AA (as in Abstinence Advocates who despise medically-supported treatment of addiction) TAKE NOTE:

Vincent Dole gave a presentation in 1991 to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (reprinted in Clin Exp Res, 1991, 15(5): 749-752), in which he told about being asked in the early 60s to become a "lay" member of the Board of Alcoholics Anonymous - only 7 non-alcoholic trustees are permitted worldwide under the constitution of AA. Vince had just published the initial studies on methadone, demonstrating its unparalleled efficacy in treating heroin dependence, and he couldn't figure out why he was asked to join the board of AA, which had never utilized medication in helping alcoholics.

At the last meeting he attended with Bill W before the AA founder's death it was explained. "[H]e spoke to me of his deep concern for the alcoholics who are not reached by AA, and for those who enter and drop out and never return. Always the good shepherd, he was thinking about the many sheep who are lost in the dark world of alcoholism. He suggested that in my future research I should look for an analogue of methadone, a medicine that would relieve the alcoholic's sometimes irresistible craving and enable him to continue to progress in AA toward social and emotional recovery..."

Bill W was a wise and compassionate man! Hopefully some day soon an "analogue" to methadone indeed will be found - and when it is, one can only pray it will be embraced by those who are committed to helping those afflicted by alcoholism.