"You attract more flies to honey than you do to vinegar," said Beth Fann, a recovering alcoholic and program director at the House of Hope for women recovering from drug addiction.

That is the idea driving drug counselors and recovering addicts and abusers to push for a drug court in Lowndes County.

"People who use drugs and or alcohol are people who are hurting emotionally, spiritually, physically whether it be to go to jail or prison it's not going to give them any healing," said Fann.

A recovering addict says she was in and out of jail nine times within three years.

"Each time when I came out of jail I was never going to do it again, and always ended up back there doing it because I didn't have the healing and education that I needed," said Amy Taylor.

It’s healing and education that many say comes from drug counseling and treatment.

"Once someone becomes an addict there's no such thing as non-mandated treatment for that person," said Casey Corbin, a drug counselor in Valdosta.

But although many surrounding counties in Georgia and Florida have drug courts, Lowndes County doesn't have one yet. A survey modeled after a community with a drug court found 450 people in Lowndes County should be in drug court.

Supporters say creating a drug court here in Lowndes County would reduce welfare, court costs and health care. Experts say for each dollar spent in creating drug court $5 to $20 is saved for taxpayers and the local economy.

"There is grant money available that we could tap into about $550,000 to start drug court in this area. On going grants of about $450,000 a year," said Corbin.

"There's a solution out there and we know that you can have a productive life where you can give back to your community and be a law abiding citizen again," said Sandy Thrasher, a recovering addict.

Local organizers hope members of the community will step forward to support this need in time to apply for the March deadline for funding.

For more information on the effort to create a drug court in Lowndes County log on to www.solutionscounselingservices.com