History of drug rehab centers and Synanon

A drug rehabilitation center called “Synanon” (mentioned in a former blog, remember?) was active during the late ‘60s, when the drug scene was at an all-time high (no pun intended). The center has since dissolved. (For more info, read the earlier blog or type in “Synanon” in a search engine.)

Anyway, just last week (Oct.21-27), there was an article in a local about drug rehabilitation centers, and Synanon was mentioned. After approximately 15 years (the center has been defunct since the 1990s) with hardly any mention at all of the center, it shows up in a news article. Guess that proves the old saying “There is nothing new under the sun”.

A drug rehabilitation center from the ‘70s still getting attention in 2007. Wonder if that’s because the “baby boomers” are reaching Social Security age? (That was a big deal, too, especially with the very first “baby boomer” applying for Social Security).

Seems as though the nostalgia craze has really hit where the baby boomer years are concerned, especially the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Not a day goes by that something is not said about that time. Probably has to do with all the anniversaries that have recently passed: Woodstock, Brown vs. Board of Education (desegregation), etc.

Kind of sad, though, when you think about it, that any drug rehabilitation center, past or present, still has to be mentioned. Yeah, it’s true that drugs and drug addiction has been around practically since the beginning of time, but, hey, if (a man can be on the moon, a “reusable” spacecraft can be invented, some diseases be completely eradicated…add anything else that can be thought of here) why can’t something be done about the “war on drugs”?