Letters Page

DRUG MAINTENANCE PROGRAMMES

Sir, Eurad (Europe Against Drugs) argues that the drug
problem will get worse if methadone maintenance programmes
and needle exchanges are used to contain the problem. It
advocates abstinence as the answer to drug addiction. Of
course its answer is simplistically correct, but unfortunately is
wishful thinking. A longterm study on relapse rates in the
treatment of drug addiction, published in the British Journal of
Addiction in 1988, found that following inpatient
detoxification, 46 per cent were reusing drugs at six months,
and 97 per cent at one year. John Maher in The Irish Times
reports that officials in Dublin privately accept that only 10 per
cent or fewer of drug addicts become drugfree following
treatment.

Last month, a study of needle exchange programmes published
in the Lancet found that the prevalence of HIV infection
increased by 5.9 per cent a year in 52 cities where no needle
exchanges were provided, but decreased by 5.8 per cent ayear
in 29 cities with needle exchanges.

This State, through the Methadone Maintenance Programme,
has effectively legalised the use of one opiate outside the
normal contexts of therapeutic pain relief in anaesthesia and
palliative care. Opiate addiction is being recognised as a
disease, and is being treated as such. Public health needs
demand that the current policies are extended and not
reversed. If Eurad's attitude should prevail, public health would
suffer and criminals would get even richer. Yours, etc.,
Dr BILL TORMEY, Glasnevin Avenue, Dublin 11.