Source: New York Times (NY) Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Pubdate: July 28, 1998 MAYOR'S METHADONE STANCE RISKS ADDICTS' HEALTH To the Editor: While it is true that Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani "has no control -- financial or regulatory" over most of New York City's methadone programs, it is not true that he could "do very little to force a retreat from the synthetic drug" (news article, July 22). The Mayor has the power to prevent or discourage New York City welfare offices from referring heroin-addicted welfare recipients to public and private methadone programs. The extent of heroin addiction among welfare recipients is hard to estimate, but we do know that there are about 200,000 heroin users in New York City, and a large percentage are candidates for public assistance. In the last year welfare offices have been using sensible screening procedures designed by the state and city to identify addicted clients who need treatment in order to be employable. The Mayor would make it far more difficult to help these New Yorkers get the help they need if he stopped referrals to methadone clinics. CATHERINE H. O'NEILL V.P., Legal Action Center New York, July 24, 1998 - --- Checked-by: Mike Gogulski