Methadone Treatment for Heroin Addiction Term Paper

Cons:

Methadone use has a number of side-effects such as constipation, sweating, loss of libido, sleep disturbance, weight gain, dental problems, vomiting, and serious bowel problems. While most of the side-effects are reduced or managed by controlled prescription, they can occasionally be severe enough to affect a person's health sufficiently for him to discontinue treatment (Withers, 1999)

One of the 'advantages' of methadone, i.e., it blocks the euphoric high of heroin can also become a disadvantage at times, as many addicts under methadone treatment miss the 'high' of heroin and could overdose themselves for the sake of experiencing the euphoria.

Methadone is a long-acting opioid. In other words, its effect in the body remains for up to 36 hours. This makes it difficult for patients under methadone treatment, desirous of becoming completely drug-free, to kick their methadone habit. According to some, it is far more difficult to kick the methadone habit as compared to heroin ("Methadone and Methadone Addiction," 2005) Withdrawal symptoms of methadone are similar to that of other opiates and may include nervousness, muscle contractions, sweating, diarrhea, and hallucinations.While the withdrawal symptoms of methadone may be less severe than that of heroin, they last much longer -- for 3 to 6 weeks as compared to about 4 days for heroin (Ibid.; Withers 1999).

References

Methadone & Methadone Addiction." (2005). Narconon of Oklahoma. Retrieved on November 26, 2007 at http://www.heroinaddiction.com/heroin_methadone.html

Methadone: Fact Sheet." (2000). Office of National Drug Control Policy. April 2000. Retrieved on November 26, 2007 at http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/methadone/index.html

Whithers, R. (1999). "Methadone Treatment: Relief from heroin addiction." Heroin Addiction: An Addict's View. Retrieved on November 26, 2007 at http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/9740/methadone.html

Most heroin users, on the other hand, inject the drug intravenously; they are also prone to share needles and engage in risky sexual activity, both of which are significant factors in the spread of infectious diseases.

Committee of Methadone Program Administrators (COMPA) study, 1997, quoted in "Methadone" 2000.….....