Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has been the primary form of treatment for heroin addiction for many years and has been recognized as the most effective treatment for this condition by the Institute of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. As a treatment for opioid dependence, MMT involves the daily administration of the oral opioid agonist methadone, a long-acting, orally administered drug, to replace the shorter acting heroin that is usually injected. As a maintenance medication, methadone has distinct advantages. When administered in adequate oral doses, a single dose lasts between 24 and 36 hours. Methadone is dispensed orally in different forms, which include tablets (also called diskettes), powder, and liquid. Most importantly, methadone relieves the persistent narcotic craving or hunger that is believed to ...