3719.61 Methadone maintenance treatment.
3719.61 Methadone maintenance treatment.
Nothing in the laws dealing with drugs of abuse shall be construed to prohibit treatment of narcotic drug dependent persons by the continuing maintenance of their dependence through the administration of methadone in accordance with the rules adopted by the department of alcohol and drug addiction services under section 3793.11 of the Revised Code, when all of the following apply:
(A) The likelihood that any person undergoing maintenance treatment will be cured of dependence on narcotic drugs is remote, the treatment is prescribed for the purpose of alleviating or controlling the patient’s drug dependence, and the patient’s prognosis while undergoing treatment is at least a partial improvement in the patient’s asocial or antisocial behavior patterns;
(B) In the case of an inpatient in a hospital or clinic, the amount of the maintenance drug dispensed at any one time does not exceed the quantity necessary for a single dose, and the dose is administered to the patient immediately;
(C) In the case of an outpatient, the amount of the maintenance drug dispensed at any one time shall be determined by the patient’s treatment provider taking into account the patient’s progress in the treatment program and the patient’s needs for gainful employment, education, and responsible homemaking, except that in no event shall the dosage be greater than the amount permitted by federal law and rules adopted by the department pursuant to section 3793.11 of the Revised Code;
(D) The drug is not dispensed in any case to replace or supplement any part of a supply of the drug previously dispensed, or when there is reasonable cause to believe it will be used or disposed of unlawfully;
(E) The drug is dispensed through a program licensed and operated in accordance with section 3793.11 of the Revised Code.
Effective Date: 07-22-1998