SAYING NO

This is in respomnse to Dave Michon (WM, Letters/"Clinix Rx", April 4)
about another methadone clinic trying to open in the city. I say "hooray"
to Ronald Charette and Barbara Haller for interfering in the opening of a
clinic on Cambridge Street, or anywhere else in the city. We already have two.

It should be known that the "respected" health-care companies that own and
operate methadone clinics are for-profit agencies. They do not rehabilitate
the addict; they switch the addiction to a synthetic form of heroin and the
addicts become addicted to methadone. Please tell me the remedy for
kicking methadone. I am told that it is worse than kicking heroin. So
instead of the drug dealers making money, the respected doctors do, and our
health insurance pays.

The taxpayers also pay, if you recieve public health insurance. Why is it
that our elderly have to worry about their medications but our drug addicts
don't? The "long-proven treatment" is that these addicts never get off this
methadone. Please tell me the success rate of the patients in the methadone
clinics. I personally know a number of methadone patients; these people
have been receiving their methadone as far back as five years, and I do not
see any recovery in sight. They are just as bad, if not worse, than when
they were abusing heroin.

While participating in the methadone program, addicts can still abuse drugs
because they are only tested for heroin. They can abuse all the
prescription medicine they want. Another good deal for the doctors. I will
- -- and have-show(n) my face at addicts' funerals; the question is, will Mr.
Michon show his face at an elder's funeral because they could not afford
their blood pressure or any other medicine they may need? I was behind an
elderly person at the pharmacy recently and she was paying more than $300
for her prescriptions. Maybe this "respected health-care company" could
open a clinic for the elderly.

Rosemary LeFrancois

Worcester