THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1976
MORE DRUG ADDICTS TURN TO METHADONE
FOLLOWING LARGE DRUG HAULS
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THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS RECEIVING METHADONE TREATEMENT FOLLOWING RECENT LARGE SEIZURES OF NARCOTICS BY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT AN AVERAGE OF 100 NEW CASES EACH WEEK HAD BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S FOUR METHADONE MAINTENANCE CLINICS DURING THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
THE NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS ON THE METHADONE REGISTER NOW TOTALLED 6,800, AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000 SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID AS THE SEIZURES WERE BOUND TO CURTAIL THE LOCAL SUPPLY OF HARD DRUGS, THUS FORCING PRICES TO SOAR, MORE AND MORE ADDICTS WERE EXPECTED TO TURN TO METHADONE TREATMENT.
HE SAID THAT EACH OF THE FOUR EXISTING METHADONE CENTRES EASTERN STREET HEALTH CENTRE IN WESTERN DISTRICT, ROBERT BLACK HEALTH CENTRE IN SAN PO KONG, HOMANTIN HEALTH CENTRE AT PRINCESS MARGARET ROAD, AND LADY TRENCH POLYCLINIC IN TSUEN WAN WAS CAPABLE OF TREATING UP TO 1,000 A DAY.
+ IF THE NEED ARISES, THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONSIDER OPENING UP MORE CENTRES SO THAT ALL THOSE WHO WISH TO GO ON THE METHADONE PROGRAMME WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SO, HE ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID METHADONE MAINTENANCE HAD A GREAT ADVANTAGE IN THAT THE DRUG ADDICT COULD UNDERGO TREATMENT WHILE WORKING AT THE SAME TIME.
ONE DOSE OF METHADONE COULD LAST 24 HOURS, SO THE ADDICT NEED ONLY TO TURN UP AT THE CLINIC ONCE A DAY, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER WORK, HE SAID,
WITH HEROIN OR MORPHINE, AN ADDICT MUST TAKE THE DRUG SEVERAL TIMES A DAY BECAUSE ITS EFFECTS WERE OF SHORT DURATION, HE ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID IN ADDITION TO THE FOUR METHADONE MAINTENANCE CLINICS, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD OPEN A NEW METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CENTRE ON JUNE 7 AT THE VIOLET PEEL CLINIC IN WAN CHAI.
HE EXPLAINED THAT IN DETOXIFICATION THE DOSE OF METHADONE IS GRADUALLY REDUCED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THE LENGTH OF WHICH WOULD DEPEND ON THE RESPONSE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL.
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J