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Robert L. DuPont, MD; Keith E. Saylor, PhD
Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc Rockville, Md

JAMA. 1989;261(23):3409.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Much of the criticism of methadone treatment has centered on the use of an addicting drug to treat drug addiction. One of the seldom appreciated advantages of methadone treatment is the leverage methadone treatment staff have in eliminating nonmedical drug use by requiring nonuse as a condition of either take-home doses or continuation in the treatment program. Compliance with this condition is achieved by drug testing, now required by the Food and Drug Administration for all methadone programs.¹

Concern about drug use by methadone recipients led to drug screening for heroin, barbiturates, cocaine, and other stimulants. Worry about alcohol abuse by methadone patients led to testing for alcohol use in many programs. However, marijuana and benzodiazepines, both highly abusable drugs, appear to receive little attention in methadone programs.

Although there has been some recent concern about the abuse of benzodiazepines by patients receiving methadone maintenance,² . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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