Jail launches opiate addiction treatment program

The Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight has announced that Sarasota County Jail will be launching an in-house opiate treatment program in partnership with the Drug Court of Florida’s 12th Judicial Court. 

The program involves supervised administration of the drug Vivitrol, which is used to block symptoms of opiate dependence. In order to apply for the program, inmates must be opiate-free for at least seven days and take drug therapy in addition to monthly Vivitrol injections.

According to a press release, Sarasota County Jail is the fourth jail in the state to employ the use of Vivitrol in its drug treatment programs.

“This is just another step we’re taking locally to combat the national issue or opiate addiction,” said Sheriff Knight. “We are not so naive as to believe that arresting people will solve the problem.”