9. Harm Reduction

Methadone is a long acting narcotic / opioid which will be given to you in syrup form. The drug is addicting and is dangerous if given to persons (especially children) who are not narcotic dependent. It is used as a substitute drug for heroin and other opiate narcotics, in the treatment of narcotic dependent persons.
Methadone, which is a strong drug, is highly addictive.
When methadone is stopped abruptly, depending on the dose, withdrawal symptoms may be experienced. These may take longer to appear than after stopping heroin because of methadoneís longer duration of action and can be very disagreeable.
When dosage is well assessed and adjusted, the heroin addict who receives his daily dose of methadone finds his craving for heroin is eliminated. Large doses of methadone totally block all effects of opiates, lower doses only partially. Large doses also negatively affect the patientís psycho-social and biological functions. Dosage adjustment is therefore very delicate.
Methadone removes the motivation of the addict to become drug free.

Intoxicated and confused addicts are likely to be careless with needles.
Drug users cannot be expected to act responsibly under the influence of their drugs.
Drug users become impatient for the next injection of drugs and will not necessarily wait for clean needles.
Some drug users refuse to stop the common ritual of sharing needles.
The intravenous drug addict is threatened by death from many sources, not only by AIDS: overdose, accidents, intoxicated violence etc.
Heroinists are sexually low-active, cocaine and amphetamine users in many cases are high active. While methadone is directed only to opiate addicts, needle distribution affects also abusers of stimulants.
HIV / AIDS is more often spread by sex than by sharing needles.

Drugs are illiegal because they are dangerous - They are not dangerous because they are illegal.