ABSTRACT
Advice was first given to doctors on the treatment of morphine and heroin users in 1926 by the Departmental Committee on Morphine and Heroin Addiction (Ministry of Health 1926) (the Rolleston Committee), convened by the Ministry of Health. In 1982 the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs noted that ‘in spite of the fact that there has always been a broad consensus as to good and effective treatment of problem drug takers, it has not been widely known or widely applied’ (1982: para. 7.21) and recommended that ‘guidelines should be prepared on good medical practice in the treatment of problem drug takers’ (para. 7.21). The Council considered that ‘an authoritative statement of good practice…is required urgently’ (para. 7.24). Guidelines prepared by a medical working group convened by the Department of Health were published in 1984, with revised versions in 1991 and 1999 (Medical Working Group 1984; Department of Health et al. 1991, 1999). (The guidelines also offer advice on the treatment and management of misusers of sedatives, benzodiazepines, alcohol, stimulants and some other misused substances.)
The advice of the Rolleston Committee and the later three sets of guidelines is described in terms of their sources of advice, the aims of treatment, methods of treatment and management, and the effectiveness of treatment.
