Security is the key in safe distribution to patients

“PEOPLE HAVE a perception of what a “druggie” should look like and that’s not the reality. There’s a lot of stigma attached to it, it’s not generally their fault.”

Behind the counter, the pharmacist stands beside what looks like a cross between a safe and a mini water cooler next to a large plastic container of dark green liquid.

This is the daily preparation at Davidsons Chemist in Dundee’s Clepington Road, one of Scotland’s busiest methadone dispensing pharmacies.

Security is key. The day before, more than two litres of the drug was stolen from another Dundee pharmacy. The methadone is constantly under lock and key, well out of reach of any would-be thief.

The dispensing itself is similarly secure. “It’s measured by a machine and we calibrate it every morning to make sure the dosing is accurate,” says the pharmacist, whose identitiy we have protected.

“When each customer comes in they put their finger on this finger computer. We know exactly who is coming in to collect the methadone. It comes up with their files on a computer screen with their picture and all the details of what dose they are on.”

Daily doses can range from 2ml to 120ml and the pharmacist is wise to any tricks of the trade, with “spit meth” the most common.

She said: “When we give them their cup we supervise them and watch them take it and make sure they swallow it. The usual trick is to try and not swallow it, try to go out with it in their mouth and spit it into another container outside.

“It would be hard to pretend to be someone else with the system we have. It’s not unheard of, but it would be very hard to do here. If they are in employment or if they expected to be away for a few days they can take it away in bottles, but mostly it is consumed on the premises.

“No large quantities go out, usually a day or two days if someone is working and showing they have clean samples and can be trusted.”

The pharmacist says she has very few issues with her methadone customers given the quantities dispensed — and anyone acting aggressively is instantly banned from the premises.

However, not all other customers approve of the methadone service.

She said: “It is quite an enclosed area, but people do have a general idea what they are in for. On the whole, other customers are OK with it. Sometimes they can be a bit rude towards the methadone customers for no apparent reason. Methadone customers don’t do anything to provoke it.

“A lot of them have grown up in an environment where drug-taking is normal and because of that, that is how their life has worked out. If we’re decent and civil to them we get that back.”

The chemist has a mixture of new methadone customers and a few veterans who have been prescribedribed it for years.

She said: “Some of them have been coming here for a few years and you do get a rapport.You know their behaviour.

“If someone misses foror three days then their prescriptionion is automatically stopped.

“We have to then get in touch with the prescribersrs and they can try and get in contact with them.

“If there are childrenen involved we have detailsls of key workers and childld support services, so if we think there are anyny problems we can get in touch with them.

“Most of the time, neww methadone customersrs are a bit wary. They don’tn’t really know how thehe whole process works.s. Then they realise we are on their side and tryingng to help them as best we can.”