Pubdate: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 Source: Bristol Herald Courier (VA) Copyright: 2004 Bristol Herald Courier Contact: http://www.bristolnews.com/contact.html Website: http://www.bristolnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1211 Author: Charles "Hoss" Kitts, Jr. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone) METHADONE BILL Dear Senators William Wampler and Brandon Bell: Well, you did it. Your knee-jerk reaction to the horror stories concerning methadone clinics and the rush-it-through actions of your colleagues will limit, and in some cases deny, the only proven and accepted medical treatment for opiate addiction to many who need it. Do you even care that your quick-fix mentality goes against the National Institutes of Health, the President's Office of National Drug Control Policy and years of study from learned and well respected people in the medical field who have dedicated their lives to finding good, sound, safe treatment for this disease that afflicts so many of your constituents? I hope you sleep well tonight, because there are thousands who will not because they are denied the treatment they deserve. It has been legislated out of their communities by people, like yourself, who have no business making life or death medical decisions to appease the mob mentality of your upper middle class constituents who are worried about their precious property values. Sleep well Senators. Charles "Hoss" Kitts, Jr. Codirector, Virginia Chapter National Alliance of Methadone Advocates - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman