MENTALHEALTHKS.COM
Methadone Maintenance Treatment or (MMT) is hands down the most effective modality of treating heroin addiction.
Of all Treatment modalities for heroin addiction or dependence; Methadone is the most effective treatment . When compared to the three other major drug treatment modalities which are: drug free outpatient treatment, therapeutic communities, and chemical dependency treatment methadone is the most intensively studied and yields the best results. In fact studies have found that at three months use of heroin drops to less than 10%, and even after two or more years usage drops to less than 15%.
All legitimate MMT programs mandate that patients be screened for broad spectrum substances of abuse and agree to rapid response "pill counts", or "oral suspension methadone" counts on a short notice, at random intervals. Also legitimate MMT programs require patients be screened and treated for underlying mental illness and participate in treatment of the same if any exist. All MMT patients attend regular addictions counseling throughout treatment. in fact less than 10% of the cost of MMT actually goes toward the purchase of Methadone. Also other co morbid addictions such as Alcohol and Cocaine sharply decline with MMT.
Finally MMT is strongly endorsed (encouraged) by the United States Government (The Presidents Office of National Drug Control Policy) see link below.
Referances
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/methadone/index.html
Journal of Addictive Diseases
Volume: 25 Issue: 1
ISSN: 1055-0887 Pub Date: 3/15/2006
Institute of Medicine. Treating Drug Problems, vol. 1: A Study of the Evolution, Effectiveness, and Financing of Public and Private Drug Treatment Systems. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1990:187; The TOPS study of over 11,000 drug users found that retention in treatment is the best predictor of treatment success, and found that methadone had the best retention rates of all three treatment modalities studied (methadone maintenance, therapeutic communities, and drug-free outpatient treatment). Hubbard RL, Rachal JV, Craddock SG, Cavanaugh ER. Treatment Outcome Prospective Study (TOPS): Client characteristics and behaviors before, during, and after treatment. In: Tims FM, Ludford JP, eds. Drug Abuse Treatment Evaluation: Strategies, Progress, and Prospects. NIDA Research Monograph 51. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 1984:42-68; Hubbard RL, et al. Drug Abuse Treatment: A National Study of Effectiveness. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press; 1989; See also discussion in: Ward J, Mattick R, Hall W. Key Issues in Methadone Maintenance Treatment. New South Wales, Australia: New South Wales University Press; 1992:29-32.
Hubbard RL, Rachal JV, Craddock SG, Cavanaugh ER. Treatment Outcome Prospective Study (TOPS): Client characteristics and behaviors before, during, and after treatment. In: Tims FM, Ludford JP, eds. Drug Abuse Treatment Evaluation: Strategies, Progress, and Prospects. NIDA Research Monograph 51. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 1984:42-68; Ball JC, Ross A. The Effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance Treatment. New York: Springer-Verlag; 1991:160-176; Institute of Medicine. Treating Drug Problems, vol. 1: A Study of the Evolution, Effectiveness, and Financing of Public and Private Drug Treatment Systems. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1990:136-153; Institute of Medicine. Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1995:22; Newman RG. Methadone Treatment in Narcotic Addiction. New York: Academic Press; 1977.
Institute of Medicine. Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1995:22.
Institute of Medicine. Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1995:162.