[tmp-20150107]

Seems dubious.

On the methadone program I'm on, before they could start the treatment, I had to take multiple toxicology screens to show I was addicted to heroin. These places are incredibly worried about opiate-naive individuals overdosing, which can happen even with the small initial doses on these programs. Note that this is in the UK, which has a much less litigious medical culture USA as well...

Not to cast aspersions on your friend, but have you considered that he may be lying to you about only using recreationally, and using this story to explain why he's on a treatment program? One thing about heroin is that it's pretty much impossible to use regularly without becoming addicted. As a heroin addict myself I know that unfortunately deception can easily become a normal part of your life.

[refurb]

That’s my understanding as well. There are requirements that the person is actually dependent on opioids before they are admitted to a program.

[fapjacks]

Seems dubious.

A test to show you are addicted to opiates does not exist, and also your own experiences do not represent the experiences of every person that ever used drugs.

[tmp-20150107]

Yes, technically the tests are to show the opposite - that you are (not) opiate naive. Someone who can pass multiple closely spaced toxicology screens for heroin (i.e. opiates are not detected) is never going to be admitted to one of these maintenance programs due to the incredibly high risk of death by overdose.

[ChristianBundy]

> One thing about heroin is that it's pretty much impossible to use regularly without becoming addicted.

I'm happy to hear that your treatment is going well -- opioids can be incredibly hard to kick. On the other hand, you might be interested in some of the newer science of what drives addiction:

https://theoutline.com/post/2205/this-38-year-old-study-is-s...