METHADONE ALSO FOR PAIN TREATMENT, NOT JUST ADDICTS

I am just about to burst with fury over the uneducated and ignorant
knowledge this community has about methadone as a medication and what
it actually does.

It was stated in the article Methodone limits centre (Nov. 9) that
methadone is the drug used to wean drug addicts off opiates. That is
only a small portion of the correct usage of this legitimate
medication, which is used in pain management control.

Methadone is in the same category as opiate drugs such as OxyContin
but it does not provide a high that the other pain relievers can do
when misused.

Methadone can be much more successful in providing relief to those who
suffer debilitating long-term pain without leaving them feeling dopey
or groggy.

Not every doctor in the province is allowed to prescribe methadone.
They must obtain a special license from the College of Physicians and
Surgeons to enable them to write a prescription. Further, there is one
or maybe two drug stores in the city of London that provide this
medication. Addicts do not walk into a drug store and buy this
medication. I understand it is provided to them as they need it, in
many cases through the treating centre and not the corner drug store.

For 10 years it allowed me to function daily and eventually recover
from a serious auto injury. I have lived without it for years and am
not addicted to any pain relievers at all.

Too many people blame the medical profession for addicting them with
prescription pills when it is most often their own fault. They overuse
the pills as little miracle workers and don't want to wait until
nature takes its course. As a society we are often looking for a quick
fix instead of dealing with the real problem.

Dundas St. does have a serious problem. I have seen it frequently as I
pass by. But it is not a methadone drug problem; it is a service
delivery problem.

Let's try to do our homework investigating the facts before shooting
down the work of the drug stores and physicians in town.

The addiction-weaning clinic problem was a political one of allowing
this type of service in the worst possible site they could encounter.
By allowing this service in that area, they have created a ghetto
waiting around for nothing and creating havoc among the neighbourhood
and neighbours of all ages.

Brenda Ryan

London