Finding Normal

To the editor of the Mountain View Newspaper

I drove to the Methadone clinic in Rossville, Georgia to gain some perspective of what should be expected only from it's exterior appearance. This is a long trip to make to ensure an MMT clinic doesn't enter your community. How far can your Hate take you? I was sitting in the parking lot just after 6:AM with a camera and legal pad. In just under 15 minutes, I counted 18 vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot. Now, if you take 15 cars every 15 minutes, this is 60 drug addicts per hour of the clinic's operating hours that will be going through our neighborhood. Notice she said "drug addicts" not "recovering addicts". However, this is still better than the terms junkie, dope fein, etc. I viewed vehicles with Kentucky , Rhea County, Knox County, Roane County, Walker County, Georgia and Hamilton County tags. and your point is? Doesn't that support the need for more clinics? I had spoke with a neighboring business who informed me that the clients seeking treatment at this facility begin coming into their place of business at 4:AM, many requesting the use of the restroom while they are waiting for the clinic to open. again your point is? If you had to drive hours to get to a clinic for treatment because you wanted to live and you worked....how early would you have to get up? We don't WANT to be up at 4AM standing outside a clinic to get our meds but due to people like you protesting clinics that would be closer to home we have to. During the short time I was sitting in the parking lot of this clinic, there were several people standing outside smoking by an overflowing cigarette ash can. The parking lot spots were stained with oil from excessive oil leaks from vehicles lacking maintenance. One block behind this clinic were streets of many poorly maintained homes. Again, the reason these clinics are WHERE they are is because of folks like you refusing to have them in nicer neighborhoods. And a full ash can, oil stains in a parking lot is the best you can do try again. Poorly maintained cars? Well, it is hard to afford a nicer car when you spend hundreds for treatment and gas to drive miles and miles. If there was a bill proposed which offered payment for patients via tax money so we wouldn't have to pay a "for profit" clinic  therefore able to afford a better car you would come unglued! If clinics try to open so they are closer to treatment centers you come unglued. So what do you suggest? If you and others like you would leave MMT patients alone to heal from their awful addictions we could afford better cars but why should you care what we drive? If you drive an old car you are a bad person? There's some logic!

The website addresses below should provide interesting supportive information about the dangers and deaths due to Methadone treatment. The deaths nationwide that are caused by Methadone do not include all the auto accidents caused by those under the influence of Methadone. Do you want a large number of people driving through your community under the influence of a drug permitted as a legal replacement over other drug addictions? There are also petitions circulating for those who have had loved ones who have died following legal methadone treatment. This petition targets the Drug Enforcement Agency in this Country and provided below is the link to this petition.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/DEADeadlyDecision

http://www.harmd.org/ (HELPING AMERICA REDUCE METHADONE DEATHS) INDICATES THAT IN 2005 THAT METHADONE WAS IMPLICATED IN 4700 DEATHS.

I find it unbelievable that the elected politicians of this County take it into their hands in determining what should be allowed in our neighborhood, without thoroughly looking into the adverse consequences that could result. Individuals who are inexperienced and lack knowledge in their failure to look at the overall picture of what this Methadone Clinic could do to Van Buren County do not put the welfare and future of our County as their priority.She needs to read the following 2 articles which will tell her what happened to other communities that said the same thing.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20080113-NEWS-801130344

Is it so hard to find and understand the reasons that other prompted other Counties decisions not to have a Methadone Clinic in their community? Look into past newspaper articles for the Counties that were chose for a location for this clinic prior to Van Buren County. You will find supporting and informative information prompting their decisions to not permit such a facility in their community. So again, tell us why our politicians are so easily swayed by the sales abilities of a CEO of a Methadone Clinic who is looking to make money in this venture.

Every politician in favor of this facility can write rebuttal after rebuttal attempting to gain support for their decision in obtaining a Methadone Clinic in Van Buren County. Everyone will try to justify their decision if they have failed to look and dissect the overall picture of a Methadone Clinic in this County. However, their statements and opinions are in no way beneficial to this County nor do they rise above the knowledge, experience and editorial of our District Attorney. As concerned citizens one must ask themselves how can we trust those elected to office when they fail to permit the citizens a vote on a decision that could adversely impact our community and when they discard the professional knowledge of their own District Attorney?

One elected official compared our County and City of Spencer to Rossville, Georgia and Walker County, Georgia. Rossville has a considerably higher population and Walker County has approximately, six times higher population than Van Buren County. There is no comparison.

