Methadone Treatment For Drug Addicts To Start Next Month

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- A pioneer project using methadone, a synthetic drug, to treat hardcore drug addicts will be launched next month.
The government approved the project Friday after deferring to next year the implementation of a proposal to provide free syringes and condoms to drug addicts to curb the spread of AIDS, National Anti-Drug Agency Director-General Datuk Hamzah Abdullah said Friday.
He said the methadone treatment would be tried out for six months for 1,200 hardcore addicts who would be given free methadone at 10 clinics nationwide.
He did not disclose the location of the clinics but said an allocation of RM2.39 million had been set aside for the purpose.
"If successful, the programme will be expanded to other places," he told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet committee on eradicating drug abuse chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi here.
Hamzah said addicts involved in the programme would be given the methadone in the presence of a doctor under tight control procedures set by the Health Ministry to ensure there would be no abuse.
He said a similar programme was being carried out in Bali, Indonesia.
Hamzah said the government opted to use methadone because it was cheaper compared with other synthetic drugs and suitable for use in the treatment of drug addicts in the country.
On the selection of addicts for the programme, he said they were those receiving treatment in the community and had the support of their families.
He said addicts interested in the programme could volunteer themselves while others would be selected from among addicts with the potential or former trainees of drug rehabilitation centres.