METHADONE PROVEN HELP FOR ADDICTS

HEALTH: County should reverse its methadone ordinance and make
treatment legal, available.

"Assure that quality, cost-effective, medically necessary, age and
culturally appropriate Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and
Substance Abuse services are available and provided to the citizens of
Whatcom County."

These words are part of the Mission Objective of Whatcom County's Health
and Human Services yet methadone, one of the most promising treatment
options for heroin addicts, remains illegal in Whatcom County. Methadone
is a synthetic, long acting analgesic that blocks the craving for heroin
without producing a euphoric effect.

Methadone was first used to treat drug addiction in the 1960's and since
that time, the drug has been praised and vilified by politicians and health
officials alike. The misinformation surrounding methadone and methadone
maintenance programs can be astounding. A prime example surfaced at the
recent Whatcom County Substance Abuse Advisory Board meeting on May
24. The chairman of the board claimed that methadone maintenance programs
were an ineffective treatment option because "80% of methadone patients
continue to use heroin." This statement is patently false. It is widely
recognized that methadone reduces the use of heroin among addicts.

According to a July 1998 Office of National Drug Control Policy press
release from our nation's Drug Czar, Barry McCaffrey, "Methadone is one of
the longest-established, most thoroughly evaluated forms of drug
treatment. The science is overwhelming in its findings about methadone
treatment's effectiveness.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome
Study found, for example, that methadone treatment reduced participants'
heroin use by 70%, their criminal activity by 57%, and increased their
full-time employment by 24%."

This information inevitably begs the question, "Why does Whatcom County
have a methadone ordinance?" Whatcom County banned methadone in 1987. The
80's were a crucial time for drug policy in this country. The Reagan
Administration rekindled the relentless war on drugs, which criminalized
many addicts, converting the medical problem of addiction to a law
enforcement priority. Unfortunately, the common sense use of methadone
became a victim of "Just Say No" and was accordingly banned in Whatcom
County and many other places across the U.S.

Banning the use of methadone in Whatcom County is unproductive and counter
to the mission objectives of Whatcom County Health and Human Services.
Methadone maintenance programs will not burden the county with additional
expense-quite the contrary.

Methadone maintenance programs cost an average of $4000 per year, per
patient. On the other hand, jailing that patient costs just over $20,000
per year. Indeed, not every patient will ultimately end up in
jail. However, methadone maintenance studies have proven repeatedly that
they are an effective way to reduce the crime associated with heroin
addiction.

The benefit is twofold: First, reducing the crime rate frees police
resources for more serious investigations. Second, reducing
addiction-related crime lessens the burden of an already overcrowded
jail. Altogether, methadone maintenance programs will likely decrease law
enforcement spending.

Additionally, methadone maintenance programs significantly reduce other
risk factors associated with intravenous drug use. Particularly
blood-borne diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. In conjunction with
Whatcom County's year-old needle exchange program, a methadone maintenance
program will significantly reduce the instances of these diseases, creating
a healthier community and reducing health costs associated with blood-borne
diseases. Citizens of Whatcom County are hereby encouraged to contact
Whatcom County Council members and demand that the methadone ordinance be
repealed. In keeping with the County's own Health and Human Services
mission objective, methadone maintenance programs are proven to be quality
programs, cost effective programs, and medically necessary programs.

It is time for the County Council to assure this mission objective be
implemented by repealing the methadone ordinance.