An innovative approach to reducing cannabis use in a subset of methadone maintenance clients

Cannabis use rates among methadone maintenance clients are high. We attempt ed to decrease cannabis use in our most stable clients by adding a requirem ent to the take home dose policy that clients provide cannabis free urines to achieve twice a week pick up status (2 x /week). The urine records and t ake home status of all clients were monitored for the 6 months prior to imp lementation of the policy change and 1 year following. A total of four of e ight clients (50%) on 2 x /week status who were using cannabis discontinued their use in order to maintain 2 x /week status or to return to 2 x /week status if it had been lost. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All righ ts reserved.