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July 2005, more than one half (53%) had demonstrated continuous
abstinence from all illicit drugs, active engagement in counseling,
absence of criminality, absence of serious behavioral problems, and
return to functionality (job, school, etc) for a duration of 1 year or
longer. Even more impressively, 34% of DADS methadone
maintenance patients had demonstrated all of the above for two
consecutive years or longer. Certainly, our own local experience with
opiate agonist treatment (methadone maintenance) is congruent with
the substantial evidence collected across many US academic and
community centers over the past 40 years with respect to the excellent
safety, efficacy, clinical utility, and public health benefit attained with
this modality.

All patients who suffer from chronic illnesses deserve to be viewed
with compassion by both the public and by health professionals. In
Dr. Leshner’s words, society views with compassion those patients for
whom the brain disease is primarily manifested as physical symptoms,
such as Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis. Society has even learned to
accept as legitimate disease, those conditions where brain disease is
primarily manifested by emotional symptoms, such as Depression or
Schizophrenia. However, those patients with brain diseases where the
symptoms are primarily behavioral, such as addiction, are less
fortunate.

As addictionologists working with such patients, it is our hope that as
science continues to elucidate the relationship between the brain,
mind, and behavior, that negative stereotypes and societal stigma
showered upon such patients with addiction will be dispelled, so as to
improve access for safe and effective treatments to patients who suffer
from this disease.