Does the use of medications like methadone simply replace one drug addiction for another?
No. Methadone is not a heroin substitute. It is a safe and effective medication for opiate addiction. Maintenance treatment with methadone reduces the desire for heroin and the euphoric effects of heroin are significantly blocked. According to research, those undergoing maintenance treatment do not suffer the medical abnormalities and behavioral destabilization that rapid fluctuations in drug levels cause in heroin addicts. It should be noted, however, that according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers taking methadone cannot be qualified for a commercial drivers license.
No. Methadone is not a heroin substitute. It is a safe and effective medication for opiate addiction. Maintenance treatment with methadone reduces the desire for heroin and the euphoric effects of heroin are significantly blocked. According to research, those undergoing maintenance treatment do not suffer the medical abnormalities and behavioral destabilization that rapid fluctuations in drug levels cause in heroin addicts. It should be noted, however, that according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers taking methadone cannot be qualified for a commercial driver’s license.
