HIDDEN COST OF DELAYED TREATMENT FOR ADDICTS

Some drug addicts in the Wellington region are waiting more than a year for
methadone treatment, complain drug and alcohol workers.

Capital and Coast opioid treatment service team leader Christine McCarrison
said 47 drug addicts are waiting to be treated with methadone - several have
been on the list for at least 12 months. Methadone is widely used to treat
opiate dependency by acting as a substitute for drugs such as heroin or
morphine.

Ms McCarrison said Health Ministry funding for the region's methadone
service was capped at 410 patients, so the service was unable to meet
demand.

"It leaves them in a situation where they are under pressure and sometimes
their families are under pressure to support their habit so they don't go
into withdrawal," she added.

Ms McCarrison said that without methadone to ease withdrawal addicts were
more likely to use unsafe "homebaked" drugs or resort to crime to finance
their several hundred dollar-a-week addiction.

"It is far cheaper to treat these people than just leave them."

A study done four years ago by Christchurch School of Medicine associate
professor Doug Sellman found that addicts on methadone waiting lists
committed $2500-worth of crime each week in support of their habit.

By comparison, it costs approximately $6500 a year to treat someone with
methadone.

The Health Ministry estimates between 13,500 and 26,600 New Zealanders are
addicted to opiates.

Drug Foundation spokeswoman Sally Jackman said such waiting lists were a
national problem.

Delaying treatment creates stress for addicts and their families and makes
no financial sense when weighed against the cost of crimes committed by
addicts, she said.

Health Ministry spokesman Todd Krieble said district health boards decide
the number of methadone places funded based on the Mental Health
Commission's 1998 blueprint.

In the 2001-2002 financial year the Government spent $8 million treating
3761 people with methadone, including 772 people in Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa,
Wanganui, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Tararua and Wellington regions.

"People who require immediate access to methadone treatment services include
pregnant women and people with serious medical conditions such as HIV-Aids
who can be stabilised or improved," Mr Krieble said, adding that health
boards could give priority admission to addicts with children.