Narconon Program’s Effectiveness Proven Locally

If you ask someone what the downfall of society is today, “drugs” would be the most widely-used answer. It is a proven fact that most major crimes, including rape, murder and robbery, stem from the assailant being under the influence of one drug or another. Oklahoma has what some believe to be the highest number of incarcerated people per capita; no doubt a large portion of those come from the alarming presence of methamphetamine use and manufacturing.
Bobby Newman, formerly of Elmore City, was unfortunate enough to have experienced this scene first-hand. Starting with alcohol in high school, Bobby added to his substance abuse by smoking marijuana in college at East Central University in Ada, OK, where he terminated his football scholarship and academic achievement due to his usage of drugs. “I just lost all motivation to do anything,” Bobby recounts of his past. Shortly after then he was introduced to methamphetamines, and his legal problems increased with his habit. Bobby was in and out of jail and the “drunk tank” on numerous occasions. Regarding the amount of trouble he caused while on these substances, Bobby said, “I just can’t believe the completely stupid things I did back then. At the time I just thought I was ‘having fun’”.
After many years of substance abuse, Bobby was facing seven years in prison and $300,000 in fines when he finally realized he should get some help, and with the aide of his family he went to Narconon.
Narconon is a non-traditional, long-term residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation program founded by William Benitez, a former heroin addict, in the Arizona State Penitentiary in 1966. The program uses the methodology of drug rehabilitation expert L. Ron Hubbard and takes a completely new approach to addiction and recovery and is totally drug-free treatment. Through the Narconon program, Bobby was able to rid himself of the addiction completely and overcome his legal issues. He eliminated the physical cravings for the drugs through the sauna detoxification portion of the program and handled the underlying issues that led to his drug use to start with.
Upon completion of his full rehabilitation, Newman felt he had a new life and wanted to give back to society by working with Narconon Arrowhead and their Drug Prevention Program.
With over a year now of being completely drug-free, Bobby is happy and productive as he travels around Oklahoma to talk to students about the true dangers of drugs and alcohol and how they affect the mind and the body. Much like the rehabilitation program, Narconon’s Education and Prevention program provides new, vital information on the subject of drug addiction. Sharing a unique perspective from someone who has “been there” and experienced the hardships of addiction and recounting what took place on the road to chemical dependency is something that students can relate to and accept as the truth.
“Narconon saved my life,” says Newman, “and I want to give back all I can for the damage I did and to save kids’ lives so they don’t have to go through the things I went through. Most of our staff members our former addicts and we share an equal drive and purpose.”

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