Marc L. 

My name is Marc L. and Prop 36 helped save my life.

My story is quite common: I grew-up in a loving family, went to college, was quite successful in my career and thought that I had everything started for a perfect life.

Then my drug-use began to increase and I ended up being arrested and before long had lost everything that I had worked for. I was homeless, broke, and unemployable and just could not stop my addiction.

I found myself once again in front of the court system and this time was given the option for Prop. 36.

I went into a six month Residential Rehabilitation Program and then a three month aftercare program which I have just successfully completed. My relationship with my family has never been better. I am now working and looking forward to re-building my life and being a valuable member of society.

Prop 36 gave me the opportunity and the tools to deal with my addiction and start living life on life's terms.

While incarcerated, I realized that the current Criminal Justice System is not designed for rehabilitating the inmate population. Their philosophy is based on incarceration and the only people that will benefit from cutting programs such as Prop. 36 and building more jails will be the men and women that will be paid to watch over them.

This program works. I am proof of that. I just hope that the governor, politicians and the taxpayers of California realize that they need to start investing in/developing programs such as this one and deviate from the building of new jails and prisons.

Otherwise, my story would end up with an entire different ending.

I am so very grateful to this program and the people who supported me in the rooms of AA & NA.