Methadone Abuse

Therefore, these figures suggest that participants of methadone programs are at lower risk of death due to overdose. However, this does not mean that methadone is an innocent substance. The high and increasing number of methadone deaths in Britain is alarming and certainly needs more attention. The first priority should be to establish whether the methadone causing death has been prescribed within a methadone program or bought on the street. It also should be evaluated at what point during the course of the methadone program death takes place. Further instruction doctors prescribing methadone could be necessary. The use of non-prescribed methadone without medical supervision can lead to high risks, especially when it is used as a substitute for heroin in order to get a 'high' instead of to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Physicians have to be aware of this danger and they should make sure that the prescribed methadone (as well as other psycho-active drugs) does not end up in the 'grey market'.

In our opinion heroin users can get great benefit from participation in a well-implemented methadone program. Denigration of methadone programs before a profound study of the real causes of the observed methadone deaths has been performed carries the risk that the baby will be thrown out with the bath water.

Q.) Where did Methadone come from?

A.) Methadone was originally developed by the Nazis during World War II. When the supply of opium was cut off, Nazi addicts like Hermann Goering (Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe and Hitler's designated successor) wanted to avoid the possibility of withdrawal. He instructed the German drug companies to produce a wholly synthetic opiate that didn't need to rely on the poppy. The chemists came up with a drug that not only worked, but also lasted a long time. As a result, Methadone has become the drug of choice for doctors who are trying to help users manage their opiate dependency. Heroin wears off after a couple of hours, thus requiring several hits each day. Methadone, on the other hand, lasts anywhere between 24 and 72 hours, depending on the dose that you take and on your individual metabolism.