Do Not Pass GO....Go Directly to Jail

*I have complete and total permission from my brother to write this*

My brother is a prescription drug addict. He has made some poor choices in the past few years. One of those choices ended in an accident and a D.U.I. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the accident. The mandatory sentence for a D.U.I. is 24 hours in jail.

My brother and I were kind of excited---I mean, we're your average family for the most part. We'd never known anyone in jail before. All we knew was from Law & Order and we knew he wasn't going to "Ryker's," so we thought it would be fairly mundane.

Most of it was pretty straightforward---orange suit, lots of lying around, smoking. Things that would be expected.

Here's what wasn't mundane: Toby got lots of time to get to know some of the other inmates. He's a pretty social guy and said they all bonded...."like camp." So Toby exchanges numbers and addresses with a guy that he really hit it off with. Then someone told him that the guy was in there for being a part of 8 murders in Florence!!!!! The worst part is---he gave them my mom's address and phone number!!!! Yes Toby.....it's like camp, in that you have bunk mates.......it's not like camp, in that it's JAIL! In all fairness---he knows it was stupid, but he said, "I didn't want to go ask for the number back, then he'd be suspicious that I was suspicious of him---then who knows what would have happened."

I tell this story because I love my brother. He is one of my all-time favorite people to be with. He is so funny and just telling this story cracks me up. It is obvious that he is trusting and good. I am so grateful for the changes he is making in his life. I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to put in action the principles I have been raised believing---to be charitable, kind, and forgiving. Toby is a good spirit who has gone down a path of great challenge, but one that is not insurmountable with the help of the Savior and His Atoning sacrifice. I believe fully in the healing power of the Atonement--I have already seen the blessed aid heaven has sent to our family. Thank you to everyone who has been loving, kind, helpful and supportive of all of us throughout this experience.

***Write Montana Attorney General Bullock to support his efforts to combat/control prescription drug abuse. Bills to establish a prescription drug monitoring program have failed in the last two legislative sessions, despite widespread support from pharmacists, law enforcement, and doctors. The last effort - House Bill 267 - was tabled in the House Human Services Committee. ***