Pubdate: Fri, 04 Jul 2003
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003 Calgary Herald
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Wendy-Anne Thompson, Calgary Herald
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

METHADONE CLINIC OPENING DOWNTOWN

Calgary's first methadone clinic will open downtown next month and is 
expected to help roughly 200 city drug addicts.

The provincially-funded $300,000-clinic -- which will operate from the 
Calgary Health Region's doctors' office at 906 8th Ave. S.W. -- will help 
users addicted to opiates. That drug group includes heroin, morphine and 
codeine.

"Often people will stay on methadone for some time. It provides them the 
ability to have a better quality of life, a more productive life with 
better family relationships," said Karen Hala, manager of the Alberta 
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission's opiate dependency program.

"As long as they are on methadone maintenance, they will have a better life 
for themselves."

Methadone, which also belongs to the opioid family of drugs, prevents 
withdrawal symptoms associated with coming off heroin and significantly 
diminishes cravings. It costs about three cents per milligram, with the 
average first-time patient requiring hundreds of milligrams per day.

If given regularly, it decreases cravings and the negative behaviours 
associated with the addiction, said Dr. Bill Campbell, medical director of 
AADAC's opiate dependency program.

"In other words, they don't have to steal," Campbell said.

There is disagreement within the medical community about the benefits of 
treating a narcotic addiction with another narcotic, he added.

"There's tremendous resistance from the medical community across the board. 
Lots of people don't like doing this, but the fact is, it has been shown to 
work."

He said it decreases death rates and is an effective medical treatment for 
the disease of addiction.

"It has significant social advantages."

Methadone maintenance is the most widely used form of treatment for people 
who are dependent on opiates.

There are two methadone treatment centres in Alberta -- a private facility 
in Red Deer and one which AADAC runs in Edmonton.

The Red Deer clinic has been servicing about 200 Calgary addicts. They will 
now be able to use the Calgary facility.

There are roughly 6,000 to 7,000 IV drug users in Calgary.

Staff Sgt. Roger Chaffin of the organized crime control section of the 
Calgary Police Service said the new clinic may help reduce crime as many 
addicts support their habits through crime.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager