Oklahoma Governor’s Proclamation Celebrates Forty-Three Years of Saving Lives With a stroke of his pen, Governor Brad Henry officially proclaimed February 19, 2009 as Narconon Arrowhead Day in Oklahoma, in honor of the Narconon program’s 43 years of continuing service in the battle against substance abuse. On this date in 1966, Narconon founder William “Willie” Benitez, an inmate incarcerated in the Arizona State Prison system, convinced officials of the prison to let him start the first Narconon program inside the walls of the penitentiary. Willie had been searching for years for a way to overcome his own addiction, an addiction that resulted in his being arrested and imprisoned for drug-related crimes. When he started his program with just ten fellow inmates, little did he know that it would be so successful as to grow into an international network of 130 treatment and education centers spanning 40 countries.

The Narconon organization brought its innovative program to Oklahoma in 1990, opening a 75-bed treatment facility in Kay County. By 2001, Narconon had expanded into an International Staff Training Center for the worldwide Narconon network, and moved its operation to the former Arrowhead State Park resort near Canadian, Oklahoma where it also maintains a 230-bed residential treatment center.

Oklahoma legislators have long pitched in to join the fight against drug problems in many ways including restricting the sale of chemicals and over-the-counter medications containing ephedrine which are used to manufacture methamphetamine and then in 2006, by instituting controls that would prevent abuse of prescription drugs.

“Controlling the manufacture of illicit drugs and making it harder for a person to abuse prescription drugs are essential parts of the battle to free Oklahomans from addiction problems,” stated Gary Smith, Executive Director at Narconon Arrowhead. “But enforcement alone will not solve the substance abuse problem facing our state. Results-driven rehabilitation programs and effective drug education programs that will deter youth from abusing drugs have to be part of the solution. And that is where we are able and committed to help.

“Since Narconon’s arrival in Oklahoma, our staff has educated more than 150,000 youth and young adults in the state and graduated more than 3,500 people from all over Oklahoma and the nation from our rehabilitation program,” Mr. Smith added. “We are very proud to contribute our efforts to those of other Oklahomans to create a state in which our young people can grow up free from pressures that might drive them to abuse drugs or alcohol. In a shoulder to shoulder effort with our community leaders, we can eliminate the curse of addiction that causes so much suffering.”