Ethical treatment of a methadone client in a public detox facility In order to have a clearer understanding of the content of this article, I will provide the reader with a brief history of Substance abuse treatment in the United States. This country's policy on substance abuse has always focused on the illegality of the substance or, in the case of alcohol, the moralization of the way the substance is used. There are two basic approaches to substance abuse treatment in the United States today. By far the most popular is one in which total abstinence is the primary goal. This approach could be summarized as an adversarial technique. The client is told that his life is out of control due to the abuse and use of a chemical substance. In a harm reduction approach the client would be supported hopefully coming to the conclusion and realization that their life is out of control due to substance use. Second, that the substance is the central organizing principle of their life, meaning that the individual's focus in life has become obtaining and using the substance of his or her choice. (Brown p.27) Many tools are used in the conflictual approach: detoxification centers, hospital substance abuse treatment centers, residential treatment facilities (halfway houses and therapeutic communities), individual and group counseling. Education is the key. Most of these services focus on the medical model of addiction and the 12-step recovery model, commonly referred to as Alcoholics Anonymous. The Medical Model embodies the basic belief of the concept of disease, according to which the alcoholic is biologically different from the non-alcoholic. It is believed that the alcoholic can never be safe... middle of paper... those who feel they have the right to impose their preferred values ​​on the client and deny his right to treatment. Kantian ethics allows this situation to bring a breath of fresh air through the healing system. By allowing the client to remain in care at this facility, the professional staff is given the opportunity to grow. Hopefully, valuable lessons about the rights of all customers will take root. This should make it easier for the next client with considered different treatment circumstances to get help at this facility. It is hoped that staff will become more aware of their feelings. Above all I think this will also benefit the customer for the reasons previously listed on page 4. Bibliography: Brown, S. (1985). Treating the Alcoholic: A Developmental Model of Recovery New York, New York, Wiley Press