Heroin-Assisted Treatment

Heroin continues to be one of the most widely used illicit substances in a global context, despite international prohibition under law and the public consciousness of widely known negative effects of heroin upon the long-term health and well-being of users. For this reason, the treatment of heroin is a globally important issue to all sections of society. It is estimated by the United Nations World Drug Report that 12.8 to 20.2 million people used heroin and opium in 2013. A significant section of those users will stop using illicit substances of their own accord; others will require structured drug treatment intervention to support a sustained recovery. The majority of illicit heroin users will be placed upon an opiate substitute program and given replacement substances such ...