Check it Out: • 1 LB of METH = 5 LBS of   TOXIC WASTE • In 2004 alone, there were more   than 10,000 meth lab cleanups   at a cost of $18.6 million (Source: DEA, NIDA, NIH, USDHHS)

Other Drug Information: Alcohol Cocaine Ecstasy Fentanyl Hallucinogens Heroin Inhalants LSD Marijuana Prescription Drugs Steroids

The Many Faces of Meth: Before After

(Source: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office - Faces of Meth™)

Va. Lawmakers Seek More Control Over Methadone Clinics

Sparked by a surge in methadone-related overdose deaths and community clashes over the opening of new methadone clinics, the Virginia legislature is moving to declare a moratorium on the creation of new methadone programs in the state.

The Kingsport Times-News reported Jan. 14 that the state Senate's Health and Education committee unanimously approved a bill from Sen. William Wampler Jr. that would prevent any new methadone clinics from opening until new regulations are created to govern such programs.

"We have to place a moratorium on these clinics because there is no clear guideline for the director (of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services ) to follow with regards to licensing these facilities," said Wampler. "So instead of the legislature setting out in the code what those guidelines could be, we have to have the director promulgate regulations."

Wampler said new methadone programs should be opened with an eye on the number of people they will serve, access to current programs, appropriate settings, and the extent of counseling that is available to opiate addicts to go along with their medication. "It's one thing to dispense methadone, but it's another thing to have a successful treatment plan where you have both intensive inpatient and outpatient treatment," he said.