METHADONE CLINICS POSE_NO DANGER TO COMMUNITY

"New methadone clinic has neighbors uneasy" published March 1: Well, they
needn't be. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy,
quoting the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Study conducted by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse, "Among participants in outpatient methadone
treatment, weekly heroin use decreased 70 percent; cocaine use 50 percent
(many heroin users are polydrug users); illegal activity decreased by 55
percent and fulltime work increased by 30 percent." NIDA has conducted
literally dozens of studies of this treatment modality, all with uniform
positive results. There are over 1,200 opiate treatment programs in the
United States, and there are no reports of any problems around any of them.

And what a joke that nearby female employees are afraid to walk to their
cars at night. For one thing, most opiate treatment programs do not have
night dispensing hours, and for two, sexual side effects, in terms of loss
of libido, are a common side effect of this medication, so women have no
need to fear methadone patients.

It seems that the business owners in this area should be more afraid of
untreated opiate addicts. Those are the ones who are breaking and entering,
sticking up and committing other crimes to support their illicit drug
habits. Once opiate users are stabilized on safe, effective and legal
medication, the need for antisocial behavior disappears.

CHRIS KELLY

Director, Advocates for Recover through Medicine

Washington, D.C., Chapter