What are the advantages of clinic-based methadone treatment?
Methadone is a synthetic oral narcotic that works like morphine to suppress withdrawal symptoms among opioid addicts (primarily heroin). It does not produce euphoria, rather it blocks the euphoria associated with other opioid drugs, i.e. preparations or derivatives of opium. It does, however produce dependence (Farley, 1994). Studies have found methadone maintenance programs are more effective than drug-free treatment in that they reduce: (1) illicit opiate use; (2) the risk of acquiring HIV associated with injection and ; (3) criminal activity (Farrell et al., 1994). The reduction in drug use and crime are directly related to the length of time in the program (Farrell et al., 1994). “Patients stay in [methadone] maintenance programs at a rate two-and-a-half times that of patients in self-help residential programs, and five times that of patients in drug-free outpatient programs” (Farley, 1994). Also according to Farrell et al., better treatment outcomes are achieved with better suppor
