Church of Scientology International

Clearwater, Florida, November 9, 2015 (Newswire.com) - ​As some 3,000 enthusiastic supporters looked on, the model Narconon Suncoast was welcomed into the widening family of rehabilitation centers that employ the groundbreaking drug rehab technology, pioneered by L. Ron Hubbard, during a stirring dedication ceremony in Clearwater, Florida on Saturday November 7.

The dedication follows the grand opening of six model facilities inaugurated in downtown Clearwater this past July, each committed to a single global humanitarian initiative and devoted to the betterment of Clearwater and the Greater Tampa Bay area. Located just minutes away from the downtown core, the new drug rehab center reflects the continued commitment of the Scientology community to uplift the city that serves as the religion’s spiritual headquarters.

"Like many areas across the nation, Florida has most certainly suffered its fair share of families shattered due to the trap of addiction. So it is, one is hard-pressed to find anyone that is not connected to or affected by addiction in some way or another. Today, Narconon is a global leader in drug and alcohol rehabilitation and its sole purpose is to help people lead drug-free lives. And here too, at Narconon Suncoast, we are dedicated to helping people overcome addiction —for good."

Executive Director , Association for Better Living and Education International (ABLE)

Narconon Suncoast provides an ideally configured, distraction-free setting for those seeking to overcome the ravages of drug and alcohol addiction and lead drug-free lives —comprised of four buildings totaling more than 35,000 square feet on 7.5 acres of serene wooded property.

It opens during a time of enormous growth for the Narconon drug rehabilitation network around the world. And the dedication’s timing is fortuitous, as the state of Florida finds itself weighed down by an escalating drug abuse crisis.

More than 8,500 people died as a result of drug abuse in Florida last year. In Pinellas County alone, someone succumbs to a narcotics-related issue every 32 hours. The state earned a reputation as the “Pill Mill” capital of America and despite a crackdown on these practices in recent years, deaths from prescription drug abuse is still on the rise. Meanwhile, heroin has filled the void, with heroin-related deaths in the state increasing 124 percent. The number of babies born addicted to drugs in Florida has increased tenfold in the past 20 years, and in one southwest Florida county, the number of newborns addicted to painkillers soared 24 percent in 2014 over the previous year.

Behind these statistics are real people whose lives and families are torn asunder by drug addiction. Consequently, a Narconon solution is needed now more than ever. Narconon Suncoast is now available to answer the call of a state in dire need of real solutions to the addiction calamity.

Officiating at the Narconon Suncoast grand opening ceremony was the Executive Director of the Association for Better Living and Education International (ABLE), who welcomed the guests: “Like many areas across the nation, Florida has most certainly suffered its fair share of families shattered due to the trap of addiction. So it is, one is hard-pressed to find anyone that is not connected to or affected by addiction in some way or another. Today, Narconon is a global leader in drug and alcohol rehabilitation and its sole purpose is to help people lead drug-free lives. And here too, at Narconon Suncoast, we are dedicated to helping people overcome addiction —for good.”

Taking the stage at the model Narconon Suncoast opening were Pinellas County and Florida State dignitaries Mr. Jay Polglaze, Clearwater Vice Mayor; The Honorable Kathleen Peters, Florida State Representative D-69; The Honorable Chris Latvala, Florida State Representative D-67; and Mr. Bob Dillinger, Public Defender for Florida’s Sixth Judicial District.

Vice Mayor Polglaze welcomed the new Narconon Suncoast facility: “I sincerely wish to thank you for bringing this Narconon here. Moreover, I am excited to see how Narconon Suncoast will make this city an even better place to live in and I wish you great success as you help us create a drug-free Clearwater.”

State Representative Peters touched upon Narconon’s role in the drug crisis impacting the state of Florida as a whole: “I visited our jails, our prisons, our mental health hospitals and our detox facilities. I spoke to judges, and sheriffs and public defenders. And throughout that time I witnessed the thousands upon thousands who both needed help and wanted help. Needless to say, I have seen programs that are not conducive to real results. So when I saw Narconon, it was refreshing. Here was a place that was addressing the individual and passionately driven about results. Here is a group to have on our team.”

“I have had the opportunity to talk to people who have completed the Narconon program,” said State Representative Latvala in reflecting on the impact Narconon has upon the individual. “They talk about leaving drug addiction for good and returning to their families clean and whole again. And I can’t wait to attend your Narconon graduations and behold the bright new lives and hopes that will spring forth from those doors. Our community needs this, and that is why I am very happy that Narconon Suncoast is here.”

And Public Defender Dillinger, who works unceasingly to halt the revolving door of drug addiction and criminality, said: “I have seen those who have gone through the Narconon program and have now turned their lives around and gained back their own selves. And that gives one hope that there is a way to reverse the soaring trend driving people to be arrested for drug issues and then to an early death. So, I am very glad that this Narconon facility is opening to help me get people off the streets, out of the jails and whole again. And yes, this is an historic day for Pinellas County.”

For nearly 50 years, Narconon has saved the lives of countless individuals who were thought lost to substance abuse forever. Its mission is to provide an effective path for drug abuse rehabilitation and to assist society in reversing the narcotic abuse menace worldwide.

Narconon addresses those in the program as “students” rather than “addicts” or “victims,” and its sole purpose is to give people the tools to kick drugs for good. Every detail is considered, to give students the stability and comfort they require to help free themselves from addiction and rebuild their future without drugs.

The Narconon program begins with a drug-free, non-medical withdrawal process to assist the individual in eliminating a dependence on drugs as rapidly and comfortably as possible. It is followed by a distinctive method of detoxification, specifically geared to help drug users eliminate the residues that drive cravings while at the same time supporting the body with supplements. The final component of the program is a series of Life Skills Courses that furnish students the tools to remain drug-free throughout their lives.

Harnessing the power of audiovisual tools to increase understanding, bypass literacy barriers and maintain the standard application of the Narconon technology, 23 instructional films in 29 dialects and languages have been produced, covering every aspect of the Narconon program.

The new Narconon Suncoast was made possible by generous contributions from members of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS). The fifth such model center to open in the past two months, it follows the dedication of the  Continental Narconon of Europe on the idyllic Lake Arresø in Denmark September 5; the model Narconon United Kingdom on a country estate in East Sussex September 5; the Continental Narconon for Latin America on a hacienda in Villa Victoria, Mexico, September 12; and a Narconon to serve artists and leaders of society atop a mountain in Ojai, California, September 13.

Narconon centers operate today in some 23 countries on six continents. For more information, visit www.Naconon.org