• Sweden edition
Education

Scientologists push anti-drug classes in schools

Published: 11 May 12 08:11 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/40762/20120511/

The anti-drug organization Drogfritt, which has ties to Scientology, has been selling lectures and information on drug abuse to Swedish schools, information that includes significant factual errors, according to an investigation carried out by newspaper Svenska Dagbladet (SvD).

“It’s terrible when youngsters are being fed a lot of erroneous information,” said narcotics researcher Björn Johnsson to the paper.

During the lecture, the audience is told that dependency sets in from the first time someone tries a drug; that antidepressants, sleeping pills and paracetamol is stored in the body; and that people fall back into drug abuse through a so called “flashback”, when a drug “reawakens” in the body years or even decades after the person stopped using them.

But Swedish experts on drugs and drug abuse roundly repudiated the group's claims about how drugs interact with the body when approached by the paper.

“No, no, no, that’s not how it works. That’s a myth that circulates among certain drug users,” Johnson said about the "flashback" phenomenon.

One of the lecturers, Alexander Breeze, works with the lecture tours full time and talks to children, teenagers and parents about drugs, as well as at corporate events, holding some 250-300 lectures annually.

In interview with SvD, he made no secret of being a Scientologist.

However, according to Drogfritt, the organization is politically and religiously independent, but implement the Narconon prevention programme, which is based on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s ideas.

And in 2003 the group's chairwoman, Åsa Graaf, was awarded the International association of Scientologists Freedom Medal for her work against drug abuse, according to SvD.

According to SvD’s investigation, 65 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities have purchased lecture series from the organization over the last three years to a value of 750,000 kronor ($108,000).

The Local/rm
twitter.com/thelocalsweden

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

08:32 May 11, 2012 by RobinHood
A respected English High Court judge described the Church of Scientology as "corrupt, sinister and dangerous", during a case that involved Scientology and children.

If your children's school is in anyway connected to the Drogfritt program, write to the school informing them about the link between Drogfritt and the Church of Scientology, and make sure your child is not present at school when Drogfritt representatives are in the building.
08:57 May 11, 2012 by engagebrain
Religions can be classified on a scale of harmless through to barking. Scientology is seriously at the wrong end of this scale and has major interest in cash flow. Brains and pockets are at risk.
10:20 May 11, 2012 by Almirante
Robin Hood, above, is such a dedicated hate-monger that she has to reach back 26 years into a divorce proceeding and bring forward a hate-quote from a judge whose decisions were constantly called into question and reviewed.

Let Drogfritt alone! What kind of sick mind wants to stop children from getting anti-drug messages? Is the current bureaucracy dong such a great job?

The statements about so-called "factual errors" come from a vested interest whose costly but failed system of drug prevention, treatment and rehabilitation has actually _created_ tens of thousands of addicts in Sweden.

Remember that each addict must steal or steal 1500 extra Euros every week to feed his/her habit. That money either comes from your car or wallet--or from their children's dinner plates.

If the helpful Drogfritt program is fought, more addicts will be created by the stumbling, self-aggrandizing bureaucracy that pretends to be a drug program in Sweden. Why does failure have any right to criticize?

Isn't it time for some new ideas in this field? For some ideas that actually will work?

For a progressive country, the views in the article are very backward.
12:14 May 11, 2012 by Marc Abian
LOL, Almirante hurls the tired insult of "hate-monger" against someone who dares question the so-called "science" espoused by a Scientology front group.

They state that someone has "reach back 26 years" to refer to critical information about the cult. OK, how about the last month? That's when health officials in Quebec shut down one of Narconon's factilities for failing to meet many of the basic standards of rehab programs.

It's a pretty common tack for Scientologists to smear critics of their anti-drug programs as being in favor of substance abuse or even drug dealers themselves. In truth, the "cures" advanced by programs such as Narconon have no basis in science and can be quite dangerous, such as having patients ingest massive amounts of Niacin, which can be toxic to the already compromised livers of many drug and alcohol abusers.

"Isn't it time for some new ideas?" Another common refrain from Scientologists. No, not if they're bad ones with no scientific basis. Those sorts of "new ideas" offer no concrete assistance for drug abusers and no real path to prevention or recovery. They do, however, offer a financial boon and PR relief for the struggling and scandal-plagued Church of Scientology.
12:26 May 11, 2012 by Puffin
@ Almirante - are you serious?

You want your kids to be taught that

- prescribed medication such as anti-depressents are addictive from the first tablet you take? So you should not take prescribed medication if you don't want to become and addict

- that you will test positive for drugs years after you take them

- that paracetamol will affect you years later

It strikes me as totally irresponsible to say things like this to teenagers - dangerous even if they stop taking prescribed meds based on this message

I think that sects should be kept out of school
13:23 May 11, 2012 by Åskar
Q: Is there any science in Scientology?

A: It's a very scientific way to separate fools from their money.
13:35 May 11, 2012 by polymorf
I thought faith based 'science' was special to the Americans... Either way, the Scientologists are wrong. It's a scientific fact that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is solely responsible for drugs having an affect on the body, ergo, Flying Spaghetti Monster is the only one who can cure drug addiction.

