The Narconon drug rehabilitation program began on February 19th, 1966, based on a decision by Arizona State Prison inmate by the name of William Benitez. After reading a book by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, "The Fundamentals of Thought", Benitez recognized there could be a whole new approach to curing himself and helping others get permanently off drugs - concentrate on your abilities, rather than your addiction. It sounds simple now, but it wasn't to an inmate who had tried every other method to get off drugs way back in '66.

It worked. Benitez created a new program and helped dozens of others get off drugs in the prison, too. Following his release, he continued his mission by starting to deliver drug education presentations to students, one of the first persons to do so. It set an example now followed by Narconon drug education specialists all over the world, reaching millions of youth. The Narconon drug education curriculum has even been studied and found to reduce drug use in all categories addressed. Benitez also founded the first Narconon residential treatment center in Los Angeles, from which have descended centers across the world, from Nepal to Cape Town, St. Petersburg to Oklahoma. Since 1995, when the network began to keep formal track, 30,000 persons have graduated the full four-to-six month life skills program.

Narconon Vista Bay in Santa Cruz proclamationNarconon centers worldwide celebrated this birthday in various ways. Many held special graduation events. Narconon Vista Bay in Northern California was presented a proclamation for its outstanding work by Gustavo Gonzalez, a representative of the County Board of Supervisors.

At Narconon Georgia in Atlanta, one of the first persons Benitez helped free from addiction back in Arizona, Gordy Weinand, sat his students down and told them stories from successes he's known over the last 40 years. Rehab is always personal.

Narconon has had dozens of other accomplishments this year, such as opening its first drug rehab center in Costa Rica. It is doing pioneering work helping rehabs in Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico to cope with the enormous drug crisis precipitated when drug cartels began warring there. Narconon Nepal in Kathmandu delivered drug education across the entire nation. Vittorio Poti, Mayor of Melendugno, Italy where there is the 100-bed Narconon Gabbiano attended its anniversary. Narconon Ghana celebrated UN Day Against Drugs with drug education events reaching 1000's of youth. And thousands of addicts achieved stable drug-free lives this year, probably the hardest accomplishment of their lives so far. Their wins are only beginning.

We invite you to learn more about the Narconon program. Or you might like to help by volunteering. Visit www.narconon.org or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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