The Erie – St Clair Clinic offers clients the opportunity to manage their opiate addiction through the Opiate Replacement Therapy.
What is Methadone?
Methadone is a long-acting opioid (narcotic) medication. It is an effective and legal substitute for heroin or other opiates that are being used. Methadone helps to stabilize the lives of opiate-dependent individuals and to reduce the harm associated with drug use.
- Methadone is a recognized treatment option which has been shown in many research studies to be beneficial.
- Methadone is a legally prescribed medication taken orally under physician’s supervision.
- The physician’s costs are covered by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
- Methadone treatment is accepted on a voluntary basis by people who want to improve their life.
Methadone maintenance is the most effective known treatment for opiate addiction. Used properly, methadone reduces drug use and related crime, death, and disease among opiate users. Methadone treatment clinics are viewed by researchers as positive for communities. The Erie/St Clair Clinic Clinic works with people who are motivated to deal with their drug use and improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.
What is Suboxone?
- Suboxone is a sublingual (under the tongue) tablet for patients undergoing substitution treatment for opioid drug dependence.
- Suboxone tablets are a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone.
- Buprenorphine helps to stop the feeling of withdrawal.
- Naloxone is added to suboxone in order to prevent people from injecting it. When injected, it blocks the effect of opioids, like methadone, heroin and morphine and will put you into withdrawal.
- When suboxone is administered as intended (dissolved under the tongue), the naloxone will have no effect.