AREA OFFICIALS VOICE CONCERN ABOUT FACILITY

PRINCETON - Objections to a proposed for-profit methadone clinic in
Mercer County have already surfaced. At last Thursday's meeting of the
Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce, a unanimous resolution
passed that objects to a methadone clinic being established in Princeton.

"The gist of the resolution about the clinic is this," Princeton City
Manager Doug Freeman said Friday. "To the elected state government
representatives and the Health Care Cost Review Authority, we are
asking for further education and information before any decision is
made to place a clinic in Princeton."

Freeman also said, "We are asking them to review the true need of the
clinic."

"I'm assuming there is some efficacy in these clinics being developed.
However, there are ones already in Beckley and Tazewell. I don't know
if there is a true need, based on population, for one to be developed
in Princeton," Dan Dunmyer, CEO of Princeton Community Hospital, said.

"I'm concerned as a parent and as a resident of Mercer County about
what problems might result."

"My concern is that prior to Jan. 1, 2001, West Virginia had no
methadone clinics. The state has no regulations applying to the
operation of these clinics," Dr. Michael McNeer, a psychiatrist and
addiction-medication specialist at Springhaven Inc., said.

"All surrounding states have regulations governing the operations of
methadone clinics. The federal regulations (42 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 8) have recently been rewritten and are quite liberal
concerning admission to these clinics."

Another of McNeer's concerns is about the effect of those federal
regulations.

"I feel very strongly about the potential harm of widespread,
loosely-regulated treatment," he said.

"In an area where prescription drug abuse and diverting drugs from
their assigned use is rampant - and appears to be an accepted,
significant and ingrained part of our economy - I have concerns about
misuses and diversion (being allowed through) these increasingly
liberal and sometimes vague regulations."

Yet another of McNeer's concerns is about the drug's toxicity and
lethality to current or first-time users.

"Methadone is an abusable, addicting, potent, dangerous drug when used
inappropriately," he said.

"Even when used carefully, because of its extreme potency and
metabolic complexity, methadone is a very dangerous drug -
particularly when taken with drugs such as alcohol, tranquilizers and
sedatives."

Dunmyer said that "I don't want to be perceived that we want things to
be kept out. But we want to make sure services that are being provided
are necessary and safe."