Narconon Arrowhead Celebrates 25 Years of Saving Lives from Drug and Alcohol Addiction in Oklahoma

Celebrating 25 years of saving lives from drug addiction in Oklahoma, long-term program graduates and state leaders gathered at the Narconon Arrowhead facility on Lake Eufaula in Canadian, Oklahoma, in late July 2026.

Graduates of the program, several of whom had more than 20 years of sobriety under their belts, extolled the virtues of the program that not only freed them from their addiction but gave them the life skills and confidence to build drug-free lives and productive futures.

The special featured guest for the celebration was someone passionate about addiction recovery – the Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Mr. Donnie Anderson. As the chief law enforcement voice in Oklahoma when it comes to narcotics, he began his speech reminding everyone why a program like Narconon was important.

 

“I will speak openly and vehemently about drug addiction in Oklahoma and across the United States, and I will tell you, we will never arrest our way out of it. When you look at just what’s going on in Oklahoma, 8.2% of our adult population, and a little over 10% of our juvenile population, has been diagnosed with a substance abuse addiction. That’s 18% of our livelihood. That’s insufferable. So, what are we going to do? We have to do it through recovery. Everyone is touched by this issue. I’ve seen it my whole life. That’s why I’m passionate about what I do and why I’m honored to be here.”

From the Director’s perspective, it was the effectiveness he had observed and the results of the Narconon Recovery program that particularly impressed him and to which he offered his partnership.

“I want to acknowledge Narconon – this is a monumental thing – for being right here in this location for 25 years, saving lives. People can say what they want, but I’m driven by data. We know that this works; the numbers prove that this works. Thousands of lives have been saved right here in this facility. Folks, that’s unbelievable; that’s phenomenal. I’ve said if we just save one life, then it’s worth it. We’re talking about thousands. That gives me goosebumps even talking about it. I’m proud to be here today, and I’m proud to be doing what we’re doing, and we’re going to make a heck of a team, I guarantee you.”

 

Oklahoma State Representative James Grego also presented Narconon Arrowhead with a Certificate of Appreciation for their 25th Anniversary, acknowledging the good work done by Narconon in his district. He noted, “You’re kind of an unsung hero, but this is a certificate of appreciation for all you do and the lives you’ve saved in the State of Oklahoma.”

 

Graduates attending the celebration chronicled their own path to Narconon and their recovery through personal stories, including their perspectives on what sets Narconon apart from other treatment programs. Several had been through multiple institutions and treatment methods that had failed to give them a comprehensive and effective approach to lasting recovery.

Saundra’s story was one such example. She had three children, a job, and a home and lost everything to methamphetamine use over six years. In the depth of her addiction, she realized her life was unsustainable and reached out for help, but it wasn’t enough.

“Six years of meth use fixed in 30 days. It’s not possible. But then I found Narconon and from the very first day, I knew I had come to the right place.”

“I ended up in state-funded rehabs, but those places just didn’t have the answers. They didn’t have the mindset. Instead, they handed me more prescriptions – pills for psychotics, pills for depression, pills for anxiety. They tried to fix my addiction with more chemicals. In the last one I was in, after 30 days they told me, ‘You’re done. You can go home.’ I told them, ‘You can’t let me out of here. I’m not ready. I will go get high. I will go get high tonight.’ Six years of meth use fixed in 30 days. It’s not possible. But then I found Narconon, and from the very first day, I knew I had come to the right place.”

Today Saundra has not only gotten back custody of her children but has developed a strong and loving relationship with each of them, provided them with a beautiful home, is gainfully employed, and has a bright future ahead of her.

Another Narconon graduate, Hank, is a business owner in Tulsa. “Nineteen years ago today, I came into Narconon. The New Life Detoxification sauna program was what was phenomenal to me. It was the first memorable thing that happened to me here. But the books, the education, the training skills – all of those things that I learned here were the very springboard that helped to make me who I am today. Narconon gave me my life back, and then they taught me how to live, how to communicate, how to be happy.”

Hank is now involved with Wings of Freedom, an organization in Tulsa that provides housing for recovering addicts, the formerly incarcerated, and homeless families. He closed his talk by saying, “This is what I do now; this is what I love to do.”

Bret, another Narconon graduate and staff member at the center, remarked, “There’s a lot of passion in this room today, as there should be. Because, as the Director [Anderson] said, this does work; this does matter. This program took away all my shame and my guilt and, for once in my life, I can be proud of myself.”

Like many Narconon students (program participants are referred to as students), Bret came to Narconon in very rough shape – thin, malnourished and an admitted drug addict. “I had been conducting myself in a way that was destructive, and I could not stop… I was lying at the bottom of this hole thinkin’ ‘Well, you ain’t ever gettin’ out of this'."

“Narconon gave me a chance at life again, and each staff member contributed to that. Today, I’m 185 pounds. My body is clean. I don’t feel ashamed. I have better control. I have hope for my future. And I’m no longer an addict.”

Five of Brett’s family members, including his parents and grandparents, were in the audience as he thanked them for their support.

 

Narconon Arrowhead is the International Training Center and Model Rehabilitation Center for Narconon and is located on 234 acres on Lake Eufaula in Arrowhead State Park in Canadian, Oklahoma. Having serviced nearly 5,000 graduates from the Oklahoma facility and 47,000 from its 33 centers worldwide, Narconon International is also celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year.

Narconon is a drug-free holistic, residential treatment program, originally developed by philosopher and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard in the 1970s through his research into the negative impact of drugs on the human body, the mind, and the individual. Narconon International is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.