Chris Gough is certain he would not be alive today without methadone treatment. A decade ago, homeless and addicted to heroin, it was the intervention that finally worked after everything else – from detox attempts to camping trips with his mother – had failed.
The Most Effective Treatment No One Wants
According to addiction specialist Dr Hester Wilson, opioid prescription therapy (OPT) – using medications like methadone or buprenorphine – is the most effective treatment for addiction to drugs like heroin or oxycodone. Yet, as Executive Director of the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy, Mr Gough says the stigma attached to it is so severe that many would rather keep using illicit drugs.
"[Many people] would rather stay on illicit drugs than get on the methadone or buprenorphine program because they feel more stigmatised," Mr Gough said. "That's an indictment on our healthcare system that people would rather go and see a criminal than go and see a health practitioner."
A Deadly National and Local Toll
The urgency of the issue is underscored by grim statistics. The Penington Institute reports that an average of six Australians died from overdose every day in 2023, a figure double the national road toll. In the ACT alone, 16 Canberrans had died from suspected overdoses by September this year.
Dr Wilson is unequivocal about the evidence: rehabilitation without medication is not effective for opioid addiction and can be dangerous. "The psychosocial and the psychological options without the medication are not effective ... it actually increases people's risk of harm through overdose," she stated.
Stigma: A Barrier in Hospitals and Clinics
For patients like Mr Gough, the stigma is a daily reality, even within the healthcare system. He reports being treated well in hospitals until staff discover he is on a methadone program. "Suddenly they think that I'm seeking drugs in their hospital," he explained.
Dr Wilson confirms this stigma is "a reality" and "an absolute tragedy because it actually interferes with people being able to access treatment, stay in treatment". While Canberra Health Services says its clinical staff receive training to reduce stigma and follow equitable policies, patient experiences suggest a persistent problem.
Critical Shortage of Prescribing GPs
Access to treatment is further hampered by a shortage of general practitioners willing to prescribe it. Mr Gough estimates between 1000 and 1100 people are on opioid maintenance treatment in the ACT. Access became harder this year when a key bulk-billing service, the Tuggeranong Interchange Co-Op, went into voluntary administration and a prescribing GP retired.
While any GP can prescribe for up to five patients if they were started by a specialist, less than 10 per cent of GPs nationally prescribe opioid maintenance treatment. Dr Wilson, who would love to see more GPs involved, acknowledges the complexities: Medicare rebates often don't cover the full cost, and it requires a long-term commitment from the doctor.
ACT Health says it is taking steps to address the crisis. A spokesperson noted funding for pharmacists in the program, access through the Alcohol and Drug Service, and an upcoming workforce development workshop in February 2026 aimed at expanding the prescriber network and tackling stigma.
For Chris Gough, the solution is clear: reducing stigma and improving access to the treatment that saved his life is essential to turning the tide on Canberra's overdose crisis. "I was still dependent on an opioid, that problem hadn't been fixed," he reflected. "But what had been fixed was instead of going to a criminal and potentially overdosing ... I was able to just go to the chemist and pick up my medication."
