MISGUIDED ON METHADONE

To the Editor:

I was shocked to read of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's plan to abolish all
methadone treatment programs for heroin addicts in New York City (news
article, July 21). The Mayor's plan seems particularly shocking in light of
Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey's recent statements about possibly expanding
methadone treatment in the United States following his trip to Europe.

Methadone treatment works better than any other known treatment for heroin
addiction. People in the treatment program work, go to school, raise
families, pay taxes, do volunteer work, join civic and religious
organizations -- everything that people have in mind when they talk about
being healthy and productive.

DEBORAH ABDEL -HADI
South Charleston, W. Va., July 21, 1998

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)