It’s Halloween, and Narconon is Very, Very Afraid
This is an extended version of KWTV-Channel 9′s report which aired last night about Scientology’s drug rehab program in Oklahoma — Narconon Arrowhead — which is under investigation for three deaths that occurred there over a nine-month period.
Reporter Dana Hertneky interviews Robert Murphy, whose daughter Stacy Dawn Murphy died at the rehab center in July, and David Love, who worked at a Narconon facility in Quebec and then helped to get it shut down. But she also talked to Narconon Arrowhead CEO Gary Smith, who is suddenly talking to the CBS affiliate and other Oklahoma television stations after refusing to give interviews for months.
Smith is letting in cameras and trying his best to look calm and relaxed. But we can’t help thinking this new strategy has “desperation” written all over it.
Gary Smith: What, me worry?
Oklahoma’s television and print press have been all over the developing story as multiple local and state agencies have been investigating the deaths at the rehab center.
Smith (or rather, one of his Scientology bosses) decided to try to stem the bleeding by offering interviews to the local TV stations. One of them, KOTV’s “News on 6″ largely gave Smith what he was looking for, presenting his statements without fact-checking them. But Hertneky and Channel 9 didn’t roll over that easily.
Smith is still trying to sell the idea that Narconon is not Scientology, and deliberately confuses the issue by saying that Narconon is not a “church.” Reporters tend to use weasel words like “Narconon is based on the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard,” when a little digging should prove to them that not only is Narconon controlled by Scientology, but its methods are literally the same training that beginning Scientologists get.
This is easy to double check if you just look through Narconon’s materials. (Channel 6 briefly displays those materials on screen, but apparently didn’t read or understand them.)
The deaths are alarming, but they are the catalyst that is bringing attention to the larger problem: Narconon uses deceptive advertising to convince unsuspecting parents that they are sending loved ones to a facility that will actually provide drug counseling from professionals with 24-hour care and the presence of medical personnel. The reality is very different. Patients actually get little or no drug counseling but instead are drilled with the same Scientology training that beginning members of the church go through, they are treated by staff who are not professionals but simply former patients, and if there is a medical director, he or she is almost never at the facility, which has been shown in court documents.
Increasingly, that reality is getting out in places like Oklahoma and Georgia, where patient deaths have produced lawsuits.
Scientology hates the press with a passion, so we have to interpret Smith’s sudden openness as a desperation move.
While he’s clearly terrified, we hope the rest of you are enjoying this Halloween with good cheer. The bunker survived the frankenstorm, the animals are doing fine, and let’s all use our theta powers to push away the rain so the kids can get out and harvest sweets. Trick or treat!
PS: Speaking of local reporters taking on Narconon, tomorrow night Nathan Baca will be revealing a three-year investigation of Narconon that he’s been preparing for the Las Vegas station he’s been working for.
Baca is well known in the Scientology watching community for the thorough and amazing series about Scientology’s International Base that he did for a Palm Springs station several years ago. His stuff was better than most national TV reporting on the subject, and we can’t wait to see what he has on tap tomorrow night.
check out the comments at the above link - couple of excellent ones below
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/junkscience.htm#niacin
Exclusive: Inside Narconon, CEO Answers Accusations About Deaths In Rehab
Posted: Oct 31, 2012 1:11 AM GMTUpdated: Oct 31, 2012 3:06 AM GMT
For the first time ever, our cameras are allowed inside the facility and we sit down with the man leading the treatment center.
EUFAULA, Oklahoma -
Narconon Arrowhead has become a frequent name in the headlines. After three recent deaths, multiple agencies are investigating the embattled drug treatment facility and its ties to the Church of Scientology.
It's also facing several lawsuits. For the first time ever, our cameras are allowed inside the facility and we sit down with the man leading the treatment center.
CEO Gary Smith said students learn life skills and integrity to help them with their addiction and life afterward. The walls inside Narconon reveal its ties to Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Smith said they get financial support from the Church of Scientology. However Smith said that is as close at the connection goes.
"Not accurate to say it's Scientology because Scientology is a religion," Smith said. "We're not a religion."
Smith said their unique program uses a sauna and vitamins to rid a patient's body of drugs. Then using Hubbard's philosophy, teaches them to reject bad influences once on the outside. The program works, according to Smith, often when other programs don't.
As proof, Smith introduced us to Tina Baker, who graduated from Narconon in 2011.
"The minute I walked into the door, I felt safe," Baker said.
A self-described raging alcoholic, Baker said she's now clean.
"I feel like they saved my life and I couldn't ask for anymore," Baker said.
But some former patients tell the opposite story, of bizarre treatment, where patients are isolated from family, and drug use runs rampant.
Former students said, at times, staff members offer up drugs, sometimes in exchange for sex.
David Edgar Love was a patient and employee of Narconon in Canada.
"It's really amazing, horrible creepy stuff," Love said.
He alleges Narconon Arrowhead is simply a front for the Church of Scientology, raising money by preying on the vulnerable then recruiting them.
"They're teaching you how to be controlled and they're also teaching you how to control others," Love said.
According to Smith, three quarters of the staff are former students. Those that aren't given jobs working with patients are sometimes offered positions recruiting new ones.
Former patient Erica Loftis told us, "They said bonuses could be about $3000 for every person I could pull in."
L.D. Linton called the Narconon number, looking for help for her grandson, Dusty, who was addicted to heroin.
"It sounded like God has just answered my prayers," Linton said.
But the $30,000 price tag was too high.
Linton said the Narconon staff told her, "We can work this out, can you get a second mortgage on your house."
But she and her family were impressed with Narconon's statement of a 70 percent success rate and came up with the money. But now say what Narconon is selling is false hope. Five days after Dusty graduated from Narconon, he overdosed.
Narconon Arrowhead is Narconon's premier facility in the United States. Those who want to shut it down believe if they are successful here, the rest across the country will follow.
Smith, a former addict himself, defended Narconon and its eight step program, saying they are doing good work in the face of the growing monster of addiction.
"We're not here to hurt people, we're here to help people, "Smith said. "None of us, including me, didn't sign up to have people die in the program."
But Robert Murphy is quick to point out people are dying. His daughter Stacey was found dead inside the facility. Murphy blames Narconon.
"From what I've been told, from the information I've been given, I absolutely believe they could have prevented her death," Murphy said.
Murphy recently filed a lawsuit against Narconon Arrowhead, alleging there wasn't enough medical personnel at the facility to help Stacey.
I-Team: Patients Struggle at Scientology Rehab Center
Posted: Oct 31, 2012 10:30 PM GMTUpdated: Nov 01, 2012 2:41 AM GMT
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