national alliance of methadone advocates

Dear Advocates:

Since its beginning over 30 years ago methadone maintenance has been the preferred treatment for narcotic addiction by the drug user. Many times it has been demonstrated to be the most effective treatment for opiate addiction, resulting in the termination both of opiate drug use and of criminal behavior.  In spite of its success, methadone maintenance is often dispged as a "substitute drug" by those who ignore the positive benefits that it has clearly brought to society. 

Such attitudes negatively impact on methadone treatment in a variety of ways, but it is the methadone patients themselves who are particularly stigmatized and harmed. Patients are mistreated and misinformed and considered as social outcasts. They are victims of discrimination in health care, the job market, education, insurance and housing. Even treatment professionals are often ashamed to admit that they work in this field. This atmosphere will not change as long as there is no organization or formal mechanism for methadone patients to voice their own needs and to form a strong, unified public presence on their behalf.

The idea of a methadone advocacy organization was conceived in the Fall of 1988 when a group of current and former methadone patients and professionals in the field began meeting to discuss the possibility of forming one. The name, National Alliance of Methadone Advocates (NAMA) was chosen and the many issues that NAMA could address were discussed by the group. There was a tremendous amount of work ahead for NAMA to reverse the years of stigma and misinformation about methadone maintenance treatment.  

Today NAMA has grown to over approximately 15,000 members representing the 50 states, Puerto Rico and 12 countries. NAMA is proud to have inspired the formation of other affiliated advocacy groups throughout the world.  Currently over fifty affiliated groups exist in the United States as well as several in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Norway and Sweden.  

A methadone advocacy organization can work on many levels to bring about changes.  The primary objective of NAMA is to advocate for the patient in treatment by destigmatizing and empowering methadone patients.  First and foremost, it can confront the negative stereotypes that impact on the self esteem and worth of many methadone patients with a powerful affirmation of pride and unity. 

NAMA works to correct the misconceptions about methadone maintenance treatment and overcome the prejudice directed against methadone patients.

NAMA strives to educate communities and policy makers about the benefits of methadone treatment and responds to the negative and sensationalized media, supports the growth of local advocacy groups, advocates for treatment on demand and provides a platform whereby methadone patients can express their concerns about their quality of life.

Today, many methadone patients feel ashamed of the very treatment that has helped them. They feel alone, no longer "dope fiends" but still not a part of society, and with nowhere to turn for support. This situation is hardly conducive to rehabilitation. Yet the majority of methadone patients have proven themselves capable and successful in the practical world, as lawyers and waitresses, construction workers and housewives, teachers and cab drivers.

NAMA's Goals are:

• To eliminate discrimination toward methadone patients.
  
  
• To create a more positive image about methadone maintenance treatment.
  
  
• To help preserve patient's dignity and their rights.
  
  
• To make treatment available on demand to every person who needs it.
  
  
• To empower methadone patients with a strong public voice.
  
  
• To give a human face to methadone treatment.
  
  

Please complete the Membership Form and return it. The annual membership fee is only $25. This includes a subscription to The NAMA Advocate the official publication of NAMA. And if you can afford it, won't you consider including a donation to help compensate the cost of those who cannot pay for their membership. NAMA does not receive the support that other advocacy organizations enjoy, primarily because of the stigma and prejudice towards this treatment and those who receive it.  We are sure that you can appreciate this and realize the difficulty NAMA has encountered in maintaining support for our activities. We, therefore must depend on you.

NAMA works on a national level and at the local level by assisting our existing chapters and promoting the organization of new groups. Presently at the federal level NAMA has patient representatives sitting on the Accreditation Stakeholders Committee, the Physician Prescribing Committee, the NIH Council of Public Representatives (COPR) and NAMA is a NIDA Constituent Organization. At the state level many of our representatives are members of the methadone policy making committee, including New York, California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Washington, North Carolina and Vermont.

These are all important indications that methadone treatment will be changing. When NAMA was started back in 1988 the views of patients were not representated at any level. NAMA was the catalyst to make these changes occur. We are therefore at the beginning of an exciting new era of methadone treatment where the patient's voice is heard, but we need your continued support to be there for you.

Help us to continue the struggle to end the discrimination and stigma directed towards methadone patients and to work for the day when people are judged not by the medication they take, but by the contributions they make to their family, community and society.

You can join NAMA by completing the Membership Form.

Together, we can make a difference.
Together, we can change the world!

Roxanne Baker
President

National Alliance of Methadone Advocates Inc.
435 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Phone/Fax (212) 595-NAMA (6262)