Narconon International is a Scientology organization which promotes the theories of founder L. Ron Hubbard regarding substance abuse treatment and addiction. Its parent company is the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), which is owned and controlled by the Church of Scientology. Headquartered in Hollywood, California, United States, Narconon operates several dozen residential centers worldwide, chiefly in the U.S. and western Europe. The organization was formed in 1966 by Scientologist William Benitez with Hubbard's help, and was incorporated in 1970.
Narconon Netherlands
L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, upon whose ideology the Narconon program is based.
As a Scientology front group, Narconon has attracted protests from anti-Scientology campaigners.
Human fat cells. Narconon's treatment is based on L. Ron Hubbard's claim that drug residues are stored in fat cells for many years, and that these residues can be 'flushed out' by saunas and high doses of niacin. Medical science has shown this theory to be incorrect.
Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by the American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It is variously defined as a cult, a business, a religion, a scam, or a new religious movement. Hubbard initially developed a set of ideas that he called Dianetics, which he represented as a form of therapy. An organization that he established in 1950 to promote it went bankrupt, and Hubbard lost the rights to his book Dianetics in 1952. He then recharacterized his ideas as a religion, likely for tax purposes, and renamed them Scientology. By 1954, he had regained the rights to Dianetics and founded the Church of Scientology, which remains the largest organization promoting Scientology. There are practitioners independent of the Church, in what is referred to as the Free Zone. Estimates put the number of Scientologists at under 40,000 worldwide.
Xenu as depicted by Panorama
A man dressed as Xenu carrying an E-meter; Scientology's critics often use Xenu to mock the movement.
The Scientology organization's cruise ship, the Freewinds, staffed by Sea Org members, with OT symbol on side of ship
The Super Power Building of the FLAG Scientology complex in Clearwater, Florida