 Pierce County, Washington, initiated a 40-person pilot program in 2006 through a nonprofit treatment center serving the county's drug court, and officials reported very promising results.With this they were able to get $900,000 for Prometa funding in the state and county budgets for 2007, including a University of Washington study to evaluate the treatment.However, it was subsequently revealed that county executive John Ladenburg, state legislator Dennis Flannigan, and officials at the treatment center had bought Hythiam stock.