Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
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Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ... Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

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684was a heavy user. The decrease in abuse of LSD was even more marked. Before.starting the practice of transcendental meditation, 48 percent of the subjects hadused LSD, and of these subjects about 14 percent were heavy users. In the 3months following the start of the practice of meditation, 11 percent of the subjectstook LSD, while after 21 months of the practice only 3 percent took LSD. Theincrease in tlie number of nonusers after starting the practice of meditation wassimilar for the other drugs : nonusers of the other hallucinogens after 21 monthsof the practice rose from 61 to 96 percent : for the narcotics from S3 to 99 percentfor the amphetamines from 70 to 99 percent ; and for the barbiturates from 83 to99 percent.In the 6-month period before starting the practice of meditation, 60 percent ofthe subjects took hard liquor, and, of these, about 4 percent were heavy users(table 9). After 21 months of the practice of meditation, approximately 25 percenttook hard liquor and only 0.1 percent were heavy users. Approximately 48percent smoked cigarettes before starting meditation and 27 percent were heavyusers (table 10). After 21 months of practicing meditation, 16 percent smokedcigarettes and only 5.8 percent were heavy users.jNIost subjects felt that transcendental meditation was instrumental in theirdecreasing or stopping abuse of drugs : 61.1 percent stated that it was extremelyimportant ; 22.8 percent that it was very important ; 12 percent somewhat importantand 3.6 percent not important. Of those individuals who continued drugsfollowing storting transcendental meditation, 55.9 percent had been irregular inmeditation and 24.8 percent had stoiiped for a week or more.Three hundred seventy-four subjects (20.1 percent) sold drugs before startingmeditation. Of these, 71.9 percent stopped and 12.5 percent decreased drugselling during the period 0-3 months after instruction. Among the subjects whopracticed meditation 21 months or longer and who at one time were actively involvedin selling drugs, 95.9 percent stopped selling drugs. In addition. 997 (65.5percent) had either encouraged or condoned drug abuse before starting meditation.Over 95 percent of these subjects discouraged drug abuse in others afterbeginning the practice of meditation.DISCUSSIONIndividuals who regularly practiced transcendental meditation (a) decreasedor stopped abiising drug.s, (&) decreased or stopped engaging in drug selling activity,and (c) changed their attitudes in the direction of discouraging othersfrom abusing drugs. The magnitude of these changes increased with the length oftime that the individual practiced the technique. Similar decreases were notedin the use of "hard" alcoholic beverages and cigarette smoking. A high percentageof the individuals who did change their habits felt that transcendental meditationwas very or extremely important in influencing them to change.During transcendental meditation oxygen consumption and heart rate significantlydecrease, skin resistance significantly increases and the electroencephalogramshows predominantly slow alpha wave activity with occasional theta waveactivity (13). Thus, the practice of transcendental meditation is physiologicallydistinguished from sitting quietly with eyes open or closed, from sleeping ordreaming and from suggesting relaxation or rest through hypnosis. During transcendentalmediation subjects rejiort that their awareness is spontaneouslydrawn to "finer" or "more abstract" levels of the thinking process.There are no simple explanations of the factors which lead to drug abuse. Thetypes of motives which initiate and prolong drug abuse range from .'^uch thingsas social pressure, curiosity, desire for "kicks," rebellion against authority,escape from social and emotional problems to more philosophical motives such asself-knowledge, creativeness. spiritual enlightenment or expansion of consciousnessiJJf). Student drug u.sers are, as a grouj), knowledgable about the undesirableeffects of drug almse. In genei-al. it is not diflficult for most student drugabusers to stop. The issue is to get them to want to stoji. For a drug abu.^e proi;ramto be effective it must provide a nonchemical alternative which can at leastfulfill some of the basic motivations behind student drug abuse.Transcendental meditation is acceptable among youthful drug abusers. It isoffered as a iirogram for perj^onal development anrl is not specifically intendedto be a treatment for druir abuse: the allevintioji of the nroblems of drug al)useis mei-ely a side effect of the practice. Thus, it may not threaten those beliefs ofthe connnitted al)user who condones the use of druirs. Since the introductiou of

