MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1976
DIFFERENT TREATMENT METHODS FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUG ADDICTS ******
THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. G.H. CHOA, HAS CALLED FOR A MULTIPLICITY OF TREATMENT METHODS AND PROGRAMMES TO TREAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUG ADDICTS IN HONG KONG WHERE THERE IS A LARGE ADDICT POPULATION.
SPEAKING AT A RECEPTION THIS AFTERNOON TO MARK THE OPENING OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FIRST METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CENTRE AT VIOLET PEEL CLINIC, HE STRESSED THAT METHADONE TREATMENT IS BUT ONE OF MANY TYPES OF TREATMENT METHODS TO HELP ADDICTS KICK THEIR HABIT.
DR. CHOA EXPLAINED WHY IT WAS NECESSARY TO USE METHADONE IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS AND WHY DIFFERENT FORMS OF TREATMENT MUST BE PROVIDED FOR DRUG ADDICTS.
+THIS IS BECAUSE THE ADDICTS HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIVES AND REASONS FOR TAKING DRUGS, THEY BELONG TO DIFFERENT AGE-GROUPS, THEY HAVE BEEN TAKING DRUGS FOR VARIOUS PERIODS OF TIME AND THEY TAKE VARIOUS KINDS AND QUANTITIES OF DRUGS,+ HE SAID.
+A METHOD MAY BE SUITABLE FOR SOME BUT NOT OTHERS,+ SAID DR. CHOA, +FOR INSTANCE, METHADONE MAINTENANCE IS USUALLY PRESCRIBED FOR THE OLD ONES WHO HAVE BEEN ADDICTED FOR SOME TIME BUT NOT THE YOUNGER ONES WHO HAVE ONLY JUST STARTED, FOR WHOM PHYSICAL REHABILITATION IS THE TREATMENT OF CHOICE.+
+DIFFERENT APPROACHES HAVE TO BE USED IN TREATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF ADDICTS, AND IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE A MULTIPLICITY OR CHOICE OF TREATMENT METHODS AND PROGRAMMES FOR A LARGE ADDICT POPULATION SUCH AS OURS,+ HE SAID.
DR. CHOA POINTED OUT THAT RESULTS OF MEDICAL TREATMENT OF DRUG ADDICTION COULD NOT BE ASSESSED BY THE NUMBER OF +CURES+ BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEF INE WHAT A CURE IS, NOR BY WHAT IS CALLED THE +RETENTION RATE+.
BECAUSE OF THE WIDE DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN DIFFERENT PROGRAMMES TOO MUCH EMPHASIS SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON EVEN THE RETENTION RATE WHICH COULD BE AS HIGH AS 70 PER CENT IN SOME COUNTRIES OR AS LOW AS 20 PER CENT IN OTHERS, HE SAID.
THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO MAKE FACILITIES VERY EASY FOR THOSE WHO DROP OUT TO RE-ENTER TREATMENT, HE ADDED.
THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT METHADONE, WHETHER USED FOR LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE OR SHORT-TERM DETOXIFICATION, IS NO PANACEA, NOR A +CURE ALL+ FOR DRUG ADDICTS.
+ IN USING METHADONE TO TREAT OPIATE ADDICTION WE DO NOT RELY ON ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION ALONE,+ HE SAID.
+ITS SUBSTITUTION FOR HEROIN OR OPIUM HAS ALSO A CONSIDERABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON THE ADDICTS BECAUSE AFTER DISCARDING THE TIN-FOIL, THE MATCH-BOX, THE SYRING AND NEEDLE, AND THE PIPE, THE ADDICTS LOSE THE STIGMA OF ADDICTION.+
/HOWEVER,
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