Methadone, methadone treatment and non-fatal overdose

This paper provides a mainly qualitative investigation of the role of metha done and methadone treatment in non-fatal illicit drug overdose. During 199 7 and 1998, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 individuals i n six hospital accident and emergency departments in two Scottish cities. T he research identified four overdose situations related to methadone/methad one treatment. These were: (1) topping up a legitimate methadone prescripti on; (2) abusing another's methadone prescription; (3) preferring illegal dr ugs to prescribed methadone; and (4) failing to obtain prescribed methadone . The implications of these findings for methadone treatment policy and pra ctice are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights rese rved.