Expert: Safe injection site improves 'public order' May 6, 2008
" Any reasonable interpretation of that goal is the reduction of crime. Steve DeightonDoes it really make financial sense?Where does the addict 'live out' their heroin experience? At safe safe site or on the street?What kind of crime do they commit when their high and how much does that cost?I am all for empathy but how much empathy is shown to furthering someone's addiction and potentially killing themselves when they are not at the safe site. Or worse, sharing needles and spreading disease... (CTV.ca)
* Methadone could soon be offered to kick heroin habit Apr 9, 2008
Methadone could soon be offered to kick heroin habit ... A proposed amendment to the Narcotics Endangerment Prevention Act (r~M`) that would provide methadone maintenance treatment as an official way to reduce drug dependence was approved by the legislature yesterday ... Although the methadone treatment had been tried at many locations, there is no legal basis for it at the moment, said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) acting Secretary-General Hsieh Kuo-liang (), who proposed... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
* Methadone bill likely to pass, KMT legislator says Apr 6, 2008
Methadone bill likely to pass, KMT legislator says ... A bill stipulating methadone treatment for heroin addicts is likely to be passed on Tuesday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang () said yesterday ... The bill proposes that heroin addicts could choose to either receive methadone treatment or undergo treatment at drug rehabilitation centers which is the only option the current law allows for. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Time To Apply The 15% Solution: Making Bush Tax Cuts Permanent Jan 31, 2008
As former Reagan and Bush Treasury official Bruce Bartlett and others have suggested, the long history of tax rebates reveals them for what they are fiscal methadone rather than long-term consumer rehabilitation. While there is nothing the federal government or the Federal Reserve can do to save housing, fiscal stimulus can be useful in maintaining employment levels in other parts of the economy that haven't experienced a bubble in the past six years most specifically capital spending. (Investors Business Daily)
Brad Renfro, 25; child actor faced drug problems Jan 16, 2008
Mr. Renfro told a detective arresting him that he was using heroin and methadone. He ultimately went to a drug rehabilitation program and pleaded guilty to attempted possession of heroin. (Boston Globe)
Should Heroin Be Prescribed To Addicts? Jan 12, 2008
They also found it to be cost effective compared with methadone maintenance treatment ... The evidence in relation to heroin prescribing is far from conclusive, he says, while the cost of treating an addict with heroin is estimated to be three to four times that of treating an addict with methadone ... 4% receiving methadone maintenance. (Science Daily)
Chronic pain vexes patients, physicians Jan 7, 2008
Because they're allergic to or have developed a high tolerance to traditional pain medication, they require prescriptions for narcotics or opioids, such as methadone, OxyContin and morphine. The abuse and addiction potential of narcotic painkillers and fears of federal and state scrutiny and prosecution discourage many primary-care doctors from treating chronic pain patients. (AZCentral -- News)
Case pits county zoning versus rights of disabled Dec 4, 2007
Pikesville methadone clinic case in U.S. court ... A federal appeals court will hear arguments today in a long-running dispute over a Pikesville methadone clinic, which pits Baltimore County's zoning authority against a federal law meant to protect the disabled ... Appearing before a panel of judges one level below the U.S. Supreme Court, Baltimore County lawyers will press their case that a lower court's ruling unduly restricts the local government's ability to regulate how land is used - the... (SunSpot.net)
A fix on the state Nov 20, 2007
If I was on methadone and occasional street drugs ... 5m paid for by Home Office and Department of Health there are 150 users a third of addicts use methadone orally, a third inject methadone and a third inject heroin (diamorphine) ... The problem is that some addicts do not respond to schemes that try to replace heroin with methadone - and may end up taking both drugs. (BBC News -- UK)
Drugs kill 80,000 Russians a year Nov 10, 2007
Russian law also bans the opiate substitute methadone from being prescribed to heroin users, despite its successful use in many countries, HRW said. "The lack of effective drug addiction treatment in Russia means that drug users who want to break their addiction cannot, and are condemned to a life of continued drug use," said Diederik Lohman, from HRW's HIV/AIDS program. (MSNBC -- International)
