Methadone has been used since over thirty years in the heroin addiction treatment in Colorado. Even today, it is one of the most popular drugs; the newly introduced buprenorphine formulations have not been able to shake methadone out of its popularity. Methadone is actually an opioid just like heroin. When a person consumes methadone, what actually happens is that the substance acts on the same parts of the central nervous system as heroin. For that reason, the person feels a great reduction in the temptation for heroin. Hence, what methadone primarily does is to reduce the patient's urge for using heroin.

However, methadone is not without its side effects. Due to these effects, the substance is always provided in inpatient heroin treatment in Colorado. Firstly, methadone itself is habit forming. Hence, the amount that is prescribed must be carefully controlled. It is also important that the substance is provided in a medically supervised setting so that any dependency might be noticed, if it is happening. The amount of methadone needs to be carefully reduced as the person begins losing his or her tendency for using heroin. Again, this needs to be done in a clinical setting or in an inpatient program due to the great addictiveness of the substance.

Also, methadone can act severely with some other prescription drugs. This is all the more reason for providing it in a medically supervised setup.

Despite all its limitations and the risks it possesses, methadone is definitely a very effective substance in heroin rehab in Colorado. It is used both in detox treatment and in the maintenance treatment used in the aftercare.