Pubdate: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 Source: Telegram, The (CN NF) Copyright: 2007 The Telegram Contact: http://www.thetelegram.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/303 Author: Danette Dooley, Special to The Telegram METHADONE PROGRAM SOON FOR HMP A methadone program will soon be available to addicts at Her Majesty's Penitentiary (HMP) in St. John's who are trying to kick their habit, but they'll only be accepted into it if they were on a similar community-based program before they were taken into custody. "We're not going to be actually starting people on methadone, it will be a maintenance program only," explained HMP superintendent John Scoville, who said the program should be up and running in April. Methadone belongs to the opioid family of drugs. Since the 1960s, it's been used to help people addicted to other drugs from the same family, such as heroin, morphine and codeine. At any one time, about 10 inmates are in the community-based methadone maintenance program, Scoville said, but he's seen that number go as high as 14 - nearly 10 per cent of the prison population. "Fourteen is fairly significant when you look at the percentage here of the population ... which averages around 150," he said. Scoville said having a program in place at HMP will be more convenient for the inmates who need it, and for prison officials. "Right now, we have to put them in shackles; we have to escort them out," he said. "It's much more onerous on both staff and on inmates. So, it would make much more sense if we could offer (a methadone program) inside." Because methadone is a narcotic, a pharmaceutical consultant has been hired to help ensure that once the drug program is offered at the penitentiary, the drug is secured, closely controlled and monitored, Scoville said. "It's all about who has access, who has keys. We are in a prison, of course, where security people all have keys. But this will be a little bit different." Security staff will not have access to the drug. The executive director of Turnings, an advocacy group that helps people with addictions and supports ex-offenders as they transition back into society, said the methadone program is sorely needed. "It's a positive step in making sure the help they need is readily available," said Ron Fitzpatrick. He said the lack of a methadone maintenance program at HMP had put added stress on the inmates on methadone as well as the entire prison population. "If we have a snowstorm and they can't get them out to get their methadone for eight or nine hours, that could set them off and up she goes," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine