FORMER ADDICT SAYS METHADONE NOT THE ANSWER

THE EDITOR:

I used heroin for many years of my life, as well as many other drugs. I
knew many people on the methadone program. Whenever I was sick and could
not find heroin, I would go down to the methadone clinic and wait until
someone came out with a "carry" [take-home supply of methadone] and buy
their methadone at $1 per milligram, 50 milligrams for $50.

Some friends would get on the program, get their doses raised every week
until they were on the maximum dose. Depending on what doctor they were
seeing, that maximum could be anywhere from 120 mg to 250 mg.

Once they were at the maximum they would then bring themselves down without
letting their doctors know. They would only be using half of what they were
given and sell the rest.

When they had to drink the full dose in front of the pharmacist, they would
leave the drug store, stick their fingers down their throat and purge so
they would not overdose on the high dose.

Most of the people I knew also continued using while on the methadone
program, and in order to beat the urine analysis they would have someone
urinate in a cup, hand that in, and the test result would be clean. They
would actually buy someone else's urine. People in this community are led
to believe that methadone stops criminals from doing crime. If that is
true, why is it that they have the policy in place, that when someone on
the methadone program ends up with such serious charges that they are
sentenced to do jail time, they are automatically given their methadone in
jail?

From the other side the frustration I felt was working with people in
prison applying for parole. A lot of the prisoners were told that they
would not receive parole unless they went on the methadone program, even
after being drug free. Methadone is the worst drug to detox from. It is so
severe that even the licensed detox centres will not even attempt the
process without the individual being down to a minimum of 30 mg per day,
which is a very low dose. When looking into the institutions that give
methadone out to the prisoners, I know people that actually vomit methadone
up after drinking it and then someone actually drinking that to reach the high.

In my opinion methadone is not the answer. Spend the money on opening a
detox facility here in this community, as well as more treatment
facilities, recovery homes and safe homes for follow-up recovery.

When the needle exchange opened in Vancouver, I used to go around to the
back alleys and pick up the old used needles and bring them in to exchange.
After hours I could sell them for $2 a piece and use the money to get
another fix. Fifty needles was $100.

When I had drugs and the needle exchange was not open, I used whatever
needle was available. It didn't matter to me who used it before me. If I
had bleach, I would rinse it; if not, I just cleaned it with water.

When I was looking to score drugs, I knew that a dealer would be not too
far away from the exchange. When I was selling drugs, I knew that I could
sell near the exchange. It didn't matter to me at the time that the police
station was right across the street.

When you are wired out on drugs, your self-esteem is so low that you don't
care if you live or die. Let's work on building the self worth and start
saving lives. Treatment works. Let's stick with what works. Drug addicts do
recover, when led in the right direction.

I.E. Hawksworth

Abbotsford