Thai monks saving WA 'ice' addicts
Braden Quartermaine
August 18, 2007 04:00pm
PERTH methamphetamine addicts are travelling to a Buddhist monastery in Thailand to be treated by monks using mystery herbal potions.
Known as the toughest detoxification program in the world, the treatment involves rising at 5am, "mental detoxification'' and drinking herbal medicines to force repeated vomiting.
Australian drug addicts are increasingly turning to the Thamkrabok Monastery, despite it being shunned by the medical profession here.
The program at the monastery, 140km from Bangkok, is free. There is no waiting list and it boasts a 73 per cent success rate.
To get in, addicts must convince senior monks they are genuine in their desire to get clean and if they relapse they are not accepted back.
Armadale man Adam Maschette, 26, recently returned from a month-long stay with the monks to overcome his "ice'' addiction.
He told The Sunday Times the experience had turned his life around and he was confident he would stay drug-free.
"It does sound drastic, but it wasn't traumatic at all,'' Mr Maschette said. ``It is known as the harshest detox, but there's no better program in the world that I know of.
"After being a drug addict, I thought vomiting was quite easy.''
Mr Maschette said he would highly recommend treatment at the monastery to WA addicts if they were committed to breaking their habit and were struggling to find help locally.
"It's very basic accommodation, but you're not there for a holiday; you're there to fix your life,'' he said. ``The monks are such loving people. You can talk to them about anything.
"They've dedicated their entire life to helping you, to helping people stay off drugs.
"The monks taught me about life and about love, respecting other people and that sort of thing. It tries to teach you to deal with your emotions without drugs.
"I'm confident that I'm never going back to drugs ever again. You have to make a vow in front of one of the high monks to never again use drugs of any sort.''
Patients are forced to drink a mixture made from 110 herbs.
"And that actually brings on the vomiting,'' Mr Maschette said. ``There's only two people in the whole monastery who know the recipe for it.''
Non-profit Thamkrabok Foundation executive director Maria Bannister said the monastery option should be considered by more addicts.
"Here it's seen as very radical, but in Europe and the UK it's seen as an alternative option,'' she said.
