William

William, a Prop. 36 graduate, has been clean and sober for over two years. He is celebrating this Christmas with his fiancé and their two children. He strongly thanks the Prop. 36 program for giving him a second chance at marriage and raising children.

He says, “Without the [Prop. 36] program I’d be wondering what will be in those little sacks they pass out for Christmas in jail.” William also says he would be upset with himself because he knows his father would be angry with him in jail.

William was introduced to Methamphetamines while he was serving in the Navy. He used the drug for over 20 years and says he used some form of illegal narcotic for about 35 years. William believes the authorities tried to scare him straight with jail time, but it never worked. He says without Prop. 36 the only thing that would have gotten him off of drugs would have been an overdose.

The last time he was in court, he thought they would send him back to jail, but they offered him Prop. 36. He was surprised and said "yes" to the option of treatment. William says that if someone wants it bad enough they can go through the program and get off drugs.

He is now a building repair maintenance worker for commercial buildings. He is happy to have a bank account, a car, a fiancée with two children. He believes Prop. 36 and lots of prayer helped him find his way. He attends church four times a week.