In addition, many questions need to be considered. Is the tax revenue brought in by this one facility worth the potential or current lose in revenue due to homeowners or potential homeowners choosing another County to live because they choose not to live in a community with a Methadone Clinic, Statistics show there is none. along with limited police protection? Who will invest their lifelong savings relocating to this area under these conditions? What conditions? Typically, people with money to invest would not come to a community offering such an unappealing atmosphere. There are so many more positive things Van Buren County officials could promote and propose to make this County a desirable place to live where people want to relocate and invest in their future if sincere efforts were put forth.

Additional questions that should demand a truthful and supported response ; Who are benefiting from this proposed clinic? The community because research shows for every dollar spent on MMT $4-$13 are saved. Also, those addicted to opiates and you can bet there are more than you think. 

How are they really benefiting?That was just answered but in addition...Methadone Saves Lives!

How are the citizens of Van Buren County benefiting? The financial benefit above. in addition to reducing addiction.

Who or what business will personally gain from permitting this Clinic in Van Buren County and how?There is no alterior motive if that is what your implying.

What is the benefit of approximately, 20 jobs when some of the hired staff will come from outside the County? Staff can come from inside the county if you don't convince the county they would be shamed for working there. I have met nurses who have said they were treated like they worked at a strip club when they said they worked in MMT.

What is the benefit of drug addicts moving into the community because the cost of gas is too high for them to travel to the Clinic?They aren't drug addicts. They are recovering addicts who work, raise families, and would be excellent members of the community that you should welcome.

What is the benefit to possible potential decline in property values?There is no evidence that an MMT clinic has ever reduced the value of surrounding property. Try again.

What is the benefit to Van Buren County having drug induced accidents following Methadone treatment? Again, no proof that it has ever occured. if someone mixes their methadone with other meds then they will be intoxicated but MMT clinics have never increased traffic accident rates. Next...

What is the benefit to our school system should addicts with children seek to live closer to the Methadone Clinic? Now you are just pissing me off and embarrassing yourself! Our children are the children of recovering addicts. Addictionis a disease. If the child of a recovering addict  enters a school then the school receives added funds because they are an added student. Our children are no different than anyone elses except they may be more accepting of others flaws even those who are bigots.

Does Van Buren County want the presence of additional drug induced crime when a drug addict fails to succeed in the Methadone Clinic and seeks other means to obtain money to feed their drug habit, such as robbery? MMT reduces crime in their patients and those who enter abstinence programs are much more likely to "fail" treatment. Relapse rates for them is 90% but up to 95% suceed in MMT.

If there were no problems with the addicts seeking Methadone treatment at the Clinic in Rossville, Georgia, why does the CEO of this facility offer Van Buren County a paid policeman?Because of the stigma people like you place on us. People who are uneducated about MMT assume the clinics will have trouble in the parking lot if no security is present so this was a "peace offering" to hush the bigots. My clinic has no guard and I leave my car running, unlocked, purse in full view and have for 2 years. Never a problem. I trust these people more than the average member of society. I would never do that at the grocery store because its people like you who have something to hide and those in active addiction are the ones who steal ...they don't attend my clinic. LOL

Come on Van Buren County politicians use common sense just as the other Counties have done prior to making such an important decision! Poor judgment can be remedied and respect gained by making the sensible decision of not permitting a Methadone Clinic in yours and our back yard. With so much information available that if the time was put into researching all aspects of the presence of a Methadone Clinic and consideration as to the overall adverse effects it would have, we would be in the position of all those other Counties that have chose not to have the Clinic in their community and choose a better future for Van Buren County. When you find some common sense you need to use it yourself. As far as research goes I didn't see one reference to any research article here but I can list many to dispute your lies. The other clinics used discrimination to keep clinics out and often it came back to bite them in the keister....it is against the ADAto discriminate against those with addiction and denying them life saving treatment is a big NO NO!

Van Buren County citizens, there is a copy of a petition for you to sign against the proposed Methadone Clinic. You may sign or obtain a copy of this petition at local businesses, the District Attorneys Office in McMinnville or Johnson's Builders. Telephone numbers for the District Attorney's office and Johnson's Builders are in the Ben Lomand phone book.

Linda Burdett

122 Howard Road

Spencer, Tennessee 38585

Telephone 931-946-6000