Pubdate: Tue, 06 Jun 2000 Source: Bangor Daily News (ME) Copyright: 2000, Bangor Daily News Inc. Contact: http://www.bangornews.com/ Author: Franklin E. Bragg, M.D. WHY NOT METHADONE? The United States’ policy to criminalize the illness of drug addiction is an abject failure. Are we as a country so stupid we have to relearn the Prohibition lesson of the last century? We learned with alcohol abuse that the medical model (treating alcohol abuse as an illness) produces the best results by most measures. Isn’t it time to decriminalize other drug addictions? Methadone clinics are a step in the right direction. Franklin E. Bragg, M.D. Bangor - --- MAP posted-by: Derek