Narconon First Step and Mazatlan drug rehabs march in solidarity against crystal meth.

For the first time on June 26th (UNODC international anti-drug day) drug rehabilitation centers
demonstrated together against drugs in this city ripped apart by drug cartel violence.

“Why Narconon® Primer Paso [First Step]?” asked Francisco Lozano Torres, co-director of Mazatlan
drug rehab center, Una Luz en el Camino. “Because our Narconon friends from the United States cared
enough to come down here and offer us new tools, real help to improve our results fighting against this
scourge.” This Gulf of California coastal city, once known as one of the premier fishing and tourist
destinations, unfortunately now may be better known as where most of the Mexican drug cartel capo’s
came from. Cities throughout the state of Sinaloa, including Mazatlan and Culiacan, especially, are
patrolled daily by well-armed police in open jeeps. Murders, assassinations, vendettas are the theme of
the times. But there are courageous citizens working to change this.

Francisco Lozano and Victor Capaceta, co-directors of two drug treatment centers, pulled together with
other Mazatlan rehab groups, including Jovenes Fuentes de Vida and Vida y Esperanza, to march in
support of a drug-free future. Children and adults, recovering addicts and staff carried banners naming
their centers and also “Narconon Primer Paso” and “El Camino a la Felicidad” [The Way to
Happiness]. This is a book used in the Narconon First Step program to help addicts in recovery
rediscover a moral compass, to rethink how they want to live when free from drugs.

“We not only use this booklet of commonsense values and choices ourselves,” said Lozano. “We
distribute it to other centers and on the streets where there is violence and fear. We see it really
helping.” The Way to Happiness is a small book written by author and humanitarian, L. Ron Hubbard,
for just such a purpose – helping persons to help themselves and others achieve a more peaceful,
honorable, ethical life style. Tens of thousands of copies have been handed out throughout the state of
Sinaloa by these volunteers. It is increasingly popular inside rehab centers as the focal point of
discussion amongst recovering addicts.

CONADIC (National Council Against Addiction) reports that between 1994 and 2007 27,570 persons
in Sinaloa asked for drug treatment help. In Mexico, 3.5 million persons over 12 years old are believed
to be using some type of drug. Marijuana, cocaine, and crystal (methamphetamine) are the worst. The
US Dept of Justice says that Mexican drug traffickers are now the leading manufacturers and
distributors of crystal meth. Thus, meth and its illicit profits have become the fuse igniting so much
violence amongst the cartels.

Although many hope it will just go away, others such as Capaceta, Lozano and other drug rehab
directors and staff are working vigorously to reduce demand and re-educate drug users about the worth
of drug-free living. They are to be saluted.

For more information on the Narconon First Step and other drug prevention activities, visit
http://www.narconon.org.

Press Release Authors Name: Clark

Business Name: Narconon International
Business Contact Name: Clark
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