MORE METHADONE CLINICS SOUGHT

Facing the worst heroin problem in King County history, health authorities
will ask the County Council to make treatment available to hundreds of
addicts waiting for it.

The King County Board of Health voted unanimously yesterday to ask the
council to increase the number of licensed methadone clinics. Health
officials estimate at least 450 addicts are on waiting lists to get into
the five centers now treating 1,750 patients.

"This has clear public-health and safety benefits," said board Chairman
Greg Nickels. "It's a difficult political and social issue, but the goal is
a community that is clean and sober and safe. This a step in that direction."

In 1998, the number of heroin overdose deaths in King County climbed to 144
- - the most ever and triple the number in 1990. Experts aren't sure of the
reason, but they believe there are more users starting at a younger age.
About 18,000 heroin addicts live in King County, they estimate.

"I have no doubt you could open at least two more clinics and fill them
within a year," said Ron Jackson, director of Evergreen Treatment Services,
one of two agencies operating methadone clinics. Each clinic is licensed to
treat 350 clients. More than half pay the approximately $300 a month for
treatment through private insurance or with cash.

Methadone, a synthetic narcotic, relieves craving for heroin, does not
cause the same high, and enables patients to work and lead a normal life.

Health authorities say the treatment has significant implications for
health and crime prevention. More than 80 percent of King County addicts
are infected with hepatitis C and about 4 percent carry the AIDS virus.
Both viruses can be transmitted by sharing needles. In Vancouver, B.C., up
to 23 percent of addicts have HIV.

In addition, about 60 percent of the county-jail inmates are serving time
for drug-related crimes, especially drug-dealing and property crimes.

The health board also asked the Seattle-King County Department of Public
Health to investigate ways to incorporate methadone treatment into its 24
public-health and community-health clinics.

Alonzo Plough, Health Department director, said that as Boston's health
director he dispersed treatment facilities.

"Small and diffuse is best," he said. "We could site them here in the
different clinics. Then you wouldn't have to have 350 (patients) all going
to one center."

The Board of Health also will ask state health officials to seek ways to
allow private physicians to prescribe methadone. A bill to allow such
distribution passed the state Senate this year but never was considered by
the House.

The Washington state Board of Health is considering supporting a state
Board of Pharmacy measure that would make it clear pharmacists can sell
syringes to addicts to help prevent hepatitis and HIV spread. King County's
needle exchange dispersed 1.7 million syringes last year, but drug users
sometimes can't get to the exchanges, health officials say.

Near the downtown Seattle needle exchange yesterday, several heroin users
or former users said they were very happy over the prospect of expanded
methadone treatment.

"If they do that, they'll get more people off heroin than ever before,"
said Randy, 34, a 10-year user.

"I do $250 (in heroin) a day, and I'm ravaging the stores, stealing them
blind. I take a lot of laptops."

Linda Swan, 30, said she started taking methadone three years ago for the
sake of her children, now 13 and 8. She waited months to get into
treatment, and with her father footing the bill she finally got clean.

"I was really suicidal and depressed. People just don't realize how heroin
can get ahold of them real quick."