NALTREXONE NOT A MIRACLE CURE

CYRENIAN House has been involved in treating drug addiction for the past 20
years and our staff have shared the great sadness of the deaths of former
clients who have relapsed and overdosed. We acknowledge that people ceasing
heroin use have a heightened risk of overdose. We take all steps possible
to minimise that risk with our programs and information.

It is extremely unfortunate that naltrexone has been promoted in Australia
as a "miracle" cure. This has been a great disservice to the many people
addicted to heroin and their suffering parents, families and friends. There
are no genuine shortcuts and the painful process of addressing the
underlying reasons for drug dependence has to be faced.

Naltrexone provides a valuable three-day safety net between the decision to
use and when heroin will have the desired effect. It does not prevent
people from using other drugs such as speed and we have spoken to people
who have experimented with trying higher doses of heroin in an attempt to
shorten the three-day waiting period. Some people have even reported
attending the naltrexone clinic simply to obtain scripts for the sedative
Rohypnol.

It is to be hoped that the recently released research on the Subiaco
naltrexone clinic mortality rates will lead to some sober reflection on the
efficacy of naltrexone and the context in which it is supplied. Naltrexone
is to be welcomed as an additional aid in dealing with heroin addiction but
it is now time to be objective and use it where the chances of success are
best and the risks smallest.

ARTHUR TOON, director, Cyrenian House, Perth.