METHADONE DEATHS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT TREATMENT

Oshawa Woman Wants To Know Why Methadone Caused Mother's
Death

OSHAWA -- The drug was supposed to help her, not kill her.

Almost a year later, Darlene Jenkins is still asking why methadone,
the drug prescribed to help her 44-year-old mother battle her
long-time dependency on painkillers, ended up causing her mom's death.

"I'd never even heard of the stuff until she told me she was on it,"
Ms. Jenkins, 25, said. "She obviously wanted the help to get off what
she was on, so I was all for it."

Her optimism was short-lived. Ms. Jenkins said she watched as her
mother steadily deteriorated under the influence of methadone, losing
touch with those around her. On Sept. 23, 2003, Ms. Jenkins's
15-year-old sister found their mother dead in her Oshawa apartment.

The official cause of death was listed as a methadone overdose.

Judith Jenkins's death was one of an estimated 20 methadone-related
fatalities in Oshawa, a city of 150,000, since 2001. The frequency of
those deaths has prompted the regional coroner's office to call an
inquest into the phenomenon.

The timing and scope of the inquest has yet to be determined, said
regional coroner Dr. William Lucas, who met Friday afternoon with
Durham Crown attorney John Scott to discuss the matter.

"The fine details are yet to be completely worked out," Dr. Lucas
said. Among those details will be the number of deaths to be examined
during the inquiry.

"We haven't narrowed that down," Dr. Lucas said.

Inquests present sworn testimony to a jury, which then determines what
led to the death or deaths in question and makes recommendations on
how to avoid similar fatalities in the future.

Fred Lorusso, president of the First Step methadone clinic in downtown
Oshawa, said he's hopeful the inquest will shed light on the
circumstances that led to the fatal overdoses.

"There are a lot of questions I don't have the answers to," he said.
"Whether or not they're (patients) receiving the proper treatment and
proper dosages - these are questions I want answered as well."

While overdoses involving methadone are not rare, it is the number of
fatalities in a concentrated area, and the fact that many of those who
died were regular users of the drug that warrant a closer look, Dr.
Lucas said. For instance, Toronto experiences more methadone overdoses
and deaths than Oshawa; but it also has a vast population and a much
wider distribution system than Oshawa, Dr. Lucas said. He said the
concentration of deaths in Oshawa is particularly glaring when
compared to other jurisdictions.

"The numbers caused alarm bells to go off and caused us to look at the
circumstances more critically," Dr. Lucas said.

Methadone deaths are usually the result of consumption by people who
are not regular users. But in Oshawa, a majority of the people who
died were registered patients, receiving a daily dose of the synthetic
opiate. The drug is typically prescribed for drug-users attempting to
kick harmful addictions.

"If the mode is harm reduction," Dr. Lucas asked, "why are people dying?"

The question resonates with Ms. Jenkins. Although she'd grown used to
her mother's dependency on powerful painkillers such as oxycontine and
diazepam, she was encouraged when Judith Jenkins announced she'd
become a patient at First Step's downtown clinic. She even drove her
mother to the clinic each day where she'd pick up her dose of methadone.

Judith was allowed to take her methadone in "carry" form, meaning she
could pick it up at the clinic and swallow it when she chose at home.

Ms. Jenkins's enthusiasm for her mother's methadone program began to
wane, however, when she noticed her frequently nodding off or
appearing disoriented. She took control of the prescription drugs her
mother was getting from other doctors, handing out prescribed dosages
daily so her mom wouldn't cheat to get high. Ms. Jenkins said she
spoke with a doctor at First Step and aired her concerns, and was
encouraged to let the methadone treatment program run its course.
Three days later, Judith Jenkins was dead at 44.

"Sunday morning my sister called and said there was something wrong
with Mom," she said. "When I got there, there were ambulances and
police cars. That's when they told me she had passed away."

Ms. Jenkins wracked her brain to figure out how her mother may have
got hold of more drugs. She had searched the woman's apartment in the
days prior to her overdose, making sure there wasn't anything she
could lay her hands on. She had been delivering her mother's
prescription drugs and methadone carries herself.

A toxicology report revealed the cause of death to be methadone
overdose. A trace amount of oxycontine was also found in her mother's
system, Ms. Jenkins said. The death has led her to question the use of
methadone in her mother's treatment. She hopes an inquest will answer
some of the lingering questions she has.

"I hope they really look into it," she said. "My mom went there to
help herself, not to kill herself.

"I don't want another 15-year-old to walk in and find her mother dead."

Mr. Lorusso said the deaths have not gone unnoticed at the First Step
clinic.

"Deaths are always troubling," he said. "It brings a dark cloud every
single time."

While overdoses will no doubt be a primary focus of the inquest, Mr.
Lorusso remains hopeful jurors will be apprised of the benefits of
methadone. People who are able to avoid drugs through methadone
treatment are capable of working and functioning in society, reducing
medical, law enforcement and social costs, he said.

"I'd like to think the inquest will be balanced," Mr. Lorusso said.

"(Methadone) allows people to function normally in society."

No date for an inquest has been set.