XN000022-1976-05-12 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1976

METHADONE DETOXIFICATION FOR DRUG ADDICTS

TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH ******

METHADONE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTS HAS PROVED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT METHODS AS IT ENABLES ADDICTS TO RECEIVE TREATMENT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TO BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.

THIS IS THE CONCLUSION DRAWN AFTER THREE YEARS OF EXPERIMENT BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ACCORDING TO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (MEDICAL), DR. K.F. CHAN.

STATISTICS SHOWED THAT OVER 90 PER CENT OF THE 1,500 DRUG ADDICTS WHO JOINED THE PILOT SCHEME IN 1972 HAD BEEN WORKING WHILE RECEIVING THEIR DAILY DOSAGE OF METHADONE, HE TOLD THE LION'S CLUB OF VICTORIA THIS AFTERNOON.

DR. CHAN EXPLAINED THAT THE FOUR METHADONE MATNTENANCE CENTRES WERE OPEN DAILY FROM 7.30 A.M. TO 9.30 P.M. SO THAT THE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED ADDICTS COULD GET THEIR METHADONE EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER WORK.

ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF METHADONE TREATMENT WAS THAT THE EFFECTS OF HEROIN OR MORPHINE, WHETHER BY INHALATION OR INJECTION, WERE OF SHORT DURATION AND AN ADDICT MUST TAKE THE DRUG 'SEVERAL TIMES A DAY WHEREAS A SINGLE APPROPRIATE DOSE OF METHADONE COULD LAST 24 HOURS, HE ADDED.

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SAID UP TO THE END OF APRIL. 6,588 ADDICTS HAVE REGISTERED WITH THE FOUR CENTRES - EASTERN STREET HEALTH CENTRE ON THE ISLAND, ROBERT BLACK HEALTH CENTRE IN SAN PO KONG, HO MAN TIN HEALTH CENTRE IN KOWLOON AND LADY TRENCH POLYCLINIC ÎN TSUEN WAN. IN

THE DAILY ATTENDANCE AVERAGED 2,000, OF WHICH ABOUT 60 PER CENT CAME TO THE CENTRES BEFORE 8 A.M. OR AFTER 6 P.M., HE SAID.

DR. CHAN MENTIONED VARIOUS MEASURES NEEDED TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST THE POSSIBLE ABUSE OF METHADONE.

ONE SUCH MEASURE IS THAT THE ADDICT HAS TO RETURN DAILY AND INGEST THE SOLUTION IN THE PRESENCE OF STAFF OF THE CENTRES

A MEASURE WHICH OBVIATES THE POSSIBILITIES OF BLACK MARKET OR OVERDOSE.

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ANOTHER EFFECTIVE MEASURE IS THAT ON REGISTRATION, THE ADDICT IS MEDICALLY EXAMINED TO ENSURE THAT HE IS A GENUINE DRUG ADDICT.

DR. CHAN POINTED OUT THAT IN OTHER COUNTRIES THERE WERE REPORTED CASES OF PERSONS PRETENDING TO BE DRUG ADDICTS AND JOINING THE PROGRAMME JUST TO GET THE METHADONE.

IN VIEW OF THE SUCCESS OF THE METHADONE MAINTENANCE SCHEME, A NEW METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CENTRE WILL COME INTO OPERATION EARLY NEXT MONTH, HE SAID.

EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METHADONE MAINTENANCE AND METHADONE DETOXIFICATION, DR. CHAN SAID THE MAINTENANCE METHOD WILL LAST FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD WHILE IN DETOXIFICATION THE DOSE OF METHADONE IS GRADUALLY REDUCED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.