685transcendental meciitation into the student community 5 years ago, over 40,000individuals have allegedly begun the practice (15). Further, the movement continuesto grow. It is presently being presented through campus organizations atsome 300 colleges and universities and at several universities it is offered in thecontext of an accredited course.Involvement in other kinds of self-improvement activities may also lead todecreased drug abuse. The motivation to start meditation may have influencedthe subjects to stop drug abuse. The subjects in the present study may havespontaneously stopped, continued, or increased taking drugs independently oftranscendental meditation.However, since there are few effective programs which alleviate drug abuse,transcendental meditation should be investigated as an alternative to drugs by acontrolled, prospective study.SUMMARYDrug abuse is widespread and increasing in the United States, especially instudent populations. However, few effective programs exist for the alleviationof drug nliuse. Transcendental meditation, a popular and easily learned mentaltechnique which allegedly originated from the ancient Vedic tradition of India,was investigated as a possible means of decreasing drug abuse. Eighteen hundredsixty-two subjects who had practiced transcendental meditation at least .3 monthsformed the basis of this study. These subjects sigiiifioantly decreased or stoppedabusing drugs; decreased or stopped engaging in drug selling activity; andchanged their attitudes in the direction of discouraging others from abusing drugsafter starting transcendental meditation. Further, the subjects decreased theiruse of "hard" alcoholic beverages and cigarette smoking. The magnitude of thesechanges increased with the length of time that the suliject practiced transcendentalmeditation. Involvement in other types of self-improving activities mayalso lead to decreased drug abuse. However, since there are few effective programswhich alleviate drug abuse, transcendental meditation should be investigatedas an alternative to drugs by a controlled, prospective study.REFERENCES(1) Resource Book for Drug Abuse Education. National Clearinghouse forMental Health Information, United States Department of Health, Education,and Welfare, Public Health Service, Health Service and Mental HealthAdministration, National Institute of Mental Health : 1969. Washington.D.C., Government Printing Office, 1969 (PHS Publication No. 1964), p. 25.(2) Recent Research on Narcotics, LSD, Marijuana and Other Dangerous Drugs.National Clearinghouse for Mental Health Information, U.S. Departmentof Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service. Health Serviceand Mental Health Administration, National Institute of Mental Health,1969. Washington, D.C.. Government Printing Office, 1969 (PHS PublicationNo. 1961), pp. 1, 2, 7, 11, 18.(3) Yolles, S. F. : Statement for Stanley F. Yolles, M.D.. Director. NationalInstitute of Mental Health, Before the Subcommittee on Public Health andWelfare of the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee on H.R. 11701and H.R. 13743. 1969, Loose leaf, pp. 13-16.(4) Byrd, O. E. ; Medical Readings on Drug Abuse, Reading, Mass., Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1970, pp. 255-257.(5) Eddy, N. B. : Methadone maintenance for the management of persons withdrug dependence of the morphine type. Drug Dependence. 3 : 17-26, 1970.(6) Wiesen. R. L., I. H. Wang, and T. J. Stensper : The drug abuse program atMilwaukee County Institutions, Wisconsin IMed. J.. 69 ; 41-150, 1970.(7) Murphy, B. W., A. M. Leventhal, and M. B. Baiter : Drug use on the campus :A survey of universitv health services and counseling centers. .J. Amer.Coll. Health Ass.. 17 : 389-402, 1969.(S) Pollock, M. B. ; The drug abuse problem: Some implications for healtheducation, J. Amer. Coll. Health Ass., 17 ; 403-411, 1969.(9) Hickox, .7. R. : Drug abuse education. Texas Med.. 65 : 31-33. 1969.(10) Benson. H. : Yoga for drug abuse. New Eng. J. Med., 281 : 11.33, 1969.(11) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: The Science of Being and Art of Living. London,International S.R.M., rev. ed., 1966, pp. 50-59.(12) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad Gita :A new translation and commentary. Baltimore, Penguin, 1969. Originallypublished by International S.R.M., London, 1967, pp. 10-17.

