FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. — Franklin County is trying something new when it comes to drugs.
Sheriff A.J. "Tony" Smith pitched the idea to the Franklin County Commissioners Tuesday morning. He wants the county to create a free drug rehabilitation center for the community.
Sheriff Smith says he's noticed that people are addicted to drugs, but they don't have the money or the insurance to afford rehab themselves.
He says drug addiction is a community problem.
"Everybody I have in jail is either here directly or indirectly as a result of drugs and a lot of the surrounding counties don't have a rehabilitation center so we're going to open our doors to them," said Sheriff Smith. "I look at it as a really great opportunity because one of the things we may pull in with this is vocational training, so we can teach these folks a skill and when they leave we'll help them find a job."
Sheriff Smith says many people in the Franklin County Jail are there on drug charges, so this new rehab facility would help decrease the incarceration rate. He says this will be a long-term project that will ultimately benefit the community.
