The opioid crisis in the United States has come about because of excessive use of these drugs for both legal and illicit purposes and unprecedented levels of consequent opioid use disorder (OUD). More than 2 million people in the United States are estimated to have OUD, which is caused by prolonged use of prescription opioids, heroin, or other illicit opioids. OUD is a life-threatening condition associated with a 20-fold greater risk of early death due to overdose, infectious diseases, trauma, and suicide. Mortality related to OUD continues to escalate as this public health crisis gathers momentum across the country, with opioid overdoses killing more than 47,000 people in 2017 in the United States. Efforts to date have made no real headway in stemming this crisis, in large part because tools that already existâ€"like evidence-based medicationsâ€"are not being deployed to maximum impact. To support the dissemination of accurate patient-focused information about treatments for addiction, and to help provide scientific solutions to the current opioid crisis, this report studies the evidence base on medication assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD. It examines available evidence on the range of parameters and circumstances in which MAT can be effectively delivered and identifies additional research needed.

"These guidelines were produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) a Guidelines Development Group of technical experts, and in consultation with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) secretariat and other WHO departments. WHO also wishes to acknowledge the financial contribution of UNODC and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to this project. " - p. iv

Legislators, journalists and concerned citizens in general, when consider ing what to do about the plague of heroin addiction in large cities, ask an obvious question: "Is methadone treatment effective?" This question is a critical one since maintenance with methadone is at present the only prac tical alternative to leaving tens of thousands (in New York City, hundreds of thousands) of untreated addicts on the streets. Other treatments, although effective for limited groups, could not conceivably be expanded to stop heroin use in as much as 10% of the addicted population. The present study, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, was undertaken to provide an authoritative answer to this question. Under the direction of a distinguished expert, the evaluation team made an inten sive examination of techniques and outcomes in six different methadone programs located in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and followed this by two yhears of data analysis and literature review. The present re port is the product of this work. The primary conclusion-namely that methadone treatment is substan tially effective in reducing heroin use and associated criminal behavior-is consistent with the findings of several previous independent evaluations.

Treating Drug Problems, Volume 2 presents a wealth of incisive and accessible information on the issue of drug abuse and treatment in America. Several papers lay bare the relationship between drug treatment and other aspects of drug policy, including a powerful overview of twentieth century narcotics use in America and a unique account of how the federal government has built and managed the drug treatment system from the 1960s to the present. Two papers focus on the criminal justice system. The remaining papers focus on Employer policies and practices toward illegal drugs. Patterns and cycles of cocaine use in subcultures and the popular culture. Drug treatment from a marketing, supply-and-demand perspective, including an analysis of policy options. Treating Drug Problems, Volume 2 provides important information to policy makers and administrators, drug treatment specialists, and researchers.

Throughout the world, hundreds of thousands of people are addicted to opiates. The human, economic, and societal costs of this addiction are staggering: more than one-quarter of prison inmates are incarcerated for drug offenses and there has been a dramat.

Methadone heals, but methadone kills. Methadone is a life-saving treatment, but methadone is also a life-threatening poison. The challenge is how to confer the benefit without incurring the harm. And that is what this book is all about. Methadone is by far the most widely prescribed drug in the treatment of heroin addiction, and yet, all too often, we are clumsy in our use of this powerful drug. So how much of the observed benefit is to do with methadone itself? Does dose matter? How important is the psychosocial component of care? How can problems of poor compliance be addressed? Is supervised consumption feasible, and, if so, is it justifiable and beneficial? And what is injectable methadone all about? When is it ever prescribed, and for whom, and how? And what about the dangers? Methadone itself can be the actual drug of overdose. How successful have efforts been made to re-structure methadone treatment to prevent overdose deaths? and how can the problems of diversion to the illicit market be kept to a minimum? This multi-authored book, comprising chapters from the best of clinicians, researchers and policymakers, is the essential guide to increasing the relevance and effectiveness of methadone treatment. Like it or loathe it, Methadone Matters.

This Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) reviews the use of the three Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD)—methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine—and provides guidance for healthcare professionals and addiction treatment providers on appropriate prescribing practices for these medications and effective strategies for supporting the patients utilizing medication for the treatment of OUD. The goal of treatment for opioid addiction or OUD is remission of the disorder leading to lasting recovery. Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. This TIP also educates patients, families, and the general public about how OUD medications work and the benefits they offer. Related products: Medication-Assisted Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: Pocket Guide A Shared Burden: The Military and Civilian Consequences of Army Pain Management Since 2001 Click our Alcoholism, Smoking & Substance Abuse collection to find more resources on this topic.