Methadone is another opium derivative, closely similar to heroin except that it doesn't produce the same level of euphoria and it is orally ingested rather than injected. It is dispensed as a liquid in medically prescribed dosages at supervised clinics engaged in addict rehabilitation. The substance is liberally diluted with orange juice (which effectively disguises its foul taste) and the strength of each dose is calculated in proportion to the individual recipient's heroin habit.
The toxicity of methadone is equal that that of heroin. One example of its poisonous nature involves a heroin addict on methadone "maintenance" who kept a stash of laced orange juice in his refrigerator. Unaware of the additive, a visiting relative helped himself to roughly two pints of the deadly juice. He was found slumped over a table in a narcotized stupor. His heart stopped beating en-route to the hospital. Having unknowingly drank approximately a 1/2 gram of methadone, he died within an hour.
Because heroin (and methadone) is readily available through the street drug trade there have been numerous reported instance of deliberate homicide by the use of these substances. Like methadone, heroin can be introduced to the system by oral ingestion, but taken in this manner its potency is considerably reduced. However, a sufficient amount of either substance (1-2 grams), regardless of how it is introduced, will quickly kill the average non-addicted human. Because of its comparatively prohibitive cost it is unlikely that murderers (other than dope dealers or assassins) would choose heroin over some other, relatively inexpensive poison.
Deliberate heroin (and methadone) overdose is gradually gaining popularity as a means of committing suicide or euthanasia because these substance enable one to drift away in a state of euphoria, rather than suffocating or drawing one's last breaths in agony.
In England, heroin has been adopted for legitimate use as an analgesic in cases of exceptionally painful, terminal illness because it is the most powerful, therefore, the most efficient of all known pain killers (e.i.-addicts, present or future, are probably extremely intolerant to any kind of pain). At present, a number of American physicians are petitioning the FDA for similar authorization. Dr. Kavorkian is not the only one. As might be expected, opposition was very strong.
Obviously, there is great concern that if heroin became widely recognized for its benevolent potential, suicide and euthanasia statistics would rise sharply (or maybe it has). It is a fact that while most people contemplate suicide at some time in their lives as well as euthanasia in the case of a terminally ill, love-one, the lack of a peaceful, painless method of terminating life is the primary inhibiting factor.
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