Respond to Mayor Giuliani

 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. 

 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

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.