AP: Nevada Assemblywoman ends effort to send prisoners to Narconon program

Forward: For a systematic, detailed, professional exposure of Scientology's "Narconon" front group, visit the Narconon Exposed web site.

18 Feb 2003

Quest for Scientology-based drug program dies
Associated Press
2/18/2003 09:45 am

Nevada Assemblywoman Sharron Angle says she's ending efforts to have women prisoners enter a drug rehabilitation program devised by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

The Reno Republican said introducing a bill to try the program in Nevada would be useless because of Democratic opposition. Democrats hold 23 of the 42 seats in the Assembly.

Angle said Monday she will cancel a March 1 trip by legislators to an Ensenada, Mexico, prison to look at the Second Chance Program.

Randall Suggs, an Arizona businessman with ties to the Scientology church, offered to pay for 35 lawmakers to make the trip, but only a few lawmakers expressed interest.

Angle insisted the Scientology church is not involved in the Mexican prison's program.

Under the program, inmates receive sauna and massage treatments for extended periods of time. Only 10 percent of the inmates who enter the program return to drugs, Angle said.

Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, opposed the program. She said Arizona legislators looked at the program last year and found it cost $15,000 per inmate for 3 1/2 months of treatment.

Also, legislators were told Mexican officials did not check on program participants after they left prison, Buckley said.