NCJ Number
57807
Date Published
1979
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF DETOXIFICATION IN THE OVERALL APPROACH TO ADDICTION IS DESCRIBED, MAJOR PROGRAMMATIC ISSUES DISCUSSED, AND SELECTED RESULTS OF THE LARGEST DETOXIFICATION PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY PRESENTED.
Abstract
DETOXIFICATION OF NARCOTIC ADDICTS IS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, RELATIVELY CHEAP, APPLICABLE ON A VERY LARGE SCALE, ASSOCIATED WITH VIRTUALLY NO MORBIDITY OR MORTALITY, AND IS ACCEPTABLE TO A VERY LARGE PROPORTION OF THE ADDICT POPULATION. STILL DETOXIFICATION TREATMENT, AS A DISTINCT REGIMEN, HAS ENJOYED SCANT SUPPORT AND FUNDING IN THE U.S. AND OVERSEAS. THE RATIONALE PRESENTED IN THIS PAPER FOR DETOXIFICATION, AS A TREATMENT MODALITY TO SUPPLEMENT OTHER ADDICTION TREATMENT APPROACHES, IS SUPPORTED STRONGLY BY THE EXPERIENCE IN NEW YORK CITY. IN 1971, WHEN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY AMBULATORY DETOXIFICATION PROGRAM MADE DETOXIFICATION AVAILABLE PROMPTLY TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ADDICTS EACH YEAR, THE WAITING TIME FOR ADMISSION TO LONG TERM PROGRAMS WAS MANY MONTHS. SUBSEQUENTLY, DRUG-FREE AND METHADONE MAINTENANCE CAPACITY WAS EXPANDED DRAMATICALLY, AND THE ACTIVE CENSUS IN SUCH PROGRAMS INCREASED FROM 12,000 IN 1971 TO OVER 50,000 BY THE END OF 1974. YET THE MAJORITY OF NEW YORK CITY ADDICTS DO NOT RECEIVE TREATMENT AND A TREMENDOUS DEMAND FOR DETOXIFICATION PROGRAMS EXISTS. ADVANTAGES OF DETOXIFICATION INCLUDE ITS DAILY PROVISION OF TREATMENT AS A LEGAL ALTERNATIVE TO SELF-ADMINISTERED DRUGS; FLEXIBILITY FOR ADDICTS WHO REJECT LONG TERM TREATMENT AND WISH TO REDUCE TOLERANCE TO OPIATES; ABILITY TO REFER PATIENTS TO RELEVANT SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES FOR JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, OR FAMILY COUNSELING AND MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS; POSSIBILITY OF COMPLEMENTING LONG TERM TREATMENT MODALITIES; AND VARIABILITY OF DETOXIFICATION AGENTS ALTHOUGH METHADONE IS THE PRIMARY AGENT. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. FOR RELATED ARTICLES, PLEASE SEE NCJ 57805-57806 AND 57808-57834. (DAG)