Saturday, December 10, 2011 - Page updated at 05:46 p.m.

Methadone use and deaths in Washington

Over 10 years, the use of methadone increased 14-fold in Washington. The biggest jump took place in 2004, the year Washington adopted a preferred drug list and embraced methadone as a painkiller. That these numbers are so dated — 2006 is the most recent year available — underscores how long it can take for the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration to release data to the public. Methadone accounts for more deaths in Washington than any other long-acting painkiller.