Respond to Mayor Giuliani

 Important Notice


Tell Mayor Guiliani How You Feel
About His Callous Remarks

 On Monday July 20, 1998 during
a press conference Mayor Guiliani stated


that in 4 years he would close all the
methadone programs.

 We need your help — this is important
not only for New York but because


other mayors and governors may get similar
ideas and internationally this


may hinder countries who were just beginning
to set up a methadone


treatment system.  Therefore, in
essence Mayor Guilianis reckless remark


can have far reaching effects and impact
the lives of thousands of


methadone patients and addicts who are
seeking help for their addiction.

 Just because you dont live in
New York does not excuse you.  A flood of


letters need to be sent to the Mayors
office.  And they need to be


continuous over the next few weeks —
through August and September so that


every week the Mayor has a stack of
several hundred letters from patients.


 

 Personal letters from patients
are the most important letters of all. They


do not have to be long.  The letters
can be simple and hand written — one


or two paragraphs are best.  Patients
do not have to sign their names


either — they can use an alias like
Mary Methadone or Tommy Treatment.


They can  copy this paragraph under
the alias:

 I am unable to put my real name
to this letter because I am afraid of the


repercussions to myself and most important
to my family.  Because of the


negative remarks about methadone treatment
made by politicians and then


sensationalized in the media methadone
patients are stigmatized and


discrimination is a common experience
for all.  I have worked hard to


recover from addiction and can not afford
to lose everything or jeopardize


the standing of my family in the community
or tarnish their reputations.
 

E-Mail
Mayor Giuliani

 
 Here is the important part

 NAMA needs copies of your letter
so that we can show several federal


agencies, including General McCaffery
of the Office of National Drug


Control Policy (ONDCP) and Secretary
of Health and Human Services,  Donna


Shalala how the Mayors callous remarks
have impacted the lives of


patients.

 NAMA is working with a committee
of organizations including the American


Methadone Treatment Association (AMTA)
to make sure that your letters will


make the greatest impact.  We need
to have an idea as to the number of


letters that have been sent to the Mayors
Office and copies to show


government agencies that methadone patients
are taking the Mayor seriously.

Send a copy of your letter to:

Joycelyn Woods [email protected]

Or by snail mail:

    National Alliance of Methadone Advocates

    435 Second Avenue

    New York, NY 10003

    Attn.: Letter to NYC Mayor Project

NAMA’s
Press Release

What Should The Letter Say?

 Patients:  Tell the Mayor
how methadone maintenance treatment has changed


your life and what it would mean to
no longer have access to it.

 Family and Friends:  Tell
the Mayor how methadone has saved the life of


your loved one or friend and what you
fear would happen if their access to


methadone maintenance treatment was
discontinued.  Your letter is the most


important of all because you have no
special agenda and cant be accused of


having one except wanting the person
your love to have a whole and happy


life (i.e. providers and professionals
have their job and are denounced


with the erroneous misperception that
they are just continuing addiction to


maintain employment, patients can be
criticized with the misunderstanding


that they just want to get high).

 Professionals: Tell the Mayor how
you have seen methadone work and what


happens when patients are withdrawn
from methadone  (e.g. most relapse).

 Once you have written your letter
do something more.

 Patients: Take a copy of this notice
and post it in your clinic (be sure


to ask if you can post it first). And
then every time you go to the clinic


ask the patient standing next to you
in line to write a letter to the


major.

 Family and Friends: Give a copy
of this notice to your loved one who is a


patient and encourage them to write
a letter.

 Professionals: Take a copy of this
notice to your clinic and put it on the


bulletin board (be sure to ask permission
first). And dont forget o


personally encourage patients at the
clinic to write a letter.


 

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