CASE STUDY
REHABILITATION & EDUCATION IN THE
DRUG CORRIDOR OF NEPAL
One of the oldest drug corridors on Earth runs from southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle through the Kingdom of Nepal. This route that has supplied the world with opiates for a century still feeds habits all over the Orient and ravages populations.
In recent years, however, the Narconon Programme has come to Nepal and gained more than a foothold, providing drug education and rehabilitation services to the full gamut of drug users, from first-time users to repeat offenders released from Kathmandu gaols.
A former senior officer of the Kathmandu Police Department, now executive director of Narconon Nepal, is dedicated to bringing drug education, prevention and rehabilitation to the country, starting with law enforcement agencies who deal with the drug situation daily.
With firsthand experience in the direct correlation between drug use and crime rates and the impact on the community, Narconon’s chief executive delivers lectures and presentations to police forces to assist them in dealing with the drug epidemic.
But Narconon Nepal extends its programme far beyond police forces.
Volunteers have provided drug education and prevention lectures nationwide to half a million students in schools, youth and adults in community centres and to the military at all levels.
As awareness increased of Narconon’s solutions, the demand for its effective programme skyrocketed, making a site for massive delivery facilities vital. An ideal location was found below the Himalayas, situated on a 9,000-foot mountaintop, Kakani, long steeped in local lore and one of the most revered sites in the Kathmandu Valley.
The groundbreaking ceremony, launching construction of the new Narconon headquarters, was attended by 350 dignitaries and local villagers and the facility sanctified in accordance with Nepalese tradition. The dedication included blessings bestowed upon L. Ron Hubbard for his development of the programme and, by official decree, the Kakani mountaintop was renamed Hubbard’s Peak.
“I highly appreciate the effort by Narconon Nepal to protect citizens from drugs and to provide them drug treatment and rehabilitation services through the Narconon Programme, which is enhancing the capacity of drug users to be a part of civilised society.” —Inspector General of Police, Kathmandu
