curriculum or Drug Prevention and Education California, call 1-800-775-8750.
Resources:
1 http://www.drugfree.org/newsroom/pats-2011
2 http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57425725/study-teen-marijuana-use-on-the-rise/
3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_marijuana#United_States
4 http://www.butwhataboutthechildren.org/
5 http://www.casacolumbia.org/upload/2011/20110824teensurveyreport.pdf
6 http://wwwdasis.samhsa.gov/webt/quicklink/US09.htm
7 http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k10NSDUH/2k10Results.htm#7.3.2
8 http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/abuse/drug_data_sheets/Marijuana.pdf
9 http://www.substanceabusepolicy.com/content/3/1/8
Narconon Educator Alerts Parents: Marijuana Use is Not Harmless and is Increasing
Perhaps piggybacking on the widespread use of medical marijuana, use by teens has been increasing for the last few years, along with use of “synthetic marijuana,” prompting a greater need for parents to get involved.
The latest Monitoring the Future survey on drug abuse and attitudes among our schoolchildren shows that current rates of daily marijuana use are now at a thirty-year peak. For the past four years straight, statistics on marijuana abuse have been growing, after a decline for the decade before that.
Does this mean that parents have become resigned to the presence of marijuana in the lives of their children? Is it possible that parents now dismiss marijuana use as a harmless practice?
“Parents need to know that their children are likely to be less able to study successfully, less competent athletically, and at greater risk behind the wheel when they smoke marijuana,” warned Bobby Wiggins, longtime drug educator for Narconon International. Narconon is a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of substance abuse and addiction. “The simple truth is that marijuana robs a person of their motivation and this means more of our youth will drop out of school or decide not to pursue college educations as a result of marijuana use.”
Mr. Wiggins cited a research project that showed that the active ingredient from marijuana is stored in the fatty tissues of the body where stress or fasting can release it back into the body. “The Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program includes an innovative sauna detoxification program that uses nutrition and exercise to flush out these toxins and restore clarity of thought. But by talking to their children openly about the problems that can result from using marijuana, parents can protect their children’s ability to think, learn, excel and their very safety.”
And it’s not only use of weed that is rising. Teens abusing what is referred to as synthetic marijuana, also called Spice or K2, is also increasing, despite the dangers of this new category of drug. In some states, these substances are still legal so teens may think they have found a legal “high” without considering the risks involved. In 2011, more than 11% of high school seniors tried this drug. But use of Spice has been associated with hallucinations, seizures and hospitalization.
“It is difficult for our teens to make a mature decision about whether or not to use drugs like marijuana or painkillers, given that they are both used medically,” Mr. Wiggins concluded. “Parents need to realize how important they are in preventing substance abuse that will, for some youth, progress to addiction requiring drug rehab.”
At the Parent Center of the Narconon International website, parents can find information and resources to help them talk to their children about the problems that can result from drug abuse. Visit http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/parent-center.html.
For information on the Narconon drug rehabilitation program, call 1-800-775-8750
Resources:
http://ns.umich.edu/new/multimedia/9-videos/20124-marijuana-use-continues-to-rise-among-us-teens-while-alcohol-use-hits-historic-lows
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/job185drugs/cannabis.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782342/
http://ns.umich.edu/new/multimedia/9-videos/20124-marijuana-use-continues-to-rise-among-us-teens-while-alcohol-use-hits-historic-lows
http://www.poisoncentertampa.org/drug-abuse.aspx#spice
Narconon President – More important than “Failed war on drugs?” is the question “Failed drug demand reduction?”
The Summit of the Americas provides the perfect opportunity to forge new agreements on drug policy but the published agenda overlooks this subject as part of their approach to greater prosperity and security.
This month, President Obama had two opportunities to forge new agreements with the leaders of two of the most important countries involved in international drug trafficking. In early April, Obama met with President Felipe Calderon at the White House, in what was described as a preliminary discussion before the Summit of the Americas. And on the 14th of April in Cartagena, Colombia, Obama joined 33 other presidents and prime ministers at that Summit.
According to the Christian Science Monitor’s reporting on the Summit, there were no plans to directly discuss drug policies at this summit. But as a blog on the Monitor’s website stated, this subject was likely to be the “gorilla in the room” – on everyone’s mind but not on the agenda which focused on prosperity and security.
