DETOX CENTER NEEDED IN CARSON

The re-opening of Carson City's detox center provides some needed relief to
the sheriff's office, which has been warehousing alcohol and drug addicts in
the jail. For people struggling with a chemical dependency, jail doesn't
offer the counseling and support they need to kick the habit.

The reasons surrounding the center's closure earlier this year are muddled
- -- something about management and operational issues. Regardless of the
reason for its closure, the Community Counseling Center, in partnership with
the city, deserves some credit for getting the center reopened. The
short-term detox center, where patients can stay from four hours to five
days, fits perfectly with the center's primary mission -- long-term sobriety
and anger management counseling.

It is not uncommon for people with alcohol or drug problems to wind up in
jail. Addiction often leads to crime, whether it's public drunkenness or
petty theft. But more often, addicts can be productive, law-abiding people
if they have the medical and emotional support to stay clean. Carson City
and the Community Counseling Center are offering precisely that.