685transcendental meciitation into the student community 5 years ago, over 40,000individuals have allegedly begun the practice (15). Further, the movement continuesto grow. It is presently being presented through campus organizations atsome 300 colleges <strong>and</strong> universities <strong>and</strong> at several universities it is offered in thecontext of an accredited course.Involvement in other kinds of self-improvement activities may also lead todecreased drug abuse. The motivation to start meditation may have influencedthe subjects to stop drug abuse. The subjects in the present study may havespontaneously stopped, continued, or increased taking drugs independently oftranscendental meditation.However, since there are few effective programs which alleviate drug abuse,transcendental meditation should be investigated as an alternative to drugs by acontrolled, prospective study.SUMMARYDrug abuse is widespread <strong>and</strong> increasing in the United States, especially instudent populations. However, few effective programs exist for the alleviationof drug nliuse. Transcendental meditation, a popular <strong>and</strong> easily learned mentaltechnique which allegedly originated from the ancient Vedic tradition of India,was investigated as a possible means of decreasing drug abuse. Eighteen hundredsixty-two subjects who had practiced transcendental meditation at least .3 monthsformed the basis of this study. These subjects sigiiifioantly decreased or stoppedabusing drugs; decreased or stopped engaging in drug selling activity; <strong>and</strong>changed their attitudes in the direction of discouraging others from abusing drugsafter starting transcendental meditation. Further, the subjects decreased theiruse of "hard" alcoholic beverages <strong>and</strong> cigarette smoking. The magnitude of thesechanges increased with the length of time that the suliject practiced transcendentalmeditation. Involvement in other types of self-improving activities mayalso lead to decreased drug abuse. However, since there are few effective programswhich alleviate drug abuse, transcendental meditation should be investigatedas an alternative to drugs by a controlled, prospective study.REFERENCES(1) Resource Book for Drug Abuse Education. National Clearinghouse forMental Health Information, United States Department of Health, Education,<strong>and</strong> Welfare, Public Health Service, Health Service <strong>and</strong> Mental HealthAdministration, National Institute of Mental Health : 1969. Washington.D.C., Government Printing Office, 1969 (PHS Publication No. 1964), p. 25.(2) Recent Research on <strong>Narcotics</strong>, LSD, Marijuana <strong>and</strong> Other Dangerous Drugs.National Clearinghouse for Mental Health Information, U.S. Departmentof Health, Education, <strong>and</strong> Welfare, Public Health Service. Health Service<strong>and</strong> Mental Health Administration, National Institute of Mental Health,1969. Washington, D.C.. Government Printing Office, 1969 (PHS PublicationNo. 1961), pp. 1, 2, 7, 11, 18.(3) Yolles, S. F. : Statement for Stanley F. Yolles, M.D.. Director. NationalInstitute of Mental Health, Before the Subcommittee on Public Health <strong>and</strong>Welfare of the Interstate <strong>and</strong> Foreign Commerce Committee on H.R. 11701<strong>and</strong> H.R. 13743. 1969, Loose leaf, pp. 13-16.(4) Byrd, O. E. ; Medical Readings on Drug Abuse, Reading, Mass., Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., 1970, pp. 255-257.(5) Eddy, N. B. : Methadone maintenance for the management of persons withdrug dependence of the morphine type. Drug Dependence. 3 : 17-26, 1970.(6) Wiesen. R. L., I. H. Wang, <strong>and</strong> T. J. Stensper : The drug abuse program atMilwaukee County Institutions, Wisconsin IMed. J.. 69 ; 41-150, 1970.(7) Murphy, B. W., A. M. Leventhal, <strong>and</strong> M. B. Baiter : Drug use on the campus :A survey of universitv health services <strong>and</strong> counseling centers. .J. Amer.Coll. Health Ass.. 17 : 389-402, 1969.(S) Pollock, M. B. ; The drug abuse problem: Some implications for healtheducation, J. Amer. Coll. Health Ass., 17 ; 403-411, 1969.(9) Hickox, .7. R. : Drug abuse education. Texas Med.. 65 : 31-33. 1969.(10) Benson. H. : Yoga for drug abuse. New Eng. J. Med., 281 : 11.33, 1969.(11) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: The Science of Being <strong>and</strong> Art of Living. London,International S.R.M., rev. ed., 1966, pp. 50-59.(12) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad Gita :A new translation <strong>and</strong> commentary. Baltimore, Penguin, 1969. Originallypublished by International S.R.M., London, 1967, pp. 10-17.

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