Pubdate: Sun, 18 Mar 2001
Source: The News-Gazette (IL)
Copyright: 2001 The News-Gazette
Contact:  15 Main Street, PO Box 677, Champaign, Illinois 61824-0677
Website: http://www.news-gazette.com/
Author: Sean Treat, Urbana, IL

DON'T LIMIT ACCESS TO METHADONE TREATMENT

To the editor:

I write in response to the March 1 letter, "Methadone center mustn't go 
downtown," which says we shouldn't allow a methadone center in downtown 
Champaign because of the problems caused in other places by needle exchanges.

Methadone treatment is for heroin addicts who are tying to kick their 
addiction and lead some kind of a normal life.  That is a benefit to 
society.  Methadone is administered by health care or drug treatment 
professionals.  To say that a drug treatment facility will turn downtown 
into a haven for junkies is absurd.  Maybe we should kick Prairie Center 
out of downtown too?  Does it have junkie parties outside its front door? 
Of course not.

Drug addiction is a big problem for society.  It won't go away because we 
pretend it's not there.  Many people would prefer we throw addicts into 
prison where they are out of sight and out of mind. Prison doesn't solve 
anything.  Limiting access to treatment will only make things worse.  For 
every $1 we spend on treatment we save at least $2 in prison costs.  Let's 
get the facts straight, give up on the scare tactics and deal with the 
problem.  Society will benefit.

Sean Treat    Urbana
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