JEB BUSH'S DAUGHTER BEGINS DRUG TREATMENT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Noelle Bush, the governor's daughter who was accused
of prescription drug fraud, has been admitted to a drug treatment program,
her lawyer said.

Bush, 24, a daughter of Gov. Jeb Bush and niece of President George W.
Bush, will spend whatever time is needed in the treatment program before
returning to Tallahassee to face the charge, attorney Peter Antonacci said
Friday.

She waived her right to a speedy trial and probably will be sent to drug
court after her release from treatment, said Leon County State Attorney
Willie Meggs.

Antonacci would not disclose the location of the treatment center.

Bush was arrested at a pharmacy drive-through window Jan. 29 on charges of
trying to buy Xanax with a fraudulent prescription. Xanax is a sedative
commonly prescribed for anxiety. Authorities said she posed as a doctor and
called in the phony prescription after suffering a panic attack.

Drug prescription fraud is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 5
years in prison and a $5,000 fine. First-time offenders often are sent to
drug court, and must attend meetings and pass periodic tests. If a person
successfully graduates from drug court, criminal charges are dismissed and
the defendant is left without a record.

It is "fairly easy" to become physically or psychologically addicted to
Xanax, said Gail Dixon, a director of the Drug Information Service Center
Village, a nonprofit substance abuse treatment center in Tallahassee.

She said Xanax, one of the top prescription drugs diverted for illicit use,
can make significant changes in a person's physiological and psychological
functioning.