COMPARISONS WERE OF THEIR CHARACTERIZATIONS OF AN ADDICT ON HEROIN, OF AN ADDICT WHO HAS GIVEN UP ALL DRUGS, AND OF AN ADDICT BEING MAINTAINED ON METHADONE. THE ADJECTIVE CHECK LIST WAS EMPLOYED. EACH GROUP CHARACTERIZED THE ADDICT WHO HAS GIVEN UP ALL DRUGS AS FUNCTIONING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN THE ADDICT BEING MAINTAINED ON METHADONE, WITH THE LATTER SEEN BY ALL GROUPS AS FUNCTIONING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN THE ADDICT USING HEROIN. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT METHADONE MAINTENANCE IS NOT YET FULLY ACCEPTED AS A LONG-TERM TREATMENT DEVICE BY CLIENTS, EVEN BY THOSE CLIENTS ASKING TO BE PLACED ON METHADONE, OR BY THE STAFF THAT ADMINISTERS SUCH TREATMENT. SEVERAL REASