In our country the attitude to the treatment of drug addiction is not the same as the rest of the world: the Russian government banned substitution therapy. And the world health organization and the United Nations, on the contrary, consider it the most effective method of treatment. Figure out who is right in this situation.
What is it?
The essence of substitution therapy is that opioid drugs (mostly heroin) is replaced by methadone. This is also an opioid, but the patient takes it strictly under the control of the doctor. He undertakes not to inject drugs and regular blood tests. Ideally, the dose of methadone is gradually reduced until full repeal.
Why is it banned in Russia?
Because it’s a drug too, just less dangerous and more predictable. Most addicts continue to take his life, not daring to cancel. “We don’t treat drug addicts,” – commented Anna Nazarova, a member of the representative office of the foreign Ministry.
Deputy foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov this year once again confirmed the government’s position: in his words, methadone is a “legalization of drugs through the official medical structures” which only “increases the scale of drug use in the population”. About the experience of the Western countries Syromolotov said that “to give drug addicts drugs is much easier than them to socialize in life without drugs”.
Why is permitted in other countries?
Even with the most skilled care for heroin, completely can not get more than 10-20%. The rest are back to street drugs – it is therefore considered that in this case it is better to take medication under a doctor’s supervision. This reduces the number of overdoses, crime and accidents on the basis of addiction. Besides, methadone has no such euphoric effect as heroin, so the patient can return to normal life.
And one more advantage of replacement therapy is prevention of HIV. The drug is taken in form of syrup: it allows “off the needle”.
And what we have is substitution treatment?
Detoxification, physiotherapy and rehabilitation by the method of “12 steps” program, which resembles a psychological training. Following it, the patient must realize that he is addicted and using willpower to get rid of traction. This scheme involves placement of the patient in the hospital.
And where people recover more often?
In countries that allow substitution treatment (currently more than 60). According to the who, substitution therapy efficiency several times higher than the detoxification and rehabilitation of addicts.
However, in the coming years, methadone is unlikely to appear in Russian hospitals: the government are determined, and invites other States to join the struggle for “a world without drugs.”
Medicine in the West, of course, is better developed than ours. However, where the government sometimes takes controversial decisions: for example, “the U.S. Government has recognized the mobile app method of contraception”.