UNDERSTAND ADDICTION

Treatment completion for substance abuse as a probation requirement tends
to work (incentive to change). Florida has the Marchman Act statute that
allows for involuntary commitments for assessment and stabilization, and
for involuntary treatment in some cases. It is limited in that it is a
civil action. Treatment can be a condition of probation with jail time more
feasible than under possible civil contempt of court. Bring charges on
offenders who drink or use drugs.

You love your family member. Find out what is effective. "I don't want him
to go to jail" is not effective, or is it literally or figuratively bailing
the person out. Jail is better than the morgue. Treatment in lieu of just
consequences is not effective. Please do not expect a short, involuntary
treatment or detoxification effort to work when pleading for it has not worked.

Save a life -- save a spirit. Learn how to not enable. Attend Al-Anon or
Nar-Anon meetings where other friends and family of addicted persons learn
and support recovery or what lends incentive for recovery. Check out the
Internet or local resources. Lakeview Center offers the free "Helping
Families Understand Addiction." Call 469-3730 for information.

Lloyd H. Steele

Pensacola