Methadone Ban for Truck Drivers--

Subject: Methadone Ban for Truck Drivers-- Tue Oct 20, 2009 4:02 pm

This is an older article that I came across. I had no idea this was already a problem for some MMT pts, I knew they were trying to pass laws against pts driving POV's but had no idea they already had some laws out there that would affect your job.

Methadone Ban for Truck Drivers--Rule Needs to Be Changed

Methadone maintained patients considering a career as a truck driver or current truck drivers suffering from opiate addiction and who are contemplating methadone treatment receive an unpleasant surprise when they attempt to obtain or renew a DOT license to drive a truck. In order to drive a commercial truck, drivers need more than a standard drivers license--and commercial truck drivers are subject to far more extensive regulations than drivers of automobiles.

Nowhere in the United States does being in methadone treatment disqualify an individual from obtaining a drivers license and operating an automobile. The DOT regulations indicate that the use of legitimately prescribed medications by truck drivers is permitted. Truck drivers may drive while on such prescribed medications, “if the substance or drug is prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner who is familiar with the driver's medical history and assigned duties and has advised the driver that the prescribed substance or drug will not adversely affect the driver's ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle." These regulations do not ban or place any additional restrictions on specific medications--with one exception: methadone.

A review of the DOT’s ban on methadone is well overdue.

All the research that has been conducted regarding methadone maintenance and ability to drive indicates that stabilized methadone maintenance patients are not impaired by their medication and are as fit to drive as the general population.

Anecdotally, automobile accidents blamed on methadone are virtually unheard of (*this statement refers only to methadone being used by methadone patients--not illicit use of diverted methadone, and excludes cases where the methadone patient was also under the influence of illicit/non-prescribed drugs).

The fact that no states have adopted regulations banning or restricting the operation of automobiles by methadone patients (not YET anyway!) is indicative that methadone maintained patients have not caused a disproportionate number of accidents. It is also telling that the DOT regulations were never amended to extend the ban on methadone to LAAM (another opioid edication that is prescribed for the treatment of opiate addiction)--the reason for this discrepancy probably has more to do with the stigma surrounding methadone, than anything else, since there is no rational basis for it (though, the lack of an affordable drug test for LAAM may also be a factor).

If there is any doubt that the DOT’s ban on methadone is discrimination and is not justified by any legitimate reason, one only needs to consider all the prescription medications that the DOT has not specifically banned. There are a large number of prescription medications with a far higher likelihood of side effects that would make operating a truck dangerous, even when taken as prescribed for a legitimate medical condition. There is simply no legitimate explanation for banning methadone, but not other medications, like sedatives or stimulants.

The responsible solution to the issue of prescription medications and operating a motor vehicle, is to do what the DOT has done for all prescription medications except methadone--allow medical practitioners to determine in each individual case, whether or not the prescription medication will “adversely affect” the patient’s ability to safely drive a commercial motor vehicle, and advise the patient accordingly. If the medical practitioner indicates that the medication will not interfere with the patient’s ability to drive safely, the individual should be permitted to drive a commercial motor vehicle.

In fact, a stabilized methadone maintenance patient experience virtually no analgesia or intoxication from the medication, so this will not be an issue in most cases. And if the DOT examined the research, they would know that. The DOT policy concerning other prescription medications has apparently been effective at keeping impaired drivers off the road, so methadone should be treated in the same manner--ending the discriminatory double standard placed on methadone patients

This comes from the Methadone Today newsletter

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