Pubdate: Sat, 27 Jan 2007
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n089/a04.html
Author: Dr. Anthony Ocana
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BEING MORE CREATIVE IN TREATING ADDICTION

Re: Alternative treatments give addicts a chance, Jan. 24

Your editorial on treating stimulant addiction seems to confuse 
methylphenidate with methamphetamine. They aren't the same. 
Physicians like Dr. John Grabowski and Dr. Fran Levin have been 
treating patients with co-occurring attention deficit hyperactivity 
disorder (ADHD) and substance abuse safely with stimulants for years.

Although ADHD has a prevalence of four to five per cent in the 
general adult population, it affects 25-35 per cent of 
"substance-abusing" adults.

While methamphetamine blasts the brain with more than 1,000 times the 
baseline amount of dopamine, within the first hour, long-acting 
stimulants trickle dopamine into the brain, at one-tenth the rate, 
over the whole day. The goal is not to treat the substance abuse, but 
rather to treat the underlying ADHD so that its symptoms (boredom, 
impulsivity and poor planning) do not trigger relapse into substance abuse.

Long-acting amphetamines such as Concerta do not create a high, are 
not addictive and are not easily abused. If we want to decrease the 
homelessness, crime, and prostitution linked to addiction we may have 
to be more creative with our treatments. The social and economic cost 
of doing nothing is in the billions. Sam Sullivan's plan may not be 
as far fetched as it sounds.

Dr. Anthony Ocana

Bowen Island
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman