Health Officials in Australia Warn Scientologists to Stop Giving People Dangerous Advice on How to Detox off Drugs and Alcohol
A Scientology minister in Australia’s Northern Territories has been targeting drug and alcohol addicted aborigines, handing out information pamphlets that contain detoxing advice that health officials say could easily prove fatal to people with kidney disease.
A minister of Scientology in Tennant Creek Australia earned the ire of local health officials after he was caught handing out medical advice pamphlets to people in and around area addiction treatment programs.
The pamphlets call for a drug and alcohol detox using very high quantities of certain vitamins and minerals – so called ‘drug bombs’ which were developed by Scientology’s fonder, the late L. Ron Hubbard.
Health officials call the advice very dangerous, especially for anyone with kidney disease, which is common in the area, and Northern Territories (NT) Health Minister Kon Vatskalis, called the brochures, “Utterly Irresponsible.”
Scientology’s Australian President, Vicki Dunstan, said that the person distributing the pamphlets had made a mistake, but stopped short of admitting that the medical advice contained within was in any way dangerous. In a statement, she said, "The booklet isn't something that we hand out to people in that way."
Stuart Naylor runs the Barkly Regional Alcohol and Drug Action Group and last week his staff told the man distributing the Scientology pamphlets to leave the premises. He urges area residents to understand that the detox process can be dangerous, and says, "Basically if anybody's wanting to withdraw they need to seek medical attention.”
More like this

Getting High on Suboxone? The FDA Says It's Happening - Ex NIDA Director Blames Doctors
Users taking Suboxone to stave off the withdrawal pains of an opiate addiction aren't supposed to be able to abuse the medication. That was the idea anyway when the FDA approved the drug in 2002 for take-home use. Today's thriving street market for the drug has the FDA change its tune.

Young Adults Find Effective Recovery Support in 12 Steps Meetings with Older Adults
Because so many young adults use drugs or alcohol young people sometimes have trouble forging sober social support networks after treatment. AA and NA can provide this sober support, but many groups are comprised of middle aged adults. A new research study suggests that this age gap does not matter and that 12 steps meetings do offer younger adults effective social support.

Study Supports Combining Smoking Cessation and Addiction Treatment Programs
Smoking cessation efforts in addiction treatment programs help people quit without compromising overall treatment outcomes.

Intervention Text Messages Get Heavy Drinking Young Adults to Reduce Their Consumption
Researchers in Pennsylvania say that text messages may be an effective delivery system for alcohol abuse interventions to heavy drinking young adults. Heavy drinking young adults drink substantially less when they get periodic text messages containing strategies to reduce consumption.

For Alcohol Abusers, Roughly 50% of Addiction Therapists Say Moderation, Rather Than Abstinence, Is an Acceptable Goal
Roughly half of American addiction counselors now believe that moderating consumption, rather than abstinence, is an acceptable treatment goal for people with alcohol or drug abuse problems.