Methadone linked to big rise in Scottish drug deaths Oct 9, 2007
Nearly a quarter were linked to methadone, a heroin substitute used as the frontline treatment for addiction to the drug ... The Scottish Executive has been criticised for presiding over a poorly-run methadone programme, which focuses on stabilising heroin addicts' drug use rather than weaning them off the substance ... Many clinics practice a "methadone in the community" scheme, which allows addicts to be prescribed methadone even if they continue to use heroin. (Guardian Unlimited -- Life)
Service centres to be involved in methadone replacement therapy Oct 5, 2007
PUTRAJAYA: Service centres run by the National Anti Drugs Agency will be used in expanding the methadone replacement therapy for drug users ... The initial number of drug users for each centre will be 50 and an allocation of RM440,000 has been given for the purchase of the methadone, equipment and training ... He added that the programme would be monitored by three psychiatrists who would train medical officers to dispense the methadone. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
Govt eases access to methadone through community health centers Sep 29, 2007
ACCESS TO HELP: Two methadone patients receive a dose at the Tebet community health center on Friday ... The city health agency says it will provide more community health centers for injecting drug users (IDUs), easing access to the methadone substitution program ... Riza, head of the education and research division at Cibubur Drug Dependence Hospital, said Friday his office was presently training medical staff to be posted in five new methadone facilities in 2007-2008. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- City)
Case highlights rise in drug abuse by Rx Sep 14, 2007
But Curley continued going to Zolot, and after seeing the physician on Oct. 13 of that year, investigators said, he had prescriptions filled for OxyContin, methadone, and Endocet. The next day, Curley, 44, was dead. (Boston Globe)
Tough love or TLC? Sep 2, 2007
Since then, she said, she has kept to her methadone prescriptions. Of course I m pleased for her, and I told her so. (Times Online)
Suspended Scranton cop pleaded guilty Aug 29, 2007
A phone call taped by investigators in late February revealed Officer Conway discussed the delivery of OxyContin and methadone to another informant, which led to his arrest on charges of possession of methadone, possession of OxyContin, unlawful delivery of OxyContin and two counts of using a telephone for a drug transaction. Deputy District Attorney Margaret Bisignani said Officer Conway was not treated any differently than any other drug offender who comes before the court. (Scranton Times, PA)
Killing the pain Aug 23, 2007
While abstinence-based programs that encourage addicts to quit painkillers like hydrocodone are common, there is also a widespread drug-based way of treating the addiction with methadone, another opioid. In many parts of the country, methadone clinics have drawn fire from residents and politicians who contend they attract crime ... West Virginia's legislature earlier this year passed a moratorium on any new clinics that use methadone until a study can be completed. (Boulder Colorado Daily, CO)
Drug Rehab Directory Offers Free Information on 'Dirty Dozen' - 12 Addicting Drugs Aug 22, 2007
Alcohol, Cocaine, Ecstasy, Heroin, Hydrocodone, Lortab, Methadone, Oxycontin, Painkillers, Percocet, Vicodin, and Methamphetamines make up this "dirty dozen" of addictive mood-altering substances. Although these are frequently seen in local clinics, they are by no means the most widely used substances. (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
Court fight launched to save safe-injection site Aug 18, 2007
Ms. Tomic said she's been taking methadone for about 10 months as part of her treatment to withdraw from heroin. And despite staying clean so far, she said she still visits Insite to talk to the staff on days when she feels like relapsing. (Globe and Mail -- National)
Group offers alternative addiction treatment Aug 14, 2007
" According to a 2005 study conducted by the University of Indonesia, 1.5 percent (8,200,000) of Indonesia's total population are drug users and 60 percent of them are HIV positive. Jakarta is currently the nation's capital of drug abuse and trade, with users and traffickers scattered evenly in the city's five municipalities. Chen Chun, who is also known as Graha Tejasukmana, said he hit on the herbal concoction after studying Chinese medicine in his birth place of China. He relocated to... (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- City)