“The US Department of Justice reported in 2007 that illicit drug abuse cost the US more than $193 billion dollars. Is it not logical that there would be few better ways to increase prosperity than to reduce illicit drug use?” asked Clark Carr, President of Narconon International. Narconon is a non-profit organization with 150 drug rehabilitation and prevention centers in 50 countries. For over 40 years its worldwide staff have dedicated themselves to the elimination of substance abuse and addiction.
“According to a recent report from the World Bank and a study from the Texas Department of Agriculture, drug-related violence affects not only the US but also seriously affects citizens in Mexico and across Central and South America,” Mr. Carr continued. “Reducing drug trafficking would contribute to greater prosperity and calm along the entire illicit drug trade route from the jungles of Bolivia, Peru and Colombia to the high-rise condominiums of New York City.”
Failed “War on Drugs”?
Although the summit agenda does not include this topic, on April 7th, Guatemala’s president Otto Perez Molina issued a pre-Summit statement to the UK Observer that stated: “The prohibition paradigm that inspires mainstream global drug policy today is based on a false premise: that global drug markets can be eradicated.” He went on to propose that “drug consumption and production should be legalized, but within certain limits and conditions.”
The famous “War on Drugs” first launched under President Nixon has been criticized by many for years as failing to curb drug use and problems related to drug trafficking and dealing. But is legalization a workable solution?
“If drugs such as heroin or cocaine are decriminalized without simultaneously reducing the demand for these addictive substances, we are liable to lose many citizens who already crave them or would then feel free to indulge,” Mr. Carr explained. “We must reduce demand through effective rehabilitation so that cravings do not drive more use as well as through much expanded drug prevention programs, not just for young people who have not started abusing drugs, but for the broader adult public that turns to pharmaceuticals or alcohol to solve any and every problem.”
Mr. Carr cited a report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) to balance the increasingly popular suggestion that decriminalizing marijuana will reduce the jail population. Agreed. Of course. But what happens to all those youth who now see the green light to “smoke dope?” According to CASA’s analysis on “gateway drugs,” young people (12-17) who use marijuana, tobacco or alcohol are as much as 266 times more likely to go onto cocaine use as those who do not. 266 times –not a statistic to ignore because one is in favor of another agenda.
Multiple studies show that the cost of effective rehabilitation is far less than the cost of keeping drug users in prison. The well-known early Rand study showed that the cost of rehabilitating an addict was approximately one-seventh the cost of jailing him, and in Maryland, a 2004 study showed similar savings.
“In our Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, we have been honored to join with many other drug rehabilitation groups who work so hard to help save lives from the chaos and despair of addiction,” Mr. Carr concluded. “We encourage President Obama and other world leaders at the Summit to give serious attention to demand reduction and effective rehabilitation as a priority senior to decriminalization. It makes as much economic as moral sense.”
For more information on the Narconon drug rehabilitation and prevention programs that are available internationally, contact Narconon International at 1-800-775-8750.
Innovative sauna detox restoring health for Utah police exposed to methamphetamine, also used by Narconon.
Law enforcement officers and first responders who protect us from drug dangers are themselves prone to toxic exposures and suffer health conditions all the way up to seemingly permanent disability. A recently published paper highlights the impressive results obtained by scores of Utah police officers who participated in a unique sauna detoxification protocol developed by L. Ron Hubbard.
As dangerous as methamphetamine is to the addict or the manufacturer, it is just as perilous to the community in which it is brewed and sold. Illicit meth labs have been making innocent people sick for decades, including children of meth cooks, police, firemen and other emergency personnel.
For decades, officers entered illicit labs dressed in regular clothing, picking up drug-making equipment with their bare hands and putting it in their vehicles. In the late 1990s, as concerns about the hazards of exposure to meth and the highly toxic chemicals that are used to manufacture it grew, procedures and equipment to protect personnel were vastly improved. However, it became apparent that officers involved in raids were developing health problems that were not experienced by their colleagues.
