STATE DRUG CZAR: ADDICTION REMAINS MISUNDERSTOOD

William Janes, Florida's director of the Office of Drug Control,
kicked off the seventh annual Conference on Addictive Disorders with a
state of the state address Friday morning at the Harborside Convention
Center in Fort Myers.

Janes reported that addiction was still not understood on any level,
local or state, and would continue as such unless multiple entities
are able to pool their resources.

The state's drug czar cited more faith-based involvement as a logical
place to start, as well as more extensive measures in the Drug Free
Workplace initiatives.

Unfortunately, he said that statewide budget cuts have effected these
type of programs all across the board, leaving the battle against
addiction in the hands of the very people watching him speak at the
forum , sponsored by Lee County Coalition for a Drug Free Southwest
Florida.

"We live in a world that can be very deflated," Janes said. "And if
you are not actively participating, you are not serving your
profession."

Between 2003-07, drug-related deaths in the state of Florida rose from
6,763, to 8,620. Cocaine makes up the majority of those deaths, unless
prescription narcotics are counted as a whole, instead of separately,
according to Janes.

With 240 tons of cocaine expected to be coming to U.S. soil within the
next year, Janes again cited state revenue challenges and, in turn,
challenges to drug treatment programs.

Without funding, Janes said the communities must look inward for
leadership.

"Who leads? Who brings a community together?" Janes asked. "We need a
more consistent approach to dealing with the problem, and we need
programs to support those who need."

With a background in counseling, Janes spoke to the attendees of the
one day conference as one their own, citing what he called the
"oppressive system of paper work", which often becomes a major, if not
exclusive part of their jobs.

"I have lived in your world, and I respect your world," Janes told the
audience. "But I do not see immediate relief on the horizon."

Previously Janes served a full career in the United States Army,
retiring as a Colonel of Armor. From 1992 - 2002, he was counselor,
manager, and executive director for the Drug Abuse Comprehensive
Coordinating Office, a non-profit Tampa based prevention and treatment
system.

"People don't use drugs accidentally. They use them for self
medication and for coping with life," he said. "I don't see a lot of
recreational marijuana users any longer."