Accidental Deaths from Methadone Increasing
According to the Center for Health Statistics, deaths from Methadone nationwide are increasing at a faster rate than other deaths related to drug use. The number of Methadone deaths nationwide rose from 786 in 1999 to 4,462, a nearly six-fold increase. As a comparison, fatal cocaine overdoes rose 63 percent.
Most cocaine users realize they are dealing with a drug with potentially lethal consequences. In contrast, Methadone is not widely perceived as being especially hazardous. Substance abusers are often given Methadone as a heroin substitute, but generally under tight controls. In addition, chronic pain clinics are increasingly prescribing Methadone for pain relief. Because methadone is slow-acting and patients seek immediate relief, they may take a pill or more than the prescribed dose. Methadone does not give a high and is sometimes dangerously combined with other drugs or alcohol.
Some chronic pain patients obtain multiple prescriptions for Methadone from different medical providers. These prescriptions are difficult to track. Other persons get their prescriptions illegally from friends or buy them from individuals. Those who take Methadone without appropriate medical supervision may be unaware of its potential risks. The drug oxycodone, or OxyContin, belongs to the same class of drugs as Methadone. In states such as Vermont, OxyContin is the leading cause of 80 drug-related deaths last year.
For someone with a low tolerance for certain drugs, even low doses of Methadone or OxyContin can be dangerous. While the Northeast is seeing Methadone as the street drug of choice, methamphetamines are the predominant street drugs in other parts of the U.S. Deaths from Methadone are beginning to drop in New England and the Eastern Seaboard where educational campaigns are emphasizing the potential hazards of its use.
Some chronic pain patients obtain multiple prescriptions for Methadone from different medical providers. These prescriptions are difficult to track. Other persons get their prescriptions illegally from friends or buy them from individuals. Those who take Methadone without appropriate medical supervision may be unaware of its potential risks. The drug oxycodone, or OxyContin, belongs to the same class of drugs as Methadone. In states such as Vermont, OxyContin is the leading cause of 80 drug-related deaths last year.
For someone with a low tolerance for certain drugs, even low doses of Methadone or OxyContin can be dangerous. While the Northeast is seeing Methadone as the street drug of choice, methamphetamines are the predominant street drugs in other parts of the U.S. Deaths from Methadone are beginning to drop in New England and the Eastern Seaboard where educational campaigns are emphasizing the potential hazards of its use.
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