Cat Stevens was performing benefit concerts, long before
concerts had become an effective device to help battle global concerns through such huge
events as Live Aid and Farm Aid of the mid 1980's. In 1971 Cat Stevens contributed
the proceeds generated by the C.U.R.E concert to help confront Drug Addiction, one of the
leading epidemic problems facing the UK and America in the 1960's and early 1970's. All the proceeds from this C.U.R.E.
concert were donated to the National Addiction and Research Institute, to
help combat society's growing concern about drug addiction.
The C.U.R.E. Programme
- Theatre Royal - Drury Lane - London
- Sunday, December 12, 1971 8:00 P.M.
- Read Concert Review
- Courtesy of George Brown
-
C.U.R.E.
In January, 1967 a
group of doctors, lawyers, social workers and business men, concerned by the fast growing
problem of drug addiction formed the National Addiction and Research Institute, creating
the first treatment centre in this country for drug addicts.
The purpose of the
Institute is to cure and rehabilitate the addict within the community. Help in moments of
stress and after-cure care is provided by the support and sympathy not only of
professional workers, but also of ex-addicts themselves.
The treatment is
based on the need for the patient to replace his symptom-drug taking- by a full-scale
re-evaluation of his life. He has to change his ways and standards of living, learn to
care and be cared for, to be helped by and help others. He is rarely seen by the doctor
separately and is encouraged to think of himself as a man facing a problem rather than a
sick person.
Drugs play little
part in his treatment. Oral methadone is occasionally given in reducing dosage but no drug
or injections are given in any form. In case of frank mental illness, this is dealt with
on conventional lines.
In addition to
medical treatment. The addict is equally encouraged to attend the Day Centre which, as far
as possible, is self-supporting and administered by ex-addicts as well as a team of
advisers trained in particular skills which are utilized to bridge the lonely withdrawn
life of an addict and his struggle to return to reality.
C.U.R.E. also
embodies a research and education programme, in so-operation with the Home Office and the
National Association of Youth Clubs, of which the principal aims are to investigate the
relationship between drug dependence and delinquency and the training of those working
with young people with special emphasis on preventative measures.
Last year, 173
addicts were treated by the institute, which exists only with the help of voluntary
contributions.
We thank you for
yours.
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