Methadone being demonized by local media

This is a story from a Philadelphia news station about a methadone clinic and the availability of Methadone on the streets. The video shows nothing to prove any drug dealing. Most likely the transactions seen were the buying and selling of Bus tokens, that is why it was done so openly. The mother interviewed in the video is on a warpath against Methadone and will not accept the fact that he died as a result of his addiction. Methadone prevents the spread of aids, Hepatitis C and other diseases. It also saves the lives of thousands of people who are addicted to Heroin, Percocet, oxycontin, vicodin and other opioid drugs. The recent rise in Methadone deaths are NOT as a result of treatment clinics, but because doctors are hesitant to prescribe oxycontin and other short acting opiates due to the media campaign against them. Doctors are now prescribing Methadone it their place and the insurance companies love it because it's so much cheaper than other pain killers. Police and DEA studies show that almost all of the Methadone available on the streets is in pill form which is never given to patients at clinics, instead they are diverted to the street from pain patients who can't work and are living in poverty because of their pain and sell off a part of their prescription lured by the large sums of money the drugs command. This video also fails to mention that addicts attending clinics have to go to the clinic to get their dose 365 days a year until they have significant clean time. Even then, they only get 1 take home dose at a time taking as long as 5 years to get 6 take home doses a week. I work at a Methadone clinic in their I.T. department, so I know this first hand.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• methadone
• addiction
• percocet
• oxycontin
• heroin
• overdose
• drugs

[KevinVancouver2]

I'm sorry for this Mother, but I'm sure the Son knew what he was taking it isn't like someone tied him down and forced him to take methadone. Methadone has really improved my life and I know many more people that have overdosed from Heroin than from Methadone. When someone dies from Methadone it is usually because they are not on it regularly and have bought it on the street either to get high or to try to stop taking another drug.

[christo930]

@KevinVancouver2 You're right. This mother has a webpage that has a video on the front page and every single case they highlight involved people taking drugs that weren't prescribed or the patient was taking more than prescribed and one case where a detox physician wasn't certified to work in addiction medicine and had no or inadequate training for Methadone detox.

[catfishgetter]

I was on methadone for 4 years, I got on saboxone, all i have to say is The worst day i have had on saboxone is better than the best day i have had on methadone. Methadone and opiot drugs gives you a false sinsation that everything is ok. that is quoted from a doctors. Then i would take more or other drugs because i was clouded by methadone. I understand it cost a lot but look at what you spending now.

[christo930]

@catfishgetter Suboxone also has that effect (false sense of well being)

[nujrz4lyfe]

Methadone is a great thing for many many people...If abused, it can be bad news,(like any other narcotic, or tobbacco, or alchohol ect...)

[KevinVancouver2]

@rebaskins That hasn't been my experience with methadone withdrawal - I find the heroin withdrawal much more severe. The methadone withdrawal is milder but lasts longer.

[christo930]

@rebaskins Nobody has ever said otherwise. I have seen people at that clinic turn around their lives and go from prostitution and other petty crime to full time employment and a normal life. There are a lot of problems with the clinic system, but Methadone itself saves lives, saves money, stops the spread of disease.

[rebaskins]

...its like they don't even know the full affects of the drug,nor do they care.Its about the money-THERE *IS** a **minimum* of at least a FOUR-HUNDRED percent mark-up in price per dosage they add to the cost,in fact,up here actual licensed doctors have left their family practice and are now methadone "doctors" .

So you just know the moneys DAMN good,real good.

[rebaskins]

This is mixed bullshit,methadone is **WAY** worse to get off than even Heroin,it does work,but like I said the withdraws even surpass addiction to benzos....the other thing I find "weird" is how the "doctors" always amp up your dose saying things like,"....well,your on 20 mills...lets put you up to 25,we don't want you feeling un-comfortable..."