2008 Woodie Awards
Drugs are given to drug addicts
Kenneth Huntley
Issue date: 9/29/05 Section: Opinion
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According to the White House Drug Policy website, methadone has been used for over 30 years in the treatment of heroin addicts.
"Methadone is a rigorously well-tested medication that is safe and efficacious for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence. For more than 30 years this synthetic narcotic has been used to treat opioid addiction."
Methadone is taken orally once a day, every day. Methadone helps suppress narcotic withdrawal between 24 and 36 hours; methadone is so effective in eliminating symptoms of withdrawal, it is used in detoxifying opiate addicts.
According to Nickscape.net, there are many side effects of methadone that people should know about before considering this form of treatment.
Methadone may have effects on the central nervous system.
"Methadone works primarily with the body's opiate receptors in the central nervous system and in organs composed of smooth muscle tissue. Because methadone is a synthetic narcotic, it has the potential to produce drug addiction with psychological dependence, physical dependence, and tolerance. Major hazards include respiratory depression, circulatory depression, respiratory arrest, shock and cardiac arrest. Methadone must be used carefully when combined with central nervous system depressants (such as general anesthetics), other narcotic analgesics, tranquilizers, sedative-hypnotics, and tricyclic antidepressants.
Nickscape's also goes into the risks of using methadone for drug rehabilitation treatment, saying that there is a life risk.
"The major hazards of methadone overdose are respiratory depression, and to a lesser degree, circulatory depression, respiratory arrest, shock, and cardiac arrest. Methadone can cause psychological dependence, physical dependence, and tolerance. Overdose and death can also occur."
Nickscape's site finally goes into details about withdrawal symptoms, or in medical terms, Methadone Abstinence Syndrome.
"Methadone abstinence syndrome (withdrawal) is similar to withdrawal from morphine and heroin, but the onset of withdrawal is slower, the course is prolonged, and fewer severe symptoms occur. Symptoms may include restlessness, irritability, weakness, anxiety, depression, goose flesh, fever, chilliness, excessive perspiration, tachycardia, abdominal cramps, body aches, involuntary twitching and kicking movements, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and intestinal spasms."