Question
Why does Scientology have so many front groups? And furthermore why do several of these front groups have similar names to existing groups? Is this done to intentionally confuse the public?
For example:
Narconon is very similar to the word NarcAnon. Which is a shorthand reference to Narcotics Anonymous.
The website www.narcanon.net was made for the sole purpose to illustrate the difference between Narcotics Anonymous, which is the world’s oldest and largest drug rehabilitation group, and Scientology’s Narconon. (…)
It is commendable that Scientologist’s try to help people with drug addiction or in times of crisis like 9-11, but why is it necessary to be so deceptive?
Answer
Hi, Rob: There’s no such thing as NarcAnon. There’s Narcotics Anonymous, founded 1953, which does not use another name to my knowledge, other than the acromyn “NA.”. There is an organization named Nar-Anon World Service Organization founded 1967, and Scientology’s Narconon (“narco(tics)-non(e)”) founded in 1966.
This website you referred to (narcanon.net) was put up – originally – by a prominent Scientology critic, not by Narcotics Anonymous.
Narconon was founded in February, 1966 as a drug rehabilitation program based on “The Fundamentals of Thought” by L. Ron Hubbard and delivered to drug users in the Arizona State prisons. The name “Narconon,” picked by Narconon creator Willy Benitez, originally referred not to an organization but to the program. Willy was a former inmate of Arizona State Prison who had served time for narcotics offenses. His work was supported by L. Ron Hubbard when Ron learned of it. In 1972, Ron sponsored the incorporation of Narconon as an organization.
The reason for the acronym for “narco(tics)non(e)” was that Willy had developed a program which did not rely on alternative narcotics to get a person off other narcotics.
Yours, Laurie