GOVERNOR'S DAUGHTER WAIVES SPEEDY TRIAL, BEGINS DRUG TREATMENT

Noelle Bush, who was accused of prescription drug fraud last month, has
been admitted to a drug treatment program, her lawyer said.

Bush, the 24-year-old 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.

He would not disclose the location of the treatment center, except to say
that it is in Florida.

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

Drug prescription fraud is a third-degree felony that carries a maximum
penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine if convicted. As a
first-time offender, Bush would likely get much less.

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

First-time offenders often are sent to drug court where they meet
frequently with a judge, attend meetings and pass periodic tests before
graduating.

If a person successfully graduates from drug court, criminal charges are
dismissed and the defendant is left without a record.

Xanax is a sedative commonly prescribed for anxiety, but is being
increasingly abused by people seeking its calming effects, mental health
professionals say.

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

She said Xanax is one of the top prescription drugs diverted for illicit
use because it is a potent medication and can make significant difference
in a person's physiological and psychological function.