Narconon, Scientology, and the Battle for Legitimacy

This article provides an historical description and analysis of Scientology’s controversial drug treatment program, Narconon. Following scholarship by sociologist Terra Manca on Scientology’s pseudo-medicine, I argue that Scientology initially claimed its program to be part of its religion, but eventually dropped this claim as it attempted to get Narconon programs and teachings established in communities. I show, however, the intimate association between Scientology and Narconon courses, and present some of the evidence that the program lacks scientific validity—especially its Purification Rundown.