Why Are Medications Used for Replacement Narcotic Therapy Helpful in the Treatment of Narcotic Addiction?
Both methadone and LAAM are longeracting than heroin and other street narcotics. Each medication is effectively ingested orally. Methadone is generally administered only once daily and LAAM is administered every 48 to 72 hours. None of the problems common with intravenous drug abuse are present with the oral administration of these medications. Rather than cycling from craving, to a “high” or euphoric state, to restlessness, and back to craving every few hours as with heroin use, the replacement narcotic treatment medications provide patients a much more stabilized life. This stability permits patients to participate in normal daily activities without the disruptive effects of an illicit drug-using lifestyle.