Humanitarian project in Utah offered help to disabled or injured Utah police
After the first lab was discovered in 1985, the State of Utah suffered skyrocketing meth lab seizures (that is, raiding drug laboratories in-operation.) Lab seizures hit 97 by 1992 and then rose to 242 by 1999, as reported by the Utah Department of Public Safety. Legislators finally changed the laws to make precursor chemicals less available and seizures dropped to 15 by 2006. But by then, hundreds of officers were already suffering a long list of symptoms related to their exposure to methamphetamine in the line of duty.
Health symptoms most commonly experienced by the officers included fatigue, insomnia, headaches, personality changes and memory loss. For years, there was little that could be done for these officers other than alleviating the symptoms with medications. But starting in 2007, an innovative sauna-based detoxification program was implemented in an effort to flush toxic contaminants out of the officers’ bodies and bring about improvements in health.
Paper on sauna detox program for police published in Toxicology and Industrial Health.
The results of the sauna sweat-out program were gratifying. According to a paper published and now on-line, sixty-six male officers and three females were recruited into a Utah sauna detoxification program that ran from 2007 to 2010. Based on information collected at the start of their participation, the health problems they were suffering were, among others:
- Fatigue 96%
- Insomnia: 91%
- Headaches: 90%
- Personality changes: 78%
- Numbness in hands and/or feet: 77%
- Memory loss: 77%
- Allergies: 75%
- Poor concentration: 75%
- Back pain: 71%
- Skin irritation: 68%
- Anxiety/depression, 65%
Each person then went through a carefully supervised period of detoxification and then was interviewed to determine changes. By the time the officers completed the detoxification program, they reported large improvements across the board.
Detoxification program combines exercise, nutritional supplements and sauna – also used by Narconon centers for drug rehabilitation
The detoxification protocol used in Utah was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, American humanitarian and author also known for his development of Dianetics and Scientology. In one secular use, this detoxification protocol has been used to help over 1,100 rescue workers at the World Trade Center recover from exposure to the toxic chemicals released in that disaster. The protocol has also been used secularly in Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers around the world where it helps flush out stored toxic drug residues.
To take part in this protocol, each participant exercises at a moderate level, consumes a strict regimen of vitamins and minerals, and spends repeated periods in a moderate-heat sauna, while drinking adequate amounts of water and replacing lost salts and minerals. Daily changes and manifestations are carefully recorded and monitored by experienced personnel. In the Utah test, after about a month’s time, the officers experienced significant changes in health, personality and energy that indicated that they had achieved the maximum gains from this program. When the officers’ evaluations of emotional well-being, energy, lack of pain and general health were compared to US norms for those categories, they went from far below normal (before)to above normal (after sauna) in every category – sometimes far above normal.
“This study provides more evidence of the precise reason that the Hubbard detoxification protocol is invaluable for use in drug rehabilitation,” stated Clark Carr, president of Narconon International, a non-profit organization with drug rehabilitation and prevention centers across the world. “Those in recovery at our centers routinely report that this detoxification process provides improvements in energy, outlook on life, and that they can think more clearly. They often tell us that their cravings reduce or even disappear. That’s what happens when you help toxic addicts flush out drug residues persisting in fatty or other tissue.”
The Hubbard detoxification protocol has been used secularly in Narconon centers for decades and is also used for relief of industrial and emergency worker contamination. Lab tests and individual reports may be used to monitor improvements. When the procedure is applied precisely, it routinely results in outcomes similar to those found in the Utah test.
“Unfortunately, we are hardly done with methamphetamine production and use,” commented Mr. Carr. “With the popularization of the ‘Shake and Bake’ method of production in small, do-it-yourself, portable ‘labs’, we are again seeing escalating meth lab seizures. By employing the Hubbard detoxification method, we have, however, a sure way of helping addicts and emergency responders alike find improved health again.”
For more information on the Narconon drug and alcohol program, call the international offices of Narconon at 1-800-775-8750 or visit http://www.narconon.org.
For the text of the Utah police officers” detoxification project report:
http://www.utah-detox.org/images/stories/Methamphetamine_exposure_and_chronic_illness_in_police_officers.pdf
Other references on meth use and meth labs:
http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs44/44849/44849p.pdf
http://www.utah-detox.org/images/stories/Methamphetamine_exposure_and_chronic_illness_in_police_officers.pdf
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/meth/p3.html
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110624/un-world-drug-report-110624/
http://publicsafety.utah.gov/investigations/methtrends.html
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765553116/AP-Exclusive-National-meth-lab-busts-up-in-2011.html
http://health.utah.gov/meth/html/EMS/Whatisknown.html
New Methamphetamine Poisoning of Toddler Makes Drug Abuse Dangers All Too Clear
Growing problem with methamphetamine abuse and addiction centered in Oklahoma results in increasing number of child abuses. Narconon International offers an effective solution.
Incidents in which small children are injured or even killed due to drugs in the home are all too frequent. Fortunately, in the most recent incident to hit the headlines, the child survived.
It was in the wee hours of March 21st that Alexandra Winkler called the Enid, Oklahoma 911 service to report that her two-year-old son was vomiting violently and might have swallowed some drugs. As reported by KFOR News, a confusing runaround ensued in which the police tried to track down the woman’s boyfriend who had the child with him after the mother reportedly refused to pick him up.
The mother and her boyfriend eventually went to jail, but the child immediately went to the emergency room.
The mother had reported that the child may have swallowed some methamphetamine from one of the SEVEN batches of methamphetamine being produced in the child’s home, all employing the one-pot method.
The child survived, though his heartbeat peaked at 210 beats a minute, consistent with a stimulant overdose. Not surprisingly, the child is in the care of the state, as mother and boyfriend were charged with multiple felonies, one of which was manufacturing drugs within 1,000 feet of a school.The child’s home is only a block and a half from Coolidge Elementary School.
Before that, it had only been months since another horrific child-methamphetamine encounter in Oklahoma. In June in Oklahoma City, a toddler was savagely abused after his mother traded him for the methamphetamine she needed, according to coverage on News9.com. And the prior November, Lyndsey Fiddler of Bartlesville, Oklahoma was unaware of the fact that she inadvertently drowned her ten-day old infant because she was high on methamphetamine and prescription drugs. NewsOn6.com in Tulsa reported her sentencing in October 2011.
“The only way to stop the abuse of these children is to help their parents break free of their addictions,” stated Bobby Wiggins, drug prevention specialist of Narconon International, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to eliminating drug abuse through rehabilitation and prevention. “When a parent is high on methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, LSD or any of several other drugs, they are very likely to be unaware of their children’s needs. Children may go unfed or be abused, even locked in closets. Homes may be littered with filth and drugs. Rehabilitating parents restores safety and proper care for children.”
In October, Oklahoma state legislators tackled the meth problem, noting that simpler production methods sent meth production statistics in the state soaring. Between 2007 and 2011, meth lab seizures increased fivefold. The growing problem is now costing the government a billion dollars a year.
“Methamphetamine addiction is a tough one to crack,” said Mr. Wiggins. “But at Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers around the country, we have had excellent success. Our holistic, drug-free program that is usually completed over three to five months gives the addicted time to build new, sober lives for themselves. Seven out of ten of our graduates stay sober after they go home, no matter what their drug of choice was. By saving the parents, we save the children.”
For information on Narconon methamphetamine rehab, contact 800-323-962-2404.
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Resources:
http://enidnews.com/localnews/x1940319752/Charges-filed-in-meth-case
http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-toddler-accidentally-ingests-parents-meth-20120321,0,935896.story
http://www.news9.com/story/14974736/drug-addicts-prostitute-toddler-for-meth
http://journalrecord.com/23rd-and-Lincoln/2011/10/03/speakers-acknowledge-methamphetamine-problem-differ-on-how-to-attack-it/
Warning to All Parents: Watch for Signs of a New Heroin Epidemic
Addiction rehab organization Narconon warns parents that a heroin epidemic may be coming to their backyards soon, as heroin replaces prescription opiates for many addicts.
For a decade, organizations like the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have been issuing reports on the growth in prescription drug abuse. Since the 1990s, they report, prescription drug abuse has grown by leaps and bounds, with opioids leading the way. When all the figures were received on 2007 deaths from drugs, it was discovered that prescription drug deaths had quadrupled between 1999 and 2007 and in fact, exceeded the number of deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.
In its latest edition, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that 6,600 Americans begin to abuse prescription drugs each day, and that a third of these are youth between 12 and 17 years of age. The 2010 Monitoring the Future report on substance abuse by teens noted that Vicodin and OxyContin (hydrocodone and oxycodone) were among the top prescription drugs being abused by teens. Only marijuana was being abused more often.
It was expected that these high levels of prescription drug abuse would result in increases in request for prescription drug addiction treatment, and at Narconon drug rehabilitation centers in different parts of the US, intake information seemed to indicate more and more people arriving for help with prescription drug addiction.
But now, there are signs that this pattern may be replaced by a new one in which heroin is a leading player in deaths and addiction.
As Prescription Drugs Get Harder to Come by, Heroin May be Taking its Place
If you look at them one by one, the news reports on increased heroin activity may not be startling. Newspapers in various corners of the country have been recently running stories on the increases seen in heroin seizures, requests for heroin withdrawal treatment or overdose deaths. But when you connect the dots, the larger pattern is seen.
Take these stories, for example:
In March 2012, the Chicago Tribune reports a heroin epidemic in the suburbs after there were six heroin deaths in 2011 in Naperville. Those who died were aged 17 to 30. DuPage had an increase in heroin seizures from 16 in 2008 to 59 in 2011.
King County, Washington health officials alerted the public to an unusual increase in heroin deaths – seven in just a few days, whereas six months in 2011 had seen 32.
Central Michigan law enforcement reported an increase in heroin abuse in Ionia, Montcalm, Newagyo and Mecosta Counties as reported by the Michigan news website www.mlive.com.
And in San Diego, the 10News Team reported that heroin use among young adults in the county were skyrocketing, with 219 young people admitted to addiction treatment for heroin in 2007 and 721 admitted in 2011.
Some of these news reports make the connection between the change in prescription drug laws and this increase in heroin use. One by one, US states have been implementing tracking systems to detect people going from pharmacy to pharmacy to get opiate prescriptions filled, and changing prescribing laws to block overprescribers.
Florida made a couple of key changes in the laws that were implemented in 2011 that resulted in oxycodone purchased by doctors falling 97% in very short order, as reported in the New York Times. This change meant that prescription drug dealers from Kentucky, Tennessee and other states would have to go elsewhere than Florida for their drugs. And while these new drug distribution centers certainly will exist – some reports indicate Cincinnati and Houston may be new source cities – slowly the noose is being tightened around the suppliers’ necks.
Heroin’s Unique Dangers
While the euphoric mood created by heroin is said to be similar to that of prescription opiates, heroin comes with its own set of special problems. First among these is the uncertain potency, said to be the possible cause behind the rash of King County deaths. NIDA also reports that toxic contaminants or additives can have their own destructive effect, clogging blood vessels in the lungs, kidneys, liver or brain. This blockage can cause permanent damage to these and other organs.
“If family members have any suspicion that a loved one is abusing prescription drugs, especially opioids, the right time to get them help is now, before they can switch to heroin,” advised Clark Carr, the president of Narconon International. In fifty locations around the world, Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers guide addicts through the process of achieving lasting sobriety.
“The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that an average of fifteen years pass between the first substance abuse and first admission to treatment,” Mr. Carr added. “If a family can get a loved one into treatment in a shorter time, they can help that person avoid enormous physical and mental damage and perhaps even save his life. When Narconon is the choice for addiction recovery, 70% of those graduating from this program will find lasting sobriety. This means thousands of people worldwide who never need to go to rehab a second or third time to maintain recovery.”
To learn more about the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, contact the international offices of Narconon at 1-800-775-8750.
Resources:
https://www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/rrprescription.pdf
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-03-12/news/chi-cops-to-suburban-parents-heroin-growing-problem-in-the-burbs-20120312_1_heroin-arrests-heroin-deaths-heroin-overdose
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017681827_apwaheroindeaths.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/03/drug_enforcement_team_makes_ar.html
http://www.10news.com/news/30641148/detail.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/us/01drugs.html?pagewanted=all
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-10-13/pill-mill-drug-trafficking/50896242/1
http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1110054229.aspx
Narconon Newsletter March 2012
Here is the latest Narconon Newsletter about what Narconon has been doing in Uganda, South TX, Cape Town, Mexico, Hungary, Israel and many more areas around the globe to raise drug awareness and rehabilitate the lives of those addicted to drugs.
Read the Narconon Newsletter
