PALM BEACH COUNTY HAS THE MOST COCAINE-RELATED DEATHS IN THE STATE

WEST PALM BEACH -- Of the nearly 2,000 people who died in Florida
last year after using cocaine, many overdosed in front of fellow drug
users who were too afraid to call 911.

Offering amnesty or immunity to drug users in such situations --
similar to a program that allows women to leave newborns at fire
stations, no questions asked -- could save lives.

That was one of the ideas presented Wednesday at the "Cocaine: Call
for Action" forum at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, which
brought more than 250 people who work closely with drugs and drug
users together to discuss the state's growing cocaine problem.

"There is tremendous ignorance of this problem," state drug czar Bill
Janes told the group, which included state and federal officials,
drug counselors, detectives and recovering addicts.

The number of Palm Beach County deaths in which cocaine was detected
or found to be the cause is highest in the state, with 197 last year,
according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and state
medical examiners. The county's rate of these deaths is more than 15
per 100,000 residents, also one of the highest in the state.

The rate has been edging upward in Broward County, too. Last year
Broward recorded 136 cocaine-related deaths, putting the death rate
at about eight per 100,000 residents.

Statewide, medical examiners reported 1,943 cocaine-related deaths in
2005, about a dozen deaths per 100,000 residents. "Some of us are
genetically linked to addiction," said Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson,
a 1970s Dallas Cowboys linebacker who is a recovering crack addict.

"But sobriety is an option."

The last part of his statement quickly became a motto at the forum,
which was organized by the Palm Beach County Substance Abuse Coalition.

Drug prevention workers, desperate to make a dent in the deaths,
discussed reconsidering the way they teach young people to stay away
from drugs. They decided it may be better to talk to children about
what they could accomplish if they stay sober, instead of focusing on
images of addiction.

Karen Perry, of Tequesta, is one of those prevention workers. She is
executive director of the Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education
Task Force, or N.O.P.E. She joined the fight soon after her 21-year-
old son, who had a 3.5 grade point average in college, died from a
heroin and cocaine overdose in 2003.

"It's about educating people to understand that this is a disease,"
she said.

"And I would like to see the prejudice alleviated, so that people
aren't afraid to get some help."

That is a major part of the deadly trend, according to the Palm Beach
County Sheriff's Office. Of those who died after using cocaine last
year in the county, only seven had ever been to rehabilitation,
sheriff's analysts said. The others never sought help.

Drug counselors said they are determined to find a way to make it
easier for people to ask for help, including reducing the paperwork
patients and social workers have to fill out, and tailoring more drug
treatment programs specifically for cocaine users.

People at the conference also agreed that more data is needed to
determine exactly what is causing the cocaine deaths.

So far, law enforcement officials have linked the rising number of
deaths to a number of factors, including:

Drug users are combining cocaine with painkillers, a lethal mix.

Aging drug users are finally succumbing to years of cocaine use.

A steady availability on the street of not just crack and powder
cocaine, but also painkillers.