QED. Scientology is wrong.

But seriously, does Sweden allow creation theory to be taught in their schools in lieu of evolution? Of course not. Do they pay outside religious fundamentalists to lecture on creationism because the school system lacks it? Of course not. Religion based alternative theories to science have no place in public education. Drogfritt should be at least barred from lecturing at the public's expense, in a better world they should also be convicted for fraud and have to advertised that they are a religious, not scientific, based organization.
15:47 May 11, 2012 by bcterry
"A respected English High Court judge described the Church of Scientology as "corrupt, sinister and dangerous", during a case that involved Scientology and children."

That describes all manmade mythologies.
16:05 May 11, 2012 by Borilla
A cult is a scam and the leader knows it. A religion is a scam whose leader is dead. Scientology's leader is dead, so now it calls itself a religion.
16:52 May 11, 2012 by Vermaldeehide
All of these child slave masters will get theirs, it's inevitable. I only wish I had a countdown for it. Just so I would have time to make popcorn and get a good seat.
17:48 May 11, 2012 by eovti
If you speak up against the Scientologists, they will send their lawyers at you and sue you for umpteen million dollars.
19:51 May 11, 2012 by ?????
"to a value of 750,000 kronor "!!!!!!

Why am I paying taxes again?
20:38 May 11, 2012 by Mark S.
If you want to ensure that your children do not believe any of the warnings about drugs, be sure to tell them a few lies.

For example, tell them that marijuana will make you insane. Then tell them that heroin will leave you unable to function as a human being.

After they see that their friends smoke marijuana with no detectable injury, what will they think about your statement about heroin?

When they discover you lied, you lose all your credibility.
01:26 May 12, 2012 by Grokh
why are they even allowed near a school is beyond anyone.
02:00 May 12, 2012 by Mr. Dude
I would rather see my kid smoke a little weed then have her join a sinister mind control cult. Just Google "wally hanks beating a child" to hear a child being beat by a high level Scientology "minister".
08:27 May 12, 2012 by Trenatos
How can schools allow this?

My personal dislike for Scientology aside, the schoolsystem is a place of learning, so the fact that they're spreading wrong information alone should be enough to put and end to this group working in schools, taking money out of the schoolsystem that could have been used to proved real solid information from credible sources.
15:04 May 12, 2012 by bcterry
Report abuse »

#15

02:00 May 12, 2012 by Mr. Dude

I would rather see my kid smoke a little weed then have her join a sinister mind control cult. Just Google "wally hanks beating a child" to hear a child being beat by a high level Scientology "minister".

You will see the same kind of child abuse and mind control in many other religions, (cults).
18:06 May 13, 2012 by Unconditional1
Scientology is like all other religions. Control the people's free-will, and you control their lives. Dogma and free-will go together like choker-chains and dogs. Let free-will roam just as far as dogma (controled and manipulated by someone else), is allowed to explore. After that distance has been determined to overstep the controlled conditions, a good stiff jerk of the free-will cincturing chain , will bring the puppy back into the religious "whelping box!"
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Unrest in Stockholm
Riot police 'resorted to racial slurs' in Husby

Riot police 'resorted to racial slurs' in Husby

Police officers on hand during the Husby riot in northern Stockholm stand accused of using racist language towards people on the ground, with one youth worker in the area claiming it is "not the last time" such scenes will occur. READ () »

Man gets payout for not shaking woman's hand

Man gets payout for not shaking woman's hand

A town in western Sweden has agreed to pay damages to a man who was told he wouldn't be hired if he refused to shake a woman's hand for religious reasons. READ () »

Swedes sweep top French football awards

Swedes sweep top French football awards

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scooped up France's Ligue 1 player of the year award on Monday, with Sweden's Lotta Schelin taking home the same honour for the top French women's league. READ () »

Unrest in Stockholm
'Husby is usually a very peaceful place'

'Husby is usually a very peaceful place'

In the wake of Sunday's night's unrest in the north Stockholm district of Husby, The Local catches up with the editor of a local newspaper to find out more about what caused residents to take to the streets and how police responded. READ () »

Topless Swedish beach bunny sparks outrage

Topless Swedish beach bunny sparks outrage

A caricature of an amply endowed topless woman, which marks the spot on a map for a public beach in western Sweden, has caused at least one mother to see red. READ () »

Pirate Swede in 'biggest ever' hacking trial

Pirate Swede in 'biggest ever' hacking trial

Pirate Bay founder Gottfrid Svartholm Warg is on trial once again in Sweden for his role in committing what prosecutors believe may have been the largest data breach in Swedish history. READ () »

Unrest in Stockholm
Youths burn 100 cars in north Stockholm riots

Youths burn 100 cars in north Stockholm riots

Youths rioted in northern Stockholm on Sunday night, setting fire to cars and throwing rocks at police, in what is believed to be a protest against the fatal police shooting of a machete-wielding man in the suburb last week. READ () »

