This Happens Everyday around many of us...Kind of Scary

This has been bugging me for awhile now, so I thought I would finally get around to posting something about it.

I dont know how many of you are aware of this, but at least here where I live, ( Rhode Island) this happens every day.The only reason I know this is because I somewhat participate in it or too in a sense.

What I am referring to is the Methadone Clinics around the city. I drive a cab and part of my job is to take people to and from these places courtesy of the state.

Now I know some of my customers go to get a dose for pain, but others go to try and kick their habits. That is all fine and really none of my business what they are going for.

What bothers me is the people that don't arrive in cabs for their dose, but drive themselves to get it. This means when they leave, they are now on a pretty strong drug just driving around. Some head to work, and who knows where the other ones go. The point is they are driving amongst us.

Methadone (also known as Symoron, Dolophine, Amidone, Methadose, Physeptone, Heptadon, Phy and many other names) is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic, antitussive and a maintenance anti-addictive for use in patients on opioids. It was developed in Germany in 1937. Although chemically unlike morphine or heroin, methadone also acts on the opioid receptors and thus produces many of the same effects. Methadone is also used in managing chronic pain owing to its long duration of action and very low cost. Methadone was introduced into the United States in 1947 by Eli Lilly and Company.

Wikipedia Link

Now I know for myself, I was in the hospital a few months ago and I was given this for a pain killer.Needless to say I was quite loopie to say the least. I certainly wouldn't want to be out driving around in that condition.

With so much energy and effort going into drunk driving, I find it crazy that this is happening with no thought at all. I have to wonder how many accidents are caused because of this. How would you feel if you lost a loved one because someone just left a clinic under the influence of their dose? Would you even have a legal leg too stand on? Even just basic accident. Would their rights or your rights stand in court?

Im guessing this isnt the only state that does this. Im not even sure what can be done about it unless a law was made that they HAD to have a designated driver as well, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Anyhow, just thought I would put this out there in case you weren't aware of it. I know I wasn't until I had to deal with it. I guess it just never really occurred to me.

I realize people are driving around all the time on pills and all kinds of things. I know I had my day myself back in my youth. Amazing I came out of that intact really without killing someone. I just think this is something that is a little legally nuts if that made sense.What do you think?

I think that this happens every day in every city all around the world.

I had to give up driving a taxi as I am almost constantly on some pretty strong painkillers and although I didn't think my driving was affected at all, that was just "hopes and wishes".

I had no desire to take a chance and get someone killed so stopped driving.

However since people are checked for alcohol, cannabis, and maybe a couple of other things, I feel that if there is an accident that ends up with major injury or death to someone, that blood tests be taken to make sure that the person who caused this, wasn't on anything that could make them a danger on the road.

Just because a doctor issues it, doesn't make it any less deadly as far as making one a danger on the roads.

my two cents anyways....

reply to post by tribewilder


A good two cents it is too. It is just kind of scary when you think about it. It really is a LOT of people just from the clinics themselves. We aren't the only company in town that takes them either. Not to mention I only see what I see for about 10 minutes at a time. In that time frame I must see at least 20 to 30 people coming and going. Multiply that by a large number of clinics and the time frames they are open which is about 8 hours. That is a lot of people on the roads at any given time.

On a side note, it is a crazy job isnt it?!

reply to post by onehuman


Methadone is just like Heroin.

The last thing we need is someone nodding off on the wheel and veering into a car, or bystander.

Originally posted by tribewilder
Just because a doctor issues it, doesn't make it any less deadly as far as making one a danger on the roads.

...yep and the same applies to some over-the-counter medications...

...dui should apply to whatever substance is impairing your ability to drive safely...

...on lots of meds theres a warning label that says do not operate machinery until you get use to the affect of the pill - which is insane, imo... just because your constitution becomes accustomed to being altered, doesnt make you any safer behind the wheel...

It depends what dose they receive, I don't believe they get that; smashed out of the head hit; but more of a dose to reduce the side effects of withdrawl.

I'm not really clued up on the use of methadrone but having done soft drugs including alcohol you find the more you have the more you need to get that hit.

I bet if we knew the percentage of people on the road under the influence of alcohol, street drugs or strong prescription drugs we would be amazed.

reply to post by JonoEnglish


Well I certianly can't speak for all of them, but I know my customers are always telling me about their doses and how high they are and why etc. I know some wish they would cut their doses, but it seems the clinics like them nice and popped instead of actually listening to their patients.

I also agree a lot more things should be included under the dui umbrella. Like I said earlier some of these folks go to work and do operate heavy machinery amongst other things. It really does go beyond just driving really.

ops double post

This is because you are not an addict. To the addict they are finally feeling "normal" so they can get to the job and function; otherwise like one of the other posters said, they would be feeling withdrawal symptoms and that alone would be like going to work with a fever or being so sick you cannot cope.

The relapse happens when the individual is looking for the symptoms you experienced; then they are down the road again, and again, and again.