SUBSTANCE ABUSE AN ISSUE IN NORTHUMBERLAND, SAYS HEALTH UNIT

Methadone Clinic Slated for Port Hope

PORT HOPE -- Treatment and harm reduction are both goals of methadone
treatment programs run by the Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres,
including one coming to Port Hope, according to its website.

The website says methadone treatment programs help stabilize the
lives of people who are dependent on opiates and reduce the harm
related to drug use.

The firm runs 36 methadone clinics in Ontario and will operate the
clinic slated to open in Port Hope's Pine View Plaza on Toronto Road.
It opened its first clinic in the GTA in 1995. Calls to the centre's
regional manager were not returned as of press time.

According to oatc.ca, methadone is a long-acting opioid medication
(lasting 24-36 hours per dose) that is an effective and legal
substitute for heroin or other narcotics such as heroin, OxyContin,
opium, Percocet, Percodan, morphine and codeine. Methadone has been
used in treatment programs since the 1960s and helps those addicted
to opiates return to a stable social, economic and home environment,
as noted on the website.

The methadone program is not a quick fix: rather, it is part of a
long-term and comprehensive maintenance program for opiate-dependent
clients, as noted on the website. The immediate goal of the program
is to stabilize the patient's methadone dose, promote a sense of
well-being and prevent physical withdrawal symptoms. Methadone
significantly decreases drug cravings and helps patients eliminate
drug use. When taken as prescribed, and in conjunction with a
comprehensive treatment program, methadone it is a safe and effective
medication that patients can take for many years to both achieve and
maintain a drug-free lifestyle, according to the website. The
treatment is covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Program.

Substance abuse is an issue in Northumberland County, says the
director of chronic disease control and injury prevention for the
Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit.

"We need to work at having a comprehensive approach to tackling
substance abuse problems that includes prevention, treatment and harm
reduction," said Leslie Orpana, adding substance abuse includes opiates.

For more information on drug abuse, visit www.oatc.ca or www.hkpr.on.ca .