Quest for anti-drug program dies

Las Vegas Review-Journal/February 18, 2003
By Ed Vogel

Carson City -- Assemblywoman Sharron Angle said Monday she will end her quest to have female prisoners enter a drug rehabilitation program devised by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Reno Republican said introducing a bill to try the program in Nevada would be useless because of Democratic opposition. Democrats hold 23 of the 42 seats in the Assembly. Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, opposes the program.

Angle said she will cancel a March 1 trip by legislators to an Ensenada, Mexico, prison to look at the Second Chance Program. The trip would have been paid by Randall Suggs, an Arizona businessman with ties to the Scientology church.

Angle said the Scientology church is not involved in the Mexican prison's program.

Under the program, inmates receive sauna and massage treatments for extended periods of time. Only 10 percent of the inmates who enter the program return to drugs, Angle said.

Buckley said Arizona legislators looked at the program last year and found it cost $15,000 per inmate for 3 1/2 months of treatment.

Also, legislators were told Mexican officials did not check on program participants after they left prison, Buckley said.