Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Currently in Ontario there are approximately 30,000 people, between the ages of 15 and 49, using illicit opioids on a regular basis. (Hart 2007) Opioid use is a costly and dangerous social problem and is the fastest growing drug problem in the country. The good news is that there is a treatment that has been proven by research and evidence to be effective. Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) is a long term treatment program used to treat opioid dependence and addiction.(Source) MMT works by preventing withdrawal symptoms in opiate users. It also prevents the euphoria the user is seeking from other opiates. MMT uses the drug of Methadone to do this. Methadone is a synthetic opioid commonly used to treat opioid dependence.(Source) Methadone is different from other opioids because it is created synthetically and does not produce a euphoric feeling or a ‘high’ in the user. MMT is a cheaper, more effective and a safer way to treat opioid addiction and due to these reasons it should become the national standard for treating opioid addiction and dependence in Canada.

Prior to examining the opposing arguments about MMT let’s take a look at some of the background information. MMT was first researched in the state of Florida in the 1960’s. (source) Clinics both private and non-profit began to spring up in the USA in the 1970’s. In the 1960’s Methadone began to appear in Canada, as a detoxification treatment. (Source) The original studies of MMT shared 6 conclusions. Those 6 conclusions stated; that methadone normalized patient behaviours, with a high enough dose (about 80-120mg) euphoric effects from other opioids would be blocked, a patient's tolerance to methadone didn’t increase over time, oral dosage eliminated the need for needles, ...

... middle of paper ...

... Health.

Volpicelli, J., & Szalavitz, M. (2000). Recovery options:The complete guide. John Wiley & Sons

Fernandez, H., & Libby, T. A. (2011). Herion:It's history, pharmacology and treatment (2nd, Rev and Updated ed.). Humberto Fernandez

Magill, E. (Ed.). (2011). Teen health series:Drug information for teens (3rd ed.). Peter E. Ruffner.

Methadone maintenance. (2013, October 30). Retrieved March 4, 2014, from Opiate Addiction & Treatment Resource website: http://www.opiateaddictionresource.com/treatment/methadone_maintenance

Skidmore-Roth, L. (n.d.). Mosby's 2014 nursing drug reference (27th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier

Perkinson, R. R., & Jongsma, A. E., Jr. (2006). Practice Planners: The addiction: Treatment planner (3rd, Rev. ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Kroes, S. (2014, March 06). Interview by A Matthews []. Methadone information.