My two cents on methadone

"Why should we spend money on these people? The money could be used to buy medications for cancer patients..."

"I really hate drug users! They are good-for-nothing!" (Said in reference to methadone patients)

These are only few of the many negative comments I have heard in the past year about methadone maintenance therapy (MMT). And these were uttered by healthcare workers - mainly pharmacists and pharmacy assistants.

I just nod my head silently, but inside I am already judging them for judging others. (Hey, I am not perfect.) I know a lot of money has gone into the programme - with the daily dosing of methadone for so many recovering drug users. And out of the many patients, there are many of them who would try to cheat and lie to us. Old habits die hard.

But for every misbehaving patient, there is one who is committed to the programme - one who works an honest job, one who brings his kid in every day with him, one who expresses regret for abusing drugs many years ago. Heck, there are some who don't believe in the efficacy of methadone but choose to continue, because using illicit drugs can be more harmful.

I think that we shouldn't discredit the entire programme just because of the patients' previous faults. As health professionals, we shouldn't judge others. We are not supposed to be a moral or ethics police. We are just here to provide medications to people who need them in a timely and safe manner.

I also truly believe in what I learnt in uni a few years ago. MMT is beneficial because it removes drug users from harmful behaviours such as the usage of dirty needles, overdosing, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS. If MMT could reduce the likelihood of Hep C or HIV/AIDS spreading to wider society, why not?