Oceanside needs Fellowship Aug 1, 2007
In addition, serious addicts who need treatment involving methadone or other such drug therapy are not served at the center. Those with severe mental health disorders or who pose a threat to themselves are not accepted. (North County Times)
1 comment(s) The Fellowship Center is planning new facility in Oceanside Jul 29, 2007
Those needing treatment involving methadone or other such drug therapy are not served at the center and are referred to other appropriate services. As well, those with severe mental health disorders or who pose a threat to themselves or others are referred out. (North County Times)
Accounts clerk stole $172000 Jul 27, 2007
Her lawyer Simon Lewis told the court his client had stopped using heroin when she discovered she was pregnant and was now on the methadone program and undergoing drug rehabilitation. He also made the point that while Turgeon had battled with a drug addiction since she was a teen, she had not made a habit of committing criminal offences. (Courier Mail)
* Released prisoner arrests climb to 26 Jul 25, 2007
The ministry yesterday has requested the Executive Yuan to appropriate a fund of NT$100 million (US$3 million) to help drug addicts released under the amnesty to attend a free methadone program, he said. Methadone is designed to treat narcotic withdrawal, reducing dependence on drugs such as heroin. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Taiwan)
Methadone prescribing checks urged Jul 24, 2007
A national system to keep track of the way methadone is prescribed should be set up as a matter of urgency, experts have warned. More than 21,000 people are receiving methadone to treat their drug addiction, according to a new report ... Former First Minister Jack McConnell was prompted to call for reports after the death of two-year-old Derek Doran from East Lothian who drank the methadone which had been supplied for his parents. (Channel 4 News)
The slaves on cannabis farms Jul 23, 2007
" Today, the SNP administration at Holyrood is to publish information on drug treatment and rehabilitation, showing there are 10% more people on methadone as a substitute for heroin than previously. The figures are expected to show 21,000 people being prescribed the opiate, around one-third of them living with children. The use of the heroin substitute has become controversial, particularly since the death in 2005 of Derek Doran, a two-year-old in East Lothian who drank his mother's methadone.... (The Herald)
* Nearly 10,000 inmates walk free in selective amnesty Jul 17, 2007
Shih said the Taiwan Aftercare Association also sent staff to prisons around the country yesterday to distribute pamphlets on AIDS prevention, drug rehabilitation and the Methadone substitute program to these released inmates. By location, Taichung Prison has the greatest number of inmates qualified for release yesterday, with 1,262; followed by Tainan Prison, with 603, and Pingtung Prison with 517. (Taipei Times, Taiwan)
Tories highlight cannabis dangers in drug blueprint Jul 8, 2007
The report suggests that too many people are now 'parked on substitute drugs' such as methadone, rather than being given the chance of complete rehabilitation. Special report. (Guardian Unlimited)
Stopping the cycle: Controversial methadone programs strive to help addicts change lives Jul 1, 2007
By Deseret Morning News Every day before dawn, men and women line up in front of a building at 150 East and 700 South in Salt Lake City to get a daily dose of methadone to stave off the excruciating symptoms of opiate drug withdrawal ... Each is registered with a substance-abuse treatment clinic approved to dispense methadone, such as Project Reality in downtown Salt Lake City ... All over the state, the number of people using methadone is on the rise a factor causing some state officials and... (Deseret News)
Woman pleads no contest in overdose death Jun 28, 2007
In an agreement with prosecutors, Gill pleaded guilty to methadone trafficking. A second charge of second-degree reckless endangerment was read into the record and dismissed. (Rhinelander Daily News, WI)
Cops: Driver in fatal crash was on methadone Jun 20, 2007
June 19, 2007, 9:56 PM EDT A Hempstead woman arrested after she struck and killed a cyclist Monday with her car has a history of heroin use and was on methadone at the time of the crash, authorities said Tuesday ... At the time of the bike-car collision, Jackson told police she was taking the synthetic narcotic methadone, used to treat drug withdrawal and dependence, said Det. (Newsday -- Long Island)
