From Deseret News archives:

Stopping the cycle: Controversial methadone programs strive to help addicts change lives

Published: Sunday, July 1, 2007 12:22 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Every day before dawn, men and women line up in front of a building at 150 East and 700 South in Salt Lake City to get a daily dose of methadone to stave off the excruciating symptoms of opiate drug withdrawal.

Throughout the state, 2,700 people queue up like this every day for the drug that is part of treatment for addiction to OxyContin, heroin, Lortab, codeine or morphine. Each is registered with a substance-abuse treatment clinic approved to dispense methadone, such as Project Reality in downtown Salt Lake City.

Nearly 500 people will go through the line on this particular day. All over the state, the number of people using methadone is on the rise — a factor causing some state officials and treatment providers to take a hard look at the conditions under which Utahns use the powerful drug.

"I am concerned about these issues," says Victoria Delheimer, the methadone expert within the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

"We are committed to the very highest standard of care, and we may have some work to do to get there."

Story continues below
Those approved to get methadone to help with opiate withdrawal are a very different group from those whose doctors prescribe methadone for pain relief. They must go to a special facility to get the drug. Each will check into a system regulated closely by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. Each will pay an average $11 and get a plastic cupful of clear liquid methadone with a bitter, nasty taste that most dilute with Kool-Aid to get down.

Most do so happily.

Without methadone — which is not to be confused with the illegal drug methamphetamine — each of them faces the intensity of an opiate withdrawal, which people say ranges from "hell on earth" to "the worst flu you've ever had."

Symptoms include shaking, sweats, chills, diarrhea and aching so bad one man said it felt like someone was pulling his bones apart. This goes on for about a week. The fact is, say treatment experts and addicts, most just won't do it. They'll stay on the drugs, keep stealing or forging prescriptions to get them, stay high, keep drugging.

The use of methadone aims to stop that cycle.

The abuse explosion

"Methadone has been a wonderful medication," says Dr. Charles Walton, medical director for Discovery House, which dispenses the drug. "It still is. It's saved thousands of lives. I wish we could get rid of the public perception of it."

At the ideal dose, methadone will suppress withdrawal for 24-36 hours. It doesn't make a user feel high, just normal and able to fix their attention on recovery.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

Corrinne Bradley waits at the Odyssey House in Salt Lake City, one of the city's treatment centers.

previousnext

Latest comments

3A football: Juan Diego soars

Of course Wasatch are in the top 5! Did you make that comment without even...

San Juan nothing. You guys wont handle us on a neutral field. Our players...

2A: South Summit shuts down Grand

haha what did the fans do up here?? were we suppose to pamper you or lets see...

Good job Brah...I will have your bird seed ready as always. B

To: Just Shows: Your comment is right on track! However, when Steny Hoyer(D)...

2 more in GOP may challenge Bennett

Anonymous wrote, "No one getting in now can totally make up for not being at...

FBI names new Salt Lake office head

Maybe now they'll do some quality investigative work and get the crooks...

House passes health care bill

This IS a free market solution! This is mandated PRIVATE insurance....

I like his rather candid comments on celebrating at Columbus and on Kreis. ...

Pac-10 reinstates Oregon's Blount

The Ducks lose and Blount get's reinstated. You gotta love the Pac-10!!!

Advertisements
Advertisement