For those living for their next high and turning to crime so they can afford it, the future is bleak. They will inevitably end up in one of two places: the cemetery or the penitentiary.

In Webster County, there is a relatively new program that offers people a chance to avoid both places.

The Webster County Drug Treatment Court is a voluntary intensive program which enables a person to kick their drug habit and stay out of prison. Introduced in December 2014, it is a tough program, and some people do wash out. But those who stick with it emerge with a new lease on life.

The results have been impressive. Within a year, there were program participants who were sober, employed and living in their own homes. People have been graduating from the program with 500 or more days of sobriety.

All kinds of tactics have been tried in the decades-long war on drugs. Webster County Drug Treatment Court is clearly one that works.

Christina Christian, a 2020 graduate of the program, recently created an alumni group for everyone who has completed it. The group is intended to create a sober social circle and activities for the alumni. She is now expanding her efforts to create a fund that will help those alumni with financial problems. Stress over things like unpaid bills could throw someone into a tailspin of renewed addiction, so help from the alumni group will be vital.

These alumni have overcome challenges unimagainable to many people in order to become sober. They deserve our respect and support.

The Webster County Drug Treatment Court creates drug-free productive citizens without having to send them to prison. We hope the program continues and expands.