Methadone

With hundreds of thousands of people abusing heroin and other opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, methadone treatment clinics are found worldwide. These clinics are intended to assist injection drug users and prescription opioid abusers from the numerous physical and mental health problems that go hand in hand with substance abuse and dependence. Although methadone has been found to be beneficial in treating heroin dependence, methadone itself has a potentially problematic addiction potential of its own. Other alternatives such as buprenorphine (Suboxone) have been developed in order to prevent such abuse from developing.

Methadone is used medicinally with management of cancer pain and other chronic pain. Indeed, physicians outside of addiction treatment facilities have very limited prescription privileges for methadone, and are generally limited to prescribing it for pain management. It is a synthetic opioid (derived from morphine) and has analgesic effects that help reduce pain. Methadone-related deaths have seen a drastic increase throughout the world since it was first developed. It is of particular note that of those who die from methadone related overdoses, the majority are prescribed methadone for pain.

Methadone is most often used in treating those with opioid addiction through licensed methadone maintenance programs. It is generally given only to a patient in a clinical setting, but on rare occasions, it will be sent home with a patient. Not only does methadone help substance abusers avoid cravings for opioids, but it also blocks the euphoric effects commonly associated with abuse and the many unwanted withdrawal symptoms associated with opioids. Although it is a highly regulated drug, it is still found sold on the streets illegally, which is one of the reasons that it is usually dispensed at a clinic and not sent home with a patient. Once sold, substance abusers will mix methadone with other drugs such as Xanax in order to get the same effect as heroin.

Methadone's effects are not as intense as that of heroin, yet they can be just as addicting. Methadone maintenance has been used for heroin addicts for years; however, the abuse of this drug has lead to increases in addiction, abuse, overdose, and death. In this instance, methadone may simply be providing substitute addiction among drug users. It is for this reason that alternative medications have been developed in order to prevent such addiction. The abuse of methadone is most likely due to concomitant increases in heroin and prescription opioid use. Also, substance abusers are turning to methadone when they cannot obtain other drugs such as heroin.

Studies indicate that the average patient in methadone maintenance can be described as a Caucasian female in her mid-30s who lives in a county with a population of over a million. Although heroin abuse is commonly found in people who enroll in methadone maintenance programs, it is also common to see prescription opioid abuse reported in these enrollees. Not only is the abuse potential high in those treated with methadone, but since it is usually given under supervision, the cost of this treatment is relatively high. This cost may deter substance abusers from entering and remaining in treatment; however, government subsidies to some facilities do allow treatment for individuals who are underinsured, uninsured, or otherwise unable to afford treatment.

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