Drug Bulletin

EXCERPTS FROM:

“The Role of Nutrition and Vitamins in Rehabilitation of Drug Users as part of Complementary Medicine – the Narconon First Step Program” by Clark Carr

A paper and workshop delivered at the International Congress of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran (28 – 31 October, 2008)

ABSTRACT

Guiding addicts safely through withdrawal from addictive drugs or medication continues to be one of the greatest challenges in drug rehabilitation. Withdrawal pain and discomfort is often more than the addict can tolerate or that attending counselors or aides know how to ameliorate. As a result, worldwide, withdrawal is generally supported with medication. There have been problems with this approach, however. Medications, such as methadone, buprenorphine, or tranquilizers, may themselves be addictive or have other complications. The secular Narconon drug rehabilitation program, successfully delivered internationally in standardized modality for four decades, utilizes a drug-free approach to withdrawal. Addicts are administered a vitamin and mineral formulation, supported with procedures ("assists") intended to relieve discomfort and enable the addict to remain oriented to his surroundings.

To solve worldwide limitations of drug rehabilitation staff and facilities, Narconon staff developed "First Step workshops” as an additional resource to train counselors, social workers, police, volunteers, and family members to assist an addict to withdraw himself, enabling him gradiently to step down voluntarily from drugs and/or alcohol, with little discomfort in a short period of time. Highly adaptable, the Narconon First Step Program has been delivered in medical or non-medical clinics, in community or church facilities, in homes, and even inside jails. The method has also been used by addicts off drugs and their counselors to reduce post-program relapse.

Early results from delivery to thousands of addicts of differing ethnicity on different continents have been encouraging. This regimen of voluntary withdrawal could reduce strain on facilities, improve the outcome of a wide range of rehabilitation techniques, and reach out to addicted populations or groups currently not receiving adequate treatment.

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