Pubdate: Fri, 12 Sep 2008
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Michael Smith
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n848/a05.html

METHADONE PROGRAM GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE

Any system designed to help people always has a couple of bad apples 
to ruin it for everyone.

As an ex-heroin addict I wouldn't have had the chance for a second 
start in life without the methadone program.

I'm now working full time. I don't rely on the government to pick up 
the tab on my medicine, nor do I receive any sort of incentive, cash 
or otherwise, for my prescription.

Leslie Tannen of the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association 
should do her homework before she puts down a great program.

There are biweekly and random urine tests to make sure patients are 
not misusing the program, but you can't monitor anything 100 per cent 
of the time.

If anything, these ma and pa pharmacies should have more screening to 
determine who dispenses the methadone and if they follow correct procedures.

Tannen's comments were insulting -- only a very few abuse the program.

Michael Smith,

Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom