Swink: Opiate Diversion program helping to stem addiction

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LOGAN – Many people are surprised to learn that, locally, there are at least more arrests for prescription drug abuse than for abuse of street drugs like meth. Cache County Attorney James Swink was a guest on <a href=”http://610kvnu.com/assets/podcaster/324/2013_06_04_324_11383_2867.mp3″ target=”_blank”>KVNU’s For the People program Monday</a> and explained that First District Court has found a lot of help for these people through its drug court and a newer Opiate Diversion program.

Swink said those arrested might be your mother, your sister or perhaps a neighbor.

“Much like the drug court, we set them up with an evaluation and counseling. They work,” Swink said. “Many of these individuals are very productive. They go to work on their addiction.

“They stay at work at their day jobs or night jobs, and they continue to make progress. We have a high, high success rate of those individuals not coming back and not re-offending.”

Swink said once offenders complete the program the participants come back to court for follow-up if it appears that it is needed.

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