Page 53 - 1

53
like other chronic illnesses—such as diabetes and chronic
hypertension—than like an acute illness, such as bacterial infection of
a broken bone. This requirement has tremendous implications for how
we understand and ultimately evaluate treatment effectiveness and
treatment outcomes. Viewing addiction as a chronic, relapsing
disorder means that a good treatment outcome, and the most
reasonable expectation, is a significant decrease in drug use and long
periods of abstinence, with only occasional relapses. That makes a
reasonable standard for treatment success—as is the case for other
chronic illness—the management of the illness, not a cure”.

Since 1965, methadone maintenance programs have proved to be the
most effective treatment for opiate (e.g., heroin) addiction. Under
medical supervision, a daily dose of 60-100 mg of methadone prevents
withdrawal symptoms and drug craving behaviors, produces no
euphoria, and allows patients the opportunity to return to a lifestyle
free of the need for compulsive drug seeking and use.

The effectiveness of methadone treatment has also been demonstrated
extensively by remarkable reductions in criminal arrests, increases in
employment, and stability of social relationships.

References

Ball, J.C. and Ross, A. (1994). The Effectiveness of Methadone
Maintenance Treatment. New York: Springer-Verlag.

Borg L, Kreek MJ. The pharmacology of opioids. In: Graham AW,
Schultz TK, Mayo-Smith MF, Ries

Caplehorn, J.R.M. (1994). A comparison of abstinence-oriented and
indefinite methadone maintenance treatment. International Journal of
the Addictions 29(11): 1361-1375.

Dole VP, Nyswander ME, Kreek MJ. Narcotic blockade. Arch Int
Med. 1966;118:304-309.