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Federal Methadone Treatment Laws

Supplying methadone as a treatment option for heroin addicts has long been a controversial topic in the United States. In 1997, the National Institute of Health released a report stating that opiate addiction cost this country $20 billion annually. The controversy surrounding methadone is related to dosage, length of treatment and money spent on treatment programs. Federal laws that regulate this substance address dosage and program options. (Reference 1)

  1. Methadone Treatment

    • Methadone works as a treatment for opiate addiction on several levels. First, it blocks the craving for opiates that are evident in an addict; next, it eases the withdrawal symptoms that can make a person very sick; finally, stable dosing of methadone does not create the 'high' that heroin and other opiates cause. Methadone treatments only need to be taken once daily for benefits to be effective. (Reference 1)

    Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    • In 1947, the FDA approved the use of methadone for treatment of pain. In 1972, the FDA approved use of this drug for treatment of opiate addiction. Methadone falls under the prescription drug classification and as such must follow the FDA established guidelines for safety, effectiveness and quality. The FDA has also established a distribution system of this drug, making it available mainly for addiction treatment purposes. (Reference 2)

    Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

    • Since methadone is a legal narcotic the DEA enforces existing production and distribution laws to prevent illegal sales of this substance. According to the DEA, the use of methadone for alleviation of pain is allowed if it is prescribed by a medical professional and necessary for treatment. In order for a clinic to use methadone as a treatment option, the clinic and medical professionals must be registered with the DEA as a narcotic treatment program. (Reference 3)

    Department of Health and Human Services

    • The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for creating guidelines that treatment clinics must adhere to in order to qualify as a narcotic treatment program. According to the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, the director of Health and Human Services must "determine the appropriate methods of professional practice in the medical treatment of the narcotic addiction of various classes of narcotic addicts." (Reference 2)

    Regulation Enforcement

    • Although methadone is not generally a drug that is widely abused, it is a very highly regulated substance. Federal treatment laws are strict about dispensing methadone and dosage amounts. Laws are enforced by all regulating federal agencies, including the FDA, DEA and HHS. Clinics and physicians dispensing methadone must comply with strict record keeping to satisfy federal laws. (Reference 2)

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