Narconon Celebrates 58 Years of Championing Drug-Free Living
February 19th, 2024, marked the 58th anniversary of the Narconon program. In honor of this, Narconon centers around the world held celebrations to acknowledge Narconon staff and graduates who have had the courage to face the daunting challenge of overcoming drug or alcohol addiction and starting a new life drug free.
From the United States to Italy, this day was commemorated by staff, graduates, and community members. Here’s a glimpse of some of the activities that took place around the world.
Narconon Ojai held an event for staff, students and supporters. In attendance were Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff and Assistant Sheriff Shane Matthews who honored Narconon Ojai for their dedication to helping the community. Sheriff Fryhoff presented Narconon Ojai with a recognition, stating, “Narconon is a drug rehabilitation program that offers a unique approach to drug addiction treatment. Their methods are all drug-free with a direct focus on the elimination of drug abuse while also pinpointing the big issue… why a person turned to drugs in the first place.”
“I want to remember the thousands of people saved from drug addiction and brought back to life by this commendable organization.”
On Italy’s eastern coast in Pesaro, Narconon Alfiere marked a significant milestone with a dual celebration as they also commemorated their 30th consecutive year of dedicated service in rescuing individuals from addiction. In honor of this day, Vice President of the Council of the Marche Region, Dr. Andrea Biancani, paid a special visit and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for Narconon Alfiere’s three decades of work in which time they have helped over 1,000 individuals through the Narconon program to return to their families and communities drug-free. Dr. Andrea Biancani presented Narconon Alfiere with a recognition with these words, “I want to remember the thousands of people saved from drug addiction and brought back to life by this commendable organization.” A pillar in the local community, their celebration was covered by Rossini TV, a local station based in Pesaro, Italy and covering the entire Marche region.
Further inland in the Marche region atop Mount Poggio San Romualdo, Narconon Astore also celebrated their 30th anniversary. Longtime friend and supporter of Narconon, the Honorable Sergio Romagnoli, former Italian Senator, paid a visit to the center and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Narconon staff and students. Mr. Romagnoli, a strong ally in the battle against addiction, shared inspirational words with the Narconon students and graduates during the center’s graduation, stating, “I feel that Narconon shares the same objectives as I do and I want to continue to work together as a team to handle the battle of drug addiction.” To cap the occasion, he presented an award to the center and L. Ron Hubbard for his life-saving contributions to the field of drug rehabilitation.
On the other side of the globe, in Sonora, Mexico, CECOSAMA (Community Mental Health and Addictions Center) Navojoa, Sonora, under the Secretary of Health, certifies drug rehabilitation centers and mental health institutions to be able to operate in Sonora, Mexico. The Director of Community Mental Health and Addictions Center, Navojoa Sonora, Mrs. Migdalia Valenzuela Noriega, has worked closely with Narconon Sonora for the past several years to accomplish a shared mission—to create drug-free lives. In honor of the 58th anniversary, executives of Narconon Sonora accepted an award from the director, which proclaimed, “We recognize Mr. Hubbard’s humanitarian contributions in the field of drug education and rehabilitation. Narconon Navojoa [Sonora] has become a symbol of life and hope for our State of Sonora. We will work with Narconon Sonora to continue creating drug-free lives forever.”
Returning to the United States, in Clearwater, Florida, Narconon Suncoast held an event for staff, students, and the local community. One of the speakers at the event was longtime Narconon graduate Bobby Newman, who graduated from the Narconon program 23 years ago. He credits the Narconon program to his success. At Narconon Suncoast’s anniversary celebration, he shared a little bit of his story, “I was looking at seven years in a federal prison and $100,000 in fines for possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and a concealed weapon on a federal installation. I had been exposed to other methods of treatment through an ex-wife and lots of my friends. There were not any kind of treatment options that I felt were useful. I would see my friends go to treatment only to relapse within hours of leaving, so I really didn’t see the point. I also did not agree with the ‘once an addict, always an addict’ philosophy and did not want to be put on a bunch of meds.”
Bobby ended up in jail for violating his probation. Facing a prison sentence, Bobby’s sister found the Narconon program and visited him in jail to get his agreement to give the program a chance. 23 years later, Bobby is a testament to the results of the Narconon program. Not only is Bobby living drug-free, but he now helps others who are addicted through interventions, “I have worked with other professional intake counselors and interventionists. Through these experiences and my knowledge of L. Ron Hubbard’s drug rehabilitation technology, I have learned the fundamentals of helping someone agree to enter a drug rehabilitation program.”
The 58th anniversary of the Narconon program is an opportunity to look back at what we have accomplished and the lives we have saved. We are proud to celebrate the tens of thousands of graduates who have embarked upon their new drug-free lives. The Narconon program is a global success story that works to save lives every day. As we look forward to the next year and beyond, we rededicate ourselves to our mission to provide an effective path for rehabilitation from drug and alcohol abuse and to assist society in preventing the scourge of drugs worldwide and the message that it is possible to live drug-free, for good.
