A recent report issued by the National Drug Intelligence Center indicates an alarming trend in the number of methadone-related deaths – estimated to be about a 400 percent increase since 1999.
And while some local experts agree that the NDIC’s figure mirrors that of local trends, they say the increase is not a result of methadone clinics, commonly frequented by drug addicts to treat heroin addiction.
According to the report, methadone-related deaths increased from 786 in 1999 to almost 4,000 in 2004, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In comparison, the number of cocaine-related deaths during the same period increased 43 percent.
In addition to treating heroin addiction, methadone is a commonly prescribed narcotic used to treat chronic pain.
Key findings of the report say the total amount of methadone distributed in the last five years has increased, with the greatest percentage occurring at the practitioner level.
In addition, thefts of the drug from manufacturers and distributors, such as pharmacies, are on the rise.
Cambria County Coroner Dennis Kwiatkowski agrees with NDIC’s assessment.
“Most of the drug deaths that we have had lately are methadone-related,” Kwiatkowski said. “For most of them, it’s just like NDIC says ... it’s coming from a prescription.”
Kwiatkowski said methadone has become the illegal drug of choice on the street.
“It seems like methadone has taken over for Oxycontin,” Kwiatkowski said. “We don’t see (Oxycontin) deaths like we used to.
“Three or four years ago, there was a lot of Oxycontin on the streets, and the drug task force and FDA really busted down on the Oxycontin pushers,” he continued. “Now there is a trend for methadone.”
Kwiatkowski said people are obtaining prescriptions from physicians and then selling it on the street. Others are stealing the drug.
“People pick (prescriptions) up and sell them on the streets,” Kwiatkowski said. “It can’t be manufactured on the street ... and they can get pretty good money for it.”
Wallace Miller, Somerset County’s coroner, said he has not seen the same trend in his region.
“We only had one methadone-related death in Somerset County in 2007,” Miller said. “We’re just not seeing it here.”
And while most people associate the drug with methadone clinics, which “dose” patients on an average of three times per week to treat them for heroin addiction, Kwiatkowski said he agrees with NDIC’s findings.
“I don’t think much is coming straight out of the meth clinics,” he said. “A lot of the people going to the clinics aren’t going to want to part with it too easily.
Patients being treated for heroin addiction are “dosed” at the clinic on an average of three days per week.
After a period of time, some patients are permitted to take a limited few “doses” home for at-home treatment.
“There’s a possibility they’re sharing it, but I think that is very rare,” Kwiatkowski said. “While we’ve seen some overdoses coming out of the clinics, these are people who are hard-core users.”
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Methadone-related deaths soar
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