COUNTY OKS METHADONE CLINICS, BUT SETS LIMITS

ABINGDON - The Washington County Board of Supervisors voted to allow
methadone clinics in the county Monday night, but put strict requirements
on where they can go.

Late last year, South Carolina-based Appalachian Treatment Services applied
to open a methadone clinic on Old Dominion Road in the Lowry Hills
community. The application caused uproar among residents who claimed the
clinic would cause an increase in crime, traffic and would devalue their
property.

Methadone clinics use a synthetic opiate to wean drug addicts from drugs
such as oxycodone and heroin.

The unanimous vote by supervisors Monday night to allow substance abuse
clinics in general business and industrial zones as a special exception use
seemed to pacify those residents. Some, including Chief Deputy Blake Andis
and county Medical Examiner Anne Kegley still remained opposed to the
methadone clinics in general.

Under the special exception use, clinic operators now have to apply for
special permits which are considered by the Board of Supervisors on an
individual basis.

The zoning amendment also includes buffering requirements that ban clinics
within a half-mile of public or private K-12 schools, daycare centers,
places of worship, residential districts or within 1,000 feet of any home.

County Attorney Lucy Phillips said the ordinance was medium ground between
those who don't want a clinic anywhere and the need for substance abuse
clinics.

Mike Bragg, a resident of Lowry Hills and local attorney, had threatened
legal action if the county allowed the clinic on Old Dominion Road. He said
he and the residents of the community were gracious and respected county
leaders for their handling of the situation.

"Allowing this use in limited areas with special exceptions and rules that
would be imposed by the board is a good compromise, taking into
consideration the potential need, if that's shown to the board, for such
facilities and taking into consideration the neighborhoods that could be
affected, the community, public safety and property values," he said.

Kegley wrote a strongly-worded letter to the board condemning the clinics.

She said there has been a marked increase in deaths caused by methadone in
Virginia as it has surpassed all other drugs as a cause of fatal overdoses
in the state.

Southwest Virginia has been particularly hard hit, she wrote.

"It is in the approximate time period that methadone clinics have been
established in Galax and Tazewell, that all medical examiners have suddenly
become more busy with fatal overdoses of methadone," she wrote. "Methadone
is an addictive drug that is readily abused and misused by recipients of it
from methadone and pain management clinics."

She said she did not believe a clinic would have a positive impact on the
county.

Andis said methadone and methamphetamine have become the drugs of choice in
Washington County. He said 80 percent of drug cases developed in the county
involve methadone, including liquid forms given out at methadone clinics.

Despite claims from clinic proponents that doses are non-intoxicating, he
said deputies have made several driving under the influence stops of
methadone patients.

"We've seen people that couldn't hardly walk," he said.

No representatives for Appalachian Treatment Services were on hand Monday
night and no one spoke in favor of the clinic.

Clinic owner Larry Worley earlier said he would review the language of the
ordinance and the county's refusal to permit his business and would
consider legal action if necessary.