Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 19:47:57 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <199902270047.TAA03811@belmonte.ne.mediaone.net>
From: belmonte@mit.edu (Matthew Belmonte)
To: john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov
Subject: oppose S. 423

Dear Senator Kerry:

I write, as your constituent, to express my opposition to S. 423, the 
"Addiction-Free Treatment Act" introduced by Sen. McCain.  S. 423 would
repeat, on a national scale, the misstep that was recently made in New
York City with a proposal to eliminate methadone therapy.  That proposal
was retracted when politicians faced the facts: according to a 1998
consensus report issued by the Institute of Medicine, methadone is the
"gold standard" in the treatment of heroin addiction.  It offers a 
practical route to abstinence.  In contrast, the immediate, "cold-turkey"
abstinence advocated by Senator McCain has a 90% failure rate.

Legislating against addiction will not make addiction go away.  Only
compassionate and effective treatment can cure addiction.  Methadone,
in combination with social supports, is such a treatment.  Simple
abstinence, unfortunately, is not.  S. 423, if passed, would heighten
the personal cost of addiction for addicts and their families, and
would increase the economic cost of addiction for all of us.