DRUG CZAR TO BACK WIDER METHADONE USE

Disregarding New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's criticism of methadone,the
White House's top drug-policy official plans today to recommend expanding
the availability of the drug.

U.S.drug czar Barry McCaffrey is expected to outline a major overhaul of
federal methadone policy to treat heroin addiction,in a speech today to a
national conference of the American Methadone Treatment Association in
Manhattan.

The proposals by McCraffrey,which incorporate suggestions from government
agencies and other specialists in substance abuse,recommend that qualified
physicians be allowed to administer methadone to patients in the privacy of
their offices.Methadone is now dispensed at special clinics.The times when
it is dispensed can make it difficult for some recovering addicts to hold
down jobs.

McCaffrey is urging that methadone treatment be made available to any
addict who request and needs it.

Checked-by: Pat Dolan