Los Angeles’ mayoral battle rages on between opponents Karen Bass and Rick Caruso with each candidate competing to see who can distance themselves furthest from Scientology.
Followers of the Danny Masterson rape case were shocked when Masterson’s own counsel argued Scientology was toxic and the mere mention of the word would prejudice potential jurors.
During the worst hurricane to devastate coastal Florida since 1935, Scientologist Joy Gendusa, CEO of Postcard Mania made national news when she put profit before the safety of her employees. Instructing them to bring their families to the facility during the storm so they can keep working, Gendusa then lambasted the two unknown employees who leaked her directive calling them “bad apples” and urging them to quit.
In spite of negative press, multiple serious lawsuits involving the group and allegations of abuse, fraud, human trafficking and more, Kansas City, MO City Council has decided to publicly recognize Scientology’s front group; Foundation for a Drug Free World today, October 13, 2022.
Drug Free World provides more than just “facts” about drugs.
Drug Free World, like all the other front groups is nothing more than a gateway into the cult.
At the bottom of the website is a link to click to “Learn more” about Scientology.
Following this link takes one directly to Scientology’s own website with dozens more links at the bottom for the “religion”.
Drug Free World directs those seeking help to Narconon, their dangerous and unfounded “drug treatment” program.
Scientology’s Narconon, is highly controversial and has been accused of multiple deaths, neglect of patients and of using former addicts as staff members.
Equally concerning, another link takes one to Scientology’s Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Scientology’s “mental health watchdog”.
Anyone concerned about the health and safety of children must understand that Scientology is vehemently opposed to psychiatric treatment of any kind.
The CCHR’s goal is to “annihilate psychiatry” completely. As terrible as drug addiction is in our society, care for our children suffering from mental illness is also of primary and urgent concern. Scientology, The CCHR and thus any organization affiliated, founded, staffed and run by Scientology espouses the belief that mental illness does not actually exist. That as there are currently no bio-diagnostic tools (like a blood test) conditions like depression, anxiety, ADHD and others are not real but rather are behavioral.
In fact, Scientology’s pseudo-educational group Applied Scholastics claims they can cure ADHD and other student classroom challenges through their unfounded Study Tech.
According to Scientology’s press release, the Kansas City Council “…will be recognizing the Kansas City chapter of Foundation for a Drug-Free World.”
Given the extremely controversial nature of Scientology and their dismissal of the struggles and challenges of children with mental illness, along with allegations of human trafficking, financial fraud, abuse, Narconon abuses and deaths, this recognition seems irresponsible and uninformed.
In 2005, State of California State Superintendent Jack O’Connell, after an investigation of Narconon’s anti-drug program, encouraged all California schools to drop the program citing its “unscientific” and “inaccurate” information. This program was Drug Free World’s predecessor.
December 2008, Las Cruces, New Mexico; Mayor Ken Miyagishima immediately apologized for and canceled the city’s “Drug Free Marshall” program when he learned it was “created and bankrolled by the Church of Scientology.”
In 2012 the Santa Anna Police Department distributed Drug Free World pamphlets until a local reporter revealed the link between the group and Scientology. SAPD subsequently removed the pamphlets and did not distribute them further.
After the tragic death of a Santa Monica high school student from LSD in 2017, administrators acknowledged the need for a program in the schools. Thus “…the school hired the Foundation for a Drug-Free World to host three anti-drug assemblies for freshman and sophomores.”
Once the parents discovered the program was connected to Scientology they complained to the school which withdrew the program.
Experts condemn the use of “worst case scenarios” in drug abuse education yet Scientology’s Drug Free World included such statements as “‘Coming down from the drug causes depression so severe that a person will do almost anything to get the drug—even commit murder,’ the Foundation’s website reads on a page about cocaine’s side-effects. ‘And if he or she can’t get cocaine, the depression can get so intense it can drive the addict to suicide.’”
Drug Free World’s abstinence-only drug education fails to help teens safely navigate the reality of drugs while the scare tactics are ultimately ineffective. According to The Daily Beast article, youth policy leader for Drug Policy Alliance Jerry Otero is quoted as saying “‘It’s like if drivers education consisted simply of sitting down and showing kids pictures of crashes—and nothing else. No one would learn how to drive.’”
We reached out to 5th District Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw with our concerns but thus far have received no response so apparently this recognition ceremony is scheduled to go ahead this afternoon. If we hear from Ms Shaw we will update.
While Shaw is apparently a Scientology Safepoint, being used per policy to lend credibility and legitimacy to the organization, it is hoped she and the other members of the council will educate themselves going forward and rethink their support.
Confront And Shatter 