Inexpensive Trap

Why is methadone so popular among law enforcement officials? First, it's the cheapest method of "treatment" practiced in the U.S. Treatment in a theraputic community, such as Synanon, costs about $8000 yearly per addict. Jail costs about the same. An addict on methadone, however, consumes only $2000 worth of the drug annually and with a little prodding, can hold down a job to support that habit.

Earlier in this century, heroin was first introduced into the U.S. as a cure for morphine addiction. It was not until a decade later that the cure was recognized as worse than the disease. The same pattern may yet be repeated with methadone.

Methadone was discovered in Germany [unclear: during] World War 2 and used as a substitute for morhphine when morphine's opium base could no longer be easily acquired. It was first named Dolophine; after Adolf Hitler.

Taken in doses of 80 to 160 milligrams daily, methadone eliminates the addict's physical craving for heroin. If the addict does take heroin, the methadone will completely block its "high" effect.

In other words, the only reason an addict would voluntarily take methadone is to avoid the extremely painful process of heroin withdrawal. But there is a catch to it: methadone is ten times as addictive as heroin. Many authorities believe that methadone patients can never stop taking the drug Dr. Vincent Dole, an originator of methadone therapy and its chief defender, explains:

"It does not strike me as relevant whether these patients ever get off methadone. Some may want to and that's fine but what's relevant is that a treatment can be developed so that an addict can become a socially useful citizen."

A methadone addict, however, explains it in a different light. "Your memory is reduced to a childlike state; waking up in the middle of the night you can't feel your heartbeat, panic, think, worry paranoia; but all the time knowing that with sunrise you'll have to get some more poison. The maddening cycle never ends "

The methadone "cure" is simply repeating the pattern of heroin before it. No one knows why some people take narcotics and others, in the same situation, do not, nor is it well understood why drug addiction seems to run in cycles.

But the heroin plague hurts the oppressed nationalities and working class the most, while the bourgeoisie—and especially the state—have been strengthened by it. It is clear whom addiction serves.

As one particularly bitter addict explained his methadone experience, "See, they do care whether you stay on or stay off They don't want you to get off."

From "The Guardian"