 Methadone was first discovered and used by the Germans during World War II, because of a shortage in Morphine. Methadone was used just like morphine for war victims who had severe injuries, or that were close to death. Methadone effectively numbed the pain of severe wounds, and for that reason spread quickly.
Methadone was brought into the United States by 1947, and used for a variety of things. This drug which was originally used to ease pain was soon found to be a good treatment for heroin addicts because of the heroin like effect that it has on people, without the severe rate of death. Since Methadone's effects were less severe, and held over a longer period of time, overdosing was much more difficult. Many treatment programs began to offer methadone as a treatment for heroin addicts. Since the effects lasted so long, methadone only has to be injected once a day, making it much more convenient, and much less of a drug which creates dependence where patients only live craving their next treatment application. Today many advocates of methadone treatment are trying to make methadone treatment more easily accessible, in turn lowering the number of deaths and diseases due to heroin. |