On Wednesday, Aug. 28, the Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities in Nashville approved a methadone clinic to be built on Burgess Falls Road sponsored by Cedar Recovery, an opioid addiction clinic in Mt. Juliet.
Without researching further into its use, the root word “meth” can be scary. On the contrary, methadone is a synthetic pain reliever that can be used to treat severe pain as well as opioid and morphine addictions.
Methadone is simply a more concentrated form of medicinal drugs like Suboxone and Brixadi, used to fight addiction.
Tennessee is one of the most affected states in the country when it comes to the opioid epidemic.
Cumberlandheights.org reported in 2023 that, despite its strict laws regarding doctor’s ability to prescribe opioids, Tennessee “still ranks third in the country for the most opioid prescriptions per 100 people, and 10th overall for the highest drug use by state.”
In addition, the Health Resources and Services Administration reported that more than 130 people a day die from opioid-related drug overdoses in the US. Methadone clinics are in place to help bring that number down.
Methadone treatment is not a cheap venture for addicts, both physically and financially.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA reported that “methadone treatment, including medication and integrated psychosocial and medical support services [costs] $126.00 per week or $6,552.00 per year,” assuming attendees are receiving daily treatment.
“The amount paid for treatment of substance use disorders is only a small portion of the costs these disorders impose on society,” NIDA’s report continued.
“An analysis suggested that the total costs of prescription opioid use disorders and overdoses in the United States was $78 billion in 2013. Of that, only 3.6 percent, or about $2.8 billion, was for treatment.”
Locally, the proposal of the clinic has caused a stir. Ever since news broke of a potential methadone clinic, many Cookeville natives have vehemently opposed the idea of having such a treatment center in town, specifically for its location.
The clinic will be on Burgess Falls Road, in the same building as 931 Elite Sports, an all-ages sport facility that focuses specifically on youth athletes.
A change.org petition begun on June 20, 2024, has received over 3,300 signatures, in addition to yard signs stating “No Methadone in Our Front Yard” being spread around the greater Putnam County area.
On Aug. 28, Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter and Sheriff Eddie Ferris, alongside a bus of protesters, arrived at the Board for Licensing Health Care Facilities in Nashville to express their distaste with the clinic.
Mayor Porter’s office reported that the bus and travel were paid for via donations from those traveling. In the end, the Board voted 6-2 in favor of the clinic being built.
Methadone is used as an aid to those unable to break their drug addiction, and its role in Cookeville will ideally serve as such. Cookeville is growing year-by-year, and the only way to solve our problem with opioid addiction is to have the care to help.
