What is methadone?
Methadone belongs to the opioid family of drugs. Since the 1960s, methadone
has been used to help people who are dependent on other drugs from the same
family such as heroin, morphine and codeine.
Who uses it?
Methadone maintenance is used by people who are dependent on other similar drugs
and who have tried to stop using but haven't been able to stay drug-free. Methadone
maintenance is usually recommended for dependent opioid users who are pregnant,
HIV positive or who have hepatitis C.
Methadone is available through specialized drug treatment clinics or it may
be prescribed by family physicians and dispensed by community pharmacists.
How does it work?
Methadone can be used to replace the opioid drug that a person is dependent
on. It prevents withdrawal symptoms and cuts down on the person's drug cravings.
Methadone is long-acting; users only need one dose every 24 hours. Other opioids,
such as heroin, require much more frequent doses in order to avoid withdrawal.
When it's diluted in juice and prepared as a drink, it doesn't have a euphoric
effect or interfere with a person's thinking. It does not alter someone's ability
to work, go to school or care for their family. However, it does block the euphoric
effect of heroin and other opioid drugs, so it makes the idea of using those
drugs much less attractive. Methadone works best when it is combined with other
services, such as drug counselling and case management.
Why do people need it?
Using methadone allows opioid dependent people to stabilize and improve their
lives.
Pregnant women who use opioid drugs need methadone to protect the lives of their
unborn babies since methadone maintenance keeps the expectant mother free from
withdrawal. The methadone itself is safe for the baby and won't cause the child
to be born with any illness or deformity.
People who use opioid drugs and who are infected with HIV or hepatitis C can
take methadone to help protect their health and to reduce the risk of the spread
of infection through needle sharing.
Is methadone safe?
When taken as prescribed, methadone is very safe and will not cause any damage
to the body or mind, even if it's taken daily for many years. On the other hand,
methadone is a powerful drug and can be extremely dangerous to people who don't
take it regularly since these people have no tolerance for its effects. For
this reason, methadone dispensing is carefully monitored and controlled.
How long do people stay on methadone?
In general, people stay on methadone as long as they need to. Some health care
providers promote short-term methadone detoxification, where the dependent person
is stabilized on methadone and then tapers off using it over the next one to
six months. However, research has shown that methadone maintenance is the most
effective treatment for opioid dependence.
How common is methadone use?
The number of people taking methadone in Canada has risen significantly in recent
years. In Ontario, there were 650 methadone clients in 1996, and 6,000 in 2000.
This increase reflects how public health policies that have been changed in
recent years in an effort to reduce drug use.
Additional resources
Travel Regulations for Patients Participating in Drug Substitution
Treatment – INDRO e.V.
Sam (Methadone Support Services)
Methadone Intervention and Needle Exchange Program (m.i.n.e.)
– Addictions Foundation of Manitoba
Methadone Maintenance Therapy: information for clients –
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
References
Brands, Bruna & Brands, John. Methadone Maintenance: A Physician's
Guide to Treatment. Toronto: Addiction Research Foundation, 1998.
Brands, John & Janecek, Eva. Methadone Maintenance: A Pharmacist's
Guide to Treatment. Toronto: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 2000.
Do you know...Methadone. Toronto: Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health, 2005.
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