Alone in a City’s AIDS Battle, Hoping for Backup May 30, 2007
One by one, they file in: a security guard sick of hiding his addiction from his wife, a carpenter looking for methadone, a prostitute with a bad case of the shakes. Many are rail thin. (Foster's Daily Democrat)
Drug treats narcotic addictions, but it can cause one May 28, 2007
The pill, Suboxone, now rivals methadone among people trying to quit opiates, including heroin, pain drugs oxycodone and hydrocodone, and even methadone, industry figures show ... "Suboxone is the new methadone. It's a little bit cleaner and a little more effective . But it can be abused. It's not a panacea. Some people are trying to say that it is." ... Studies show the pills work as well as methadone for kicking drugs without the agony of withdrawal, and with less risk of re-addiction and... (Sun-Sentinel.com)
Crime wave feared after candy man arrest May 26, 2007
Authorities said that since 2001, Stack has prescribed millions of painkillers including OxyContin, Oxycodone, Xanax, methadone and hydrocodone. Undercover officers were able to get painkillers by just cold-calling him, Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robby Russo said. (MSNBC -- Crime)
State is sued over hospital staffing crisis Apr 23, 2007
But a psychiatric technician who asked to remain anonymous said officials are investigating the possibility that Kappa died after snorting methadone that he purchased from another patient. "Obviously they don't get watched real carefully, if they can buy drugs from each other," said Kappa's aunt, Linda Rigney. (Los Angeles Times)
For the record Apr 19, 2007
Bruce Alan Pinkham, 44, of the 3200 block of Rhonda Drive, attempting to obtain a controlled substance (methadone) by fraud; three years' probation and fined $725. Edmond Adolphus Way, 35, of the 2400 block of Sedgefield Drive, second-degree cruelty to children; six years' probation, fined $1,975 and ordered to perform community service, have supervised visitation with children and must remain current with child support payments. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Get-tough policy on drugs 'failing' Apr 18, 2007
The report's authors, Professor Peter Reuter, of Maryland University in the USA, and Alex Stevens, of the University of Kent, noted that policies like needle exchanges, drug rehabilitation and the prescription of heroin substitute methadone, have had positive results - including keeping HIV rates among injecting users down below those in comparable countries. Certain types of drug treatment have been shown to be cost-effective, with savings of more than 3 for every 1 spent, mainly because of... (Guardian Unlimited -- UK)
UCLA study: More money needed for drug treatment program Apr 14, 2007
In addition, the report advocates allowing the use of methadone, a narcotics replacement drug, which some professionals oppose. "The governor will look at all options," Zito said. (Fresno Bee -- State)
Guilty plea gives family some solace Apr 13, 2007
Chis Ferrer died of a methadone overdose June 2 in a case which led authorities to start seeking charges against those who provide illegal drugs to others ... The family of an Oak Ridge North resident who died after taking methadone said a recent guilty plea by the woman who provided him with the drug provides them a little solace ... Ferrer's death After getting the methadone June 1, Ferrer returned to his house with a friend to research effects of the drug on the Internet. (Woodlands Villager, TX)
Old methods make criminals out of victims: Commission Apr 13, 2007
" Inang suggested the empowerment of community health centers to organize harm-reduction programs, such as providing methadone treatments to convicted drug addicts. Commenting on the idea, Budi said there should be coordination with prison authorities, the Health Ministry and the police. "The justice ministry cannot make it alone," he said. Post Your Comments Name required City Country E-mail will not be shown More News. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia)
VA facility probed after drug deaths Apr 5, 2007
Bailey, who had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and a groin injury, was found dead in his room Jan. 26, a day after he got prescriptions filled for methadone and other drugs. Despite his drug history, he had been allowed to administer the drugs himself. (MSNBC -- Terrorism)
Probe focuses on series of deaths at L.A. VA facility Apr 4, 2007
The day before he died, Bailey, who had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and a groin injury, had picked up five medications prescribed by the VA, including generic Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and a two-week supply of the potent painkiller methadone, according to his medical records. He was allowed to administer the drugs himself even though he had a history of drug abuse a situation that has outraged his family. (Los Angeles Times)
