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About:
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2 opiate agonist medicines, methadone and also LAAM (levo-alpha-acetylmethadol), have been authorized for the treatment of opiate dependency. Agonists act by substituting at the opioid receptor site, consequently obstructing the ecstasy of consequently administered narcotics (using crosstolerance) and inhibiting the symptoms of acute and chronic abstinence. Methadone was approved for use in 1972, and there are currently an approximated 650 methadone maintenance programs throughout the United States (IOM, 1995a, b). In 1993, LAAM was accepted for use in dealing with opiate dependancy; this medication has the advantage of requiring three dosages weekly as opposed to day-to-day dosages, hence freeing topics from everyday center attendance.
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