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Methadone bill likely to pass, KMT legislator says

A bill stipulating methadone treatment for heroin addicts is likely to be passed on Tuesday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said yesterday.

The bill proposes that heroin addicts could choose to either receive methadone treatment or undergo treatment at drug rehabilitation centers which is the only option the current law allows for. It also proposes that addicts who are arrested for using heroin or turn themselves in could be granted deferred prosecution and could begin a one-year methadone treatment immediately.

Once started, the treatment is compulsory.

Hsieh said that because experimental methadone programs in Tainan and other areas that began in 2006 are doing well, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and most legislators across party lines have expressed support for the draft bill.

Methadone is used to treat narcotic withdrawal and reduce dependence on drugs such as heroin. When administered by trained physicians, it also lowers the risk of contracting diseases through injections. Chronic heroin addicts may need to use methadone for much of their lives to deal with their addiction.

Hsieh said methadone is to be taken once a day and costs NT$20 per dose, which is low when compared with supporting a heroin habit that can run up to NT$10,000 a day.

The MOJ said the effect of methadone lasts from 24 hours to 36 hours, allowing heroin addicts to take it once a day and lead a normal life. MOJ research indicated that the recidivism rate for heroin users was more than 90 percent, but the methadone program had been found to be effective.

The law stipulates that those arrested for using “first-class” drugs such as heroin and cocaine, or “second-class” drugs such as amphetamines and marijuana must undergo narcotic treatment at drug abstention and treatment centers for a maximum of one month. Those who are seriously addicted and fail an exam after the one-month treatment must undergo a second treatment period, lasting up to one year. The law stipulates that those who have received narcotic treatments twice and are arrested again for drug use will be prosecuted.
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