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READER AGAINST METH CLINIC IN FORT PAYNE

Editor,

This letter is in reference to the article announcing the proposed methadone clinic in Fort Payne.

I am very upset at the thought of a methadone clinic in our community.  I do not see any point in treating a drug addiction with another drug.  Granted, methadone does block cravings for the opiate but this is only temporary.  Antabuse was touted as a "cure" for alcoholism years ago, because if you take antabuse you can't ingest alcohol without getting extremely sick, but even antabuse didn't keep some alcoholics from drinking, and I believe methadone has the same outcome.

Also, methadone is supposed to block the feeling of getting high but why is it sold on the streets for $25 a pop?

Methadone simply enables addicts instead of actually helping them turn their lives around.

There are 12-step programs available in this area that help addicts learn to live substance free and there is no cost to attend, just a sincere desire to change and learn to live clean and sober.

The average cost of methadone treatment is around $13 a day, or $4,745 a year, and methadone treatment does nothing to help the person change their attitudes and learn to live without the crutch of methadone.

In order for a methadone clinic to be truly effective, a date should be set for the addict to plan to wean off of methadone and the addicts should be required to attend a 12-step program.  Rehab programs usually require attendance at 12-step meetings several times a week where the addict can learn to look at themselves and learn to become responsible productive members of society.

If we truly want to make a difference, then maybe a 28-day treatment center here in town would be a better solution, because it could address the growing methamphetamine problem as well as opiate addiction.

Peg Mager

Fort Payne