Izvorni znanstveni članak
Methadone Maintenance Treatment and Drugs
M. Bilban
C. Bilban Jakopin
Sažetak
The mental and physical capabilities of drivers in traffic are often seriously challenged
these days. Not only do they need to concentrate on driving, predict connections between
various phenomena, take appropriate judgements in current situations and foresee
the sequence of measures to be taken, but they are also expected to be emotionally
stable, etc.1,2. The problem with drugs in traffic is often encountered when assessing the
actual safe driving capability of a person in a given moment, for example after a car accident
or a police check, or medical check-ups that are required for a driving license. The
Road Traffic Safety Law considers methadone a drug. Drug addicts do not meet the
health standards required of drivers. This research program deals with the attitude of
drivers who are in methadone maintenance treatment programs with respect to the
driving ability as well as the effects of methadone use in combination with other drugs
on driving. It has been established that drivers undergoing the methadone maintenance
program, regularly drive not only under the influence of methadone but also under the
influence of marijuana (20%) and heroin (18%) and sometimes under the influence of
marijuana (58.6%), heroin (55.7%), and alcohol (48.6%). Certain initiatives have been
taken by some therapists to give, under certain circumstances, a clean bill of health to
responsible methadone maintenance patients who have an adequate level of responsibility
for themselves and their deeds, in order to help them obtain a driving license. Since
it has been established that methadone maintenance patients use methadone quite commonly
in combination with illegal drugs and/or alcohol, the classification of this type of
addicts among possible driving candidates remains disputable. Long term interdisciplinary
research is still required to determine the basic principles required to asses and
possibly admit this type of drivers to participate in traffic, as well as to determine which
professional therapists can participate and evaluate the driving capabilities of these patients.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
28251
URI
Datum izdavanja:
17.6.2002.
Posjeta: 936 *