title: Prohibition of take-home dosages: negative consequences on methadone maintenance treatment.
abstract: Patients on methadone maintenance were forewarned that a law prohibiting take-home dosages was to be enforced within 6 months. At the end of the 6-month period preceding the enforcement of the law the effect of the anticipated suppression of the take-home privilege was studied on a cohort of 211 methadone-maintained patients on take-home dosages. The outcome of the treatment of these patients was compared to that of a control group of 220 patients at the end of a 6-month period prior to the announcement of the new law. The outcome of the study suggests that the restrictive regulation is counterproductive for retaining patients in treatment.
authors.affiliation: Drug Addicition Service, USL 21, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Pani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pirastu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009042:Motivation; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone