The brilliant Paul Dessauer posted this fascinating piece to the ADCA update list:
The “Hubbard Detoxification Protocol” is employed by the deceptively named “Narconon”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narconon
Narconon is a subsidiary of the Church of Scientology (CoS).
CoS also promotes this protocol for “detoxifying” toxic chemical exposure and several “treatment” centres devoted to it have attracted Government funding in the US, despite a complete absence of scientific evidence for its effectiveness, and despite serious risks of adverse effects.
L. Ron Hubbard mistakenly believed that high doses of vitamins (in particular Niacin) and prolonged high temperature saunas could rid the body of toxins (and even radioactivity). From his writings it appears that Hubbard interpreted symptoms that are consistent with Niacin poisoning as evidence of toxins being flushed from the body.
In the US there are, amongst others, centres set up to “treat” the chemical exposures of “911 Firefighters” (in NYC) and “Meth Cops” (in Utah).
Critics state that such centres are actually CoS recruiting centres, that the “detox” is completely ineffective, and that the protocol is widely documented to have killed participants through overdose of vitamins and/or dehydration and overheating.
This risk is greatly elevated amongst people with liver or kidney disease- such as chronic alcoholics. Now read on…
Thanks for posting this James. Another great analysis by Paul as usual.
Narconon are dangerous and should never be allowed in Australia. How much evidence do we need?