
Common street names: Meth, Done, Dollies, Junk, Fizzies
 Brand names: Methadose, Diskets, Dolophine
 Chemical name: Methadone Hydrochloride

Oral Pills
Injection
Oral Liquid

 Methadone works by blocking the opioid receptors of the brain that bind opiates such as heroin.

Chemical Formula: 6-(dimethylamino)-4,4-diphenyl-3-hepatanone hydrochloride

 There are two major affects from blocking these receptors:
1. Methadone will block these receptors for up to 24 hours and even if a person addicted to heroin takes heroin after taking methadone, the person will not feel the same effects of the heroin that he or she has felt before.
2. The action of methadone is associated with slower and less intense withdrawal symptoms than heroin. This can help people going through withdrawal by helping them to avoid the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin.


Synthesized in Germany at the pharmaceutical laboratories of I.G.
Farben in 1939.
 Product of a research chain in the area of synthetic antipyretics (fever reducer) and analgetics (pain relievers).
 Made to be a painkiller.
 Brought to the United States in 1947.

 Opioid pain reliever, similar to morphine.
 Reduces withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to heroin or other narcotic drugs.
 Used in drug rehabilitation centers.

 Methadone is a Schedule 2 controlled substance.
 Schedule 2 drugs have a high potential for abuse which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.
 Schedule rating of drugs varies from 1 through 5.
 Schedule rating 1: no medical use and highly addictive.
 Schedule rating 5: has medical use and not highly addictive.

 Constriction of pupils
 Respiratory depression
 Strong analgesia (pain relief)
 Dry mouth
 Muscle flaccidity (relaxed muscles)
 Constipation
 Decreased heart rate

 Mood swings (happy to sad)
 Sedation
 Depressed reflexes
 Altered sensory perception
 Drowsiness
 Dizziness
 Lightheadedness

 Nausea/Vomiting
 Constipation
 Urinary retention
 Convulsions
 Cardiac arrest
 Coma
 Death

www.methadoneabusehelp.com/methadone-street-names www.drugs.com/methadone.html
www.rxlist.com/dolophine-drug.htm
www.medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/methadone www.indro-online.de/discovery.pdf
www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/index.html
www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/job185drugs/methadone.htm