Sweden win ice hockey world champs at home

Sweden win ice hockey world champs at home

Sweden's ice hockey team won the gold-medal match in the ice hockey World Championships against Switzerland on Sunday night, trouncing the visitors 5-1. READ () »

More Education

 

Find a new job in Sweden now
20/05 Application Engineer
Net Entertainment
Stockholm
20/05 Application Engineer
Net Entertainment NE AB
Stockholm
20/05 Business Development Manager
Hays
Stockh, STHM
20/05 Certification Project Manager
Net Entertainment
Stockholm
20/05 Client Solutions Engineer
Interactive Medica
Stockholm
20/05 Enterprise Risk Manager
Net Entertainment NE AB
Stockholm

ALL JOBS »


 

 

Highlights
Scanpix
GALLERY »
Sweden win Ice Hockey World Championships. See the celebrations in Stockholm
Scanpix
GALLERY »
Youths burn 100 cars in north Stockholm riots
Finest.se scanpix.se
GALLERY »
People-watching: Nightlife, Ice Hockey Gold celebrations, the royal family... You name it, this week's gallery has it
WikiCommons
BUSINESS & MONEY »
Solna voted best place to live in Sweden
Scanpix
TRAVEL »
Quiz - Think You Know Sweden? This week we head to one of Sweden's ten biggest towns. But which one?
Scanpix
LIFESTYLE »
Eurovision host: 'Not everyone has to like me'
Scanpix
LIFESTYLE »
Denmark wins Eurovision 2013 in Malmö
Paul Hansen/World Press Photo
SOCIETY »
Award-winning Swedish photographer cleared of manipulation
DoToday
LIFESTYLE »
What's On:The Local's guide to upcoming attractions and events in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö
Scanpix
NATIONAL »
A Congolese-Swedish pastor explains the roots to recent cases of parents exorcising demons from their children in Sweden
File photo: AP
NATIONAL »
H&M backs Bangladesh building safety accord
Scanpix
GALLERY »
Eurovision: second semi-final entries
Finest.se
GALLERY »
People-watching: Scenes from the Arctic Council meeting, Eurovision demonstrations, and Stockholm nightlife
Screenshot: American Apparel
SOCIETY »
Swedes slam American Apparel over 'sexist' ads
Hasse Holmberg/Scanpix (File)
BUSINESS & MONEY »
Housing crunch forces more young Swedes to live with mum and dad
Janerik Henriksson/Scanpix
LIFESTYLE »
Eurovision - Centre State: 'It won't be easy to win again': Robin Stjernberg
Asif Akbar/sxc.hu (File)
OPINION »
'Not all discrimination in Sweden is racism'
Lana Wimmer
GALLERY »
Hidden Stockholm Gems: Ulriksdal's Palace
Sex in Sweden: condoms optional - study
SOCIETY »
Sex in Sweden: condoms optional - study
AP (File)
POLITICS »
Russia 'lacks capacity' to attack Sweden: Reinfeldt
fastighetsbyrån.se
GALLERY »
Property of the Week: This week, we're looking inside a home from the 1700s just west of Stockholm. Complete with two cannons.
Scanpix (File)
OPINION »
JobTalk: Top ten tips for earning a higher salary in Sweden
Juanma Perez Rabasco
SOCIETY »
Swedish kids start daycare earlier: report
Screenshot: Robinson's
SOCIETY »
Iron Maiden beer stopped over skull label concerns
David Shankbone/WikiCommons
NATIONAL »
US comedy star Amy Poehler to make Swedish TV series with her brother
Facebook
SOCIETY »
'Sex scandal' minister bathes in viral toilet puppy love
Flikr
SOCIETY »
Love columnist Emilia Millicent wonders if cyber stalking has become socially acceptable, because it's just too easy to do
Scanpix
NATIONAL »
Illegal apartment rentals thrive in Stockholm flat crunch
Ben Grey/Flickr
SCIENCE & TECH »
Sweden 'second best' place to become a mum
fastighetsbyrån.se
GALLERY »
Property of the Week: This week, we're heading to Stockholm's Lidingö to see inside a four-bedroom home
Eddie Gee
LIFESTYLE »
Check out the back catalogue of all The Local's Swedes of the Week
Photo: The Local
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Stockholm International School - what’s in IT for students?
Dixie Thomas Hughes
SPONSORED ARTICLE
US expat David V. Hughes on determination and discovery by design

 

Latest news from The Local in Germany

More news from Germany at thelocal.de

Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »


Blog Update: Boston Blatte

20 May 15:25

Hockey. Hockey. Hockey. »

"BANG!!!! BANG!!!! BANG!!! In the midst of the Stanley Cup’s Eastern Conference semifinals series, every Bostonian knows it is all about Bruins ice hockey. Oh right. I am in Sweden, home of the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation GOLD Champions. And there is certainly no doubt ice hockey fever has taken over Sweden. A lot of Swedes,..." READ »

Trade binary options
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Therapy in English
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE
Holiday Luxury Villa in Portugal
Casa Birgitta in Algarve, Portugal. Reduced price in best location. Private estate on white sand beach. All amenities included. Book here today! edward_george1@hotmail.com
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Counseling in English
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now