Posted on 12/23/2025 8:06:39 AM PST by Angelino97
Accused double murderer Nick Reiner once admitted he got hooked on heroin only after his parents put him in a New Age rehab facility in the Utah wilderness when he was just 16.
Reiner, who is accused of stabbing to death his dad, Hollywood legend Rob Reiner, and his mom, Michele, claimed in a newly resurfaced podcast interview that he only became exposed to the harder drugs after his stint at an expensive, nature-based therapy program for teens.
“I went to a wilderness program in Utah. It was called Second Nature, and I met a kid there from LA and, at the time, he was kind of a hardcore Venice kid,” Reiner told the “Dopey” podcast in 2016. “I met him when I was 16 and then, I was 18, I was in a sober living [facility], and I call him up because I knew he was really into heroin at the time.”
The iconic director’s troubled middle child, now 32, said he then went to Skid Row with his former rehab pal and shot up for the first time.
“The point of the story is that the seed of heroin got planted by the first time I was ever in rehab and the person I got it from was a guy that I met in rehab like three years down the line,” Reiner said.
“For all the negative that I think it did to me, it also exposed me to a larger demographic of people.”
The “nature-based” program, which was founded in 1998 by clinicians, secludes teens ages 13 to 17 in the wilderness in a bid to help them kick their habits.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Sounds like pops just sent him away to trainers rather than deal with his own son. Those rehab places exist to collect money from lazy wealthy people (when it comes to family) and don’t actually do anything. I have a hard time finding any sympathy for meathead.
Expensive “rehab facilities” proliferated back in the 70s when insurance companies would pay for them. They would have a “lifetime maximum” which the facilities would exhaust and then let people go. When insurance companies wised up and stopped the money grab, these grifters turned to a more lucrative business model, treating diseases of the rich, which is what Hollywooders use to babysit their spawn when they become insufferable.
Ambitious prosecutors want notches on their belt.
A high-profile conviction is a good career boost. Possibly leading to getting elected County D.A., and then State A.G.
Sometimes rehab is like jail. Some people go to learn how to become a better addict and make connections to get drugs after they leave.
One more example of our failing mental health establishment. Psychiatric drugs and useless shrinks have replaced parenting and discipline.
If they're lucky.
For some people like Nick Reiner, drugs may have aggravated their genetic disposition to schizophrenia.
Sob story to make him a victim.
Prison will be an even better experience.
“For all the negative that I think it did to me, it also exposed me to a larger demographic of people.”
Yeah, Nick; it’s called cultural enrichment. And without moral teaching, which I doubt he got at a new age rehab, he didn’t have a chance. Probably told him that he was just a good person who got mixed up. Learn some yoga and achieve peace. Rehab has a high failure rate even with Christian or other proper programs. With a new age program, I’m guessing he didn’t have a chance.
“He didn’t stand a chance at 16 of overcoming that environment.”
I’m not sure that I’d go as far as no chance at all, but the story does raise a fundamental truth that isn’t widely discussed: a big problem with “rehab” is that the addict often connects with an even worse crowd than his/her normal social circle. I remember NFL hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff’s daughter was murdered by a really sleazy, low-class boyfriend... And a lot of folks were initially wondering, how does some low-life, broke criminal even get to the point of dating a pretty young daughter of a very wealthy ex-professional athlete? And the answer was that the couple met at rehab.
And its not that uncommon. I have known acquaintances with histories of substance abuse who have met significant others (of dubious character) at rehab. So, yeah, a very real, understated problem with rehab is that the addict connects a bad crowd there.
Pretty much a worthless human being. Lock him in stir until he croaks.
He had so many opportunities, and blew it all.
The real question is why he was sent to Second Nature in the first place if he wasn’t already an addict.
Agree. I would take everything he’s said with a grain of salt.
Ray Charles was a functioning heroin addict for years. NEVER killed anyone. Nick didn’t just stab his parents. He SLIT their throats! That is the equivalent of shooting someone 5 times and then double tapping them in the head. THAT is premeditated murder.
You mean worshiping the trees didn’t work?
Sounds like the entire family smoked pot and how knows what else.
According to the article, he was already an addict, but not to heroin. Probably cocaine (which other articles said he was also hooked on).
Rehab (at least, this one) introduced him to heroin.
Reminds me of a kid I knew who got caught smoking pot as a teenager and had to attend some group rehab by his parents. That kid had the best hookups for all kinds of drugs after that...parents were oblivious.
Bad news for the Menendez’ brothers, waiting to hear of the Governors pardon.
The rehab had nothing to do with heroin.
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Au contraire mon frere. All addicts know they can meet other addicts and connections at rehab.
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