METHADONE TREATMENT CLINIC APPROVED FOR KENORA

Methadone has long been a controversial method of treating drug
addicts but it's one way to deal with a problem that's been brooding
underground in Kenora for some time.

Methadone is a treatment people seek when they are fed up with their
drug addiction but cannot control their urges.

The treatment does not get a person high or instantly fix a problem
that likely developed over a number of years, said Marlene Mymryk,
community programs co-ordinator.

"You can go back to work and function in a normal way," she said. "In
some sense if gives that person back their life."

Methadone is a treatment prescribed by a doctor and administered to a
person on a daily basis under supervision. It's a liquid drink
absorbed by the body to stop drug cravings. The methadone impacts the
same receptors in the brain which crave the addictive substance and
allows the person to stabilize themselves.

"They're (methadone clinics) extremely, extremely, tightly regulated,"
said Mymryk.

At the moment the clinic isn't officially open but it has been
generating buzz in the community -- nearly 50 people have already
contacted organizers asking for more information. By mid-February, the
program will begin under the auspices of Addiction Services Kenora and
accommodate up to about 50 people at first.

"It's not just a methadone clinic," said Dr. Sean Moore, chief of
staff at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital and part organizer of
the clinic. "It's a need-driven pilot project."

Each person is assessed individually to get the help they need, not
just a quick fix, said Moore. Counseling is a major part of the
program which helps each person with their problems.

Clients must regularly pass a urine test to remain in the program.
Although methadone users can no longer feel the effects of their drug
of choice, some continue to take it out of habit.

A contract is signed between the clinic and the person seeking
services to help ensure they stick with their program.

Some users stay on methadone for varying lengths of time, some longer
than others. But as the methadone maintenance treatment client
handbook points out, the average user is on the the program for one to
two years.