Veteran's family blames VA in overdose Mar 12, 2007
On Jan. 25, Justin Bailey got prescriptions filled for five medications, including a two-week supply of the potent painkiller methadone, according to his medical records. A day later, he was found dead of an apparent overdose in his room at a VA rehabilitation center on the hospital grounds. (Los Angeles Times)
Miss USA in PB on Thursday Mar 6, 2007
Methadone, which was found in the refrigerator of Anna Nicole Smith's home, and was a factor in the death of her son, Daniel, 20. A federal government study found that methadone-related deaths soared from 780 in 1999 to 3,800 in 2004. (The Palm Beach Post)
Abusing pills: Prescription for trouble Mar 4, 2007
Nathan Wick, 32, is using methadone to treat an addiction to painkillers that began with a back injury in 2002 ... Locally, younger addicts of opiate-derived painkillers are replacing the typically older heroin addicts at Jackson County's methadone clinic, said Clinic Manager Steve Brummett ... Although the stigma associated with heroin and the lifestyle of an intravenous drug user have led to the narcotic's decline, the rising popularity of legal opiates has led to an increase of local... (Mail Tribune, OR)
Pittston Township restricts areas where businesses can locate Feb 19, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007. But those would-be entrepreneurs first would have to purchase the land from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services. (The Citizen's Voice, PA)
Pittston Township industrial area trimmed Feb 17, 2007
Pittston Township industrial area trimmed BY JOE SYLVESTERSTAFF WRITER 02/17/2007 PITTSTON TOWNSHIP Anyone who wants to put an addition on a rehabilitation center, methadone clinic or strip club in the township would have to put it within a new Industrial-2 zone, away from residential areas. But those would-be entrepreneurs first would have to purchase the land from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services. (Scranton Times, PA)
A New Afghan Evil: Drug Addiction Feb 15, 2007
With little funding and no access to substitution drugs, such as Methadone, treatment is rudimentary. Bagh Ali Mardan, a 27-year-old addict from Bamiyan, has tried to quit several times. (Time.com)
Anna's Final Booze-Fueled Hours Feb 11, 2007
She then moved the party upstairs, where her room looked like a "pharmacist's shop" allegedly stocked with Xanax, Provigil, Fentanyl and Methadone ... Methadone is often administered in a syrup ... It's possible that a safe, way below LD dosage of methadone combined with even moderate consumption of alcohol can lead to death. (TMZ.com)
Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband says he might be father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby, had long affair Feb 10, 2007
A medical examiner hired by Anna Nicole Smith's family concluded Daniel Smith died by accident from a lethal combination of methadone and antidepressants. The death of the 39-year-old model and former actress leaves her companion, Howard K. Stern, as the only potential witness who was in the hospital room at the time of Daniel's death. (North County Times)
Therapy tailored to individual Jan 24, 2007
University of Adelaide researchers believe their find may assist doctors in determining the most effective methadone doses for individual heroin users. The hope is that tailoring methadone doses to patients will decrease the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms and side effects, improving an addict's chances of sticking with the drug treatment program ... Methadone treatment is the most common therapy for heroin addiction. (Courier Mail)
Methadone deaths galvanize Legislature Jan 22, 2007
A spate of fatal overdoses has prompted lawmakers to examine drug abuse in West Virginia, starting with methadone. Used to treat drug addiction and pain, the drug first gained a high profile locally after a federal report showing that the state has the highest rate of methadone overdoses in the country ... A Gazette investigation last year found that methadone contributed to more deaths nationwide than any other prescription narcotic or painkiller and that West Virginias rate of accidental... (Charleston Gazette, WV -- News)
Heroin, Ecstasy Flood China as Growing Affluence Attracts Drug Traffickers Jan 12, 2007
Some drop by for a daily dose of methadone to damp heroin cravings. Others check in for a week of voluntary therapy and counseling. (Bloomberg)
