METHADONE TREATMENT RESPONSIBLE WAY TO TREAT HEROIN ADDICTION

Recent Washington state budget cuts are forcing hundreds of individuals to
wait for methadone treatments. Methadone is the most common way to treat
heroin addictions, and Washington would benefit socially and economically
by providing prompt treatment to anyone who needs it.

The National Institute of Health estimated the financial costs of untreated
heroin addictions to individuals, families and society in the United States
at $20 billion each year. Washington is home to approximately 38,000
addicts, according to a 2003 report by the Washington State Division of
Alcohol and Substance Abuse.

Methadone, a substitute for heroin that prevents withdrawals without the
high of the drug, has been shown to work effectively in the treatment of
addictions. Washington law limits the number of clients it will treat to
only 2,450 people a year, though it is estimated that Washington houses
more than 18,000 addicts who would benefit from methadone treatment.

Due to the state's limit on clients, addicts in search of treatment are
referred to a waiting list, where the wait can be as long as two years.

This delay violates federal Medicaid law, which requires state Medicaid
services, including methadone, to be provided within a reasonable time.

The reason for this law is evident. Many addicts are homeless and, while on
the waiting list, spend time in jail for crimes committed to acquire the
funds to feed their addictions.

According to DASA, holding a person in jail can cost more than $75 per day
and is unlikely to solve an addiction problem.

The cost of providing methadone treatment, in conjunction with counseling,
costs local governments $10.36 per day. Half of those costs can be paid for
by the federal government if the client is Medicaid eligible.

Simple math proves that providing care will save much more money than
housing addicts in jail. Treating addicts for the two-year period of time
they could possibly spend in jail would cure them of their addictions and
save taxpayers more than $47,000 per treated addict.

The correlation between crime and heroin has been established. Providing
methadone treatment, however, has shown to reduce the crime rate of heroin
addicts by 71 percent, according to the results of a 2001 study of publicly
funded methadone treatment clients.

A 1998 review by the General Accounting Office also found that methadone
therapy helped keep more than 179,000 addicts off heroin, off welfare and
on the tax rolls as law-abiding citizens.

This means money is coming in through taxes instead of money going out to
treat addictions.

Some people argue that using methadone as a solution is counterproductive
because addicts are treating a drug problem with another drug.

Many addictions, however, are treated with other drugs, including
alcoholism, said Jaculine Mitchell, Whatcom County substance abuse program
coordinator. Alcohol is a socially acceptable way to treat alcoholism so
methadone should also be an acceptable way to treat a heroin addition. In
addition, methadone treatment is backed by the Washington State Medical
Association, Pharmacy Association and Medical Society, a testament to the
medical community's positive opinion for methadone who would like easier
access for their patients.

According to a study completed by the Drug Control Policy Program of King
County Bar Association, Washington state's methadone treatment problem
could be solved with less than $2 million more in funding. This money would
help bring treatment to those in need of it by expanding Washington's
current client limit and helping make the treatment more accessible by
creating more clinics, including one in Whatcom or Skagit County. No
clinics currently exist farther north than King County.

Methadone treatment has been proven to be an effective way to cure heroin
addictions. Funding methadone for all who need it is not only economical
but socially responsible.