Re: methodone maintenence or heroin maintenence, which is better.

"Pete nospam Zakel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "roid"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> >"Pete nospam Zakel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> >news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "roid"
> ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> >> >methodone maintenence or heroin maintenence, which is better?
> >>
> >> I think that should be left up to the individual.
> >>
> >> >coz i have heard of people who were on methodone who switched to
heroin
> >> >because methodone made them feel sick or something.  why do doctors
> >> >prescribe methodone anyway?  why not just use heroin?
> >>
> >> In the United States heroin is Schedule I, meaning it cannot be
prescribed
> >by
> >> doctors for any reason.
>
> >yesyes, but i wanted to know the medical value of the 2 treatments,
ignoring
> >any laws.
>
> That depends on the individual.
>
> >i've come to the conclusion now that (ignoring laws) methodone IS the
> >prefered maintenence treatment over heroin.
>
> Prefered by whom?  Yes, the government and many administrators prefer
> methadone because it can be given orally and it only needs to be
administered
> once a day, which makes it easier in a climate where you don't allow the
> addict to take anything home.

prefered by doctors and patients, because only the 1 injection a day is
needed.
or it can even be given orally as you say (although this causes the most
sickness IMO).
of course it will be decided on a case by case basis by the doctor, that's
what doctors are for after all.

> But in a more legal climate where the addict would be allowed to take
home,
> say, a month's supply at a time, the prefered maintenance treatment is the
> one that works the best for the particular person being treated.
>
> >and heroin should only be used if the person is intollerent to methodone.
>
> If they are intolerant to methadone, they will be intolerant to heroin as
> well.

i once saw an interview with a guy about his methodone treatment and how it
made him sick so he reaplaced his methodone with heroin.  and was fine with
that.

> >methodone is prefered because of it's longer lasting action.  and because
of
> >it's SLOW hit, you would get less "high" (if the high is considered a
> >problem).
>
> The person on maintenance is kept from getting high by giving the person a
> high regular dose so that tolerance prevents any high.
>
> That works for either heroin or methadone.
>
> In the UK, some addicts have been given heroin-soaked cigarettes to avoid
the
> injection route.
>
> -Pete Zakel
>  ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
>
> "Now and then an innocent man is sent to the Legislature."