Pubdate: Mon, 29 Jul 2002
Source: Florida Today (FL)
Copyright: 2002 Florida Today
Contact: http://www.floridatoday.com/forms/services/letters.htm
Website: http://www.flatoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532
Author: Jim McHale, Melbourne
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1405/a04.html?1387

NOELLE TREATED, NOT PUNISHED

Regarding the July 27 letter by Louise Bratton about Noelle Bush, it seems 
Bratton is in some kind of denial.

One cannot blame a doctor if he is prescribing medicine for pain and you 
abuse it. You cannot blame a psychiatrist because he cannot cure you.

I am very happy that Bratton's relatives were able to give the love and 
support the family member needed to help in that person's recovery. I 
sincerely hope and pray that relative has a speedy and full recovery.

Noelle Bush, on the other hand, was sent to a state of the art treatment 
center. Not all offenders can afford such treatment. She was not sentenced 
to any place as an embarrassment to her father. She was sent there for 
treatment, not punishment. The governor needs no help in the embarrassment 
department.

The nurse Bratton mentioned does deserve counseling and guidance on how to 
better secure the medications, not jail time. The judge did right in 
allowing Bush back into the program when he could have placed her in jail 
with additional charges of drug possession. He chose to give her a second 
chance. All should be grateful for that compassion.

It is too bad her mother and brother could not find the time to visit her 
during regular visiting hours, thus saving her father the embarrassment of 
having to ask for special visit time.
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MAP posted-by: Tom