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Drug Deaths
New Zealand Herald, 17 June 1999
Recovering heroin addicts illegally trading their weekend
doses of methadone are contributing to an alarming death
rate from overdoses.
Institute of Environmental Science and Research figures show
there were 44 methadone deaths in the past three years
compared with 49 heroin/morphine fatalities.
Many methadone deaths occurred on Saturdays because addicts
being weaned off heroin were given "weekend takeaway" doses
instead of being required to consume them under supervision.
Some sold them or swapped them for other drugs.
The buyers often did not know whether the methadone was
diluted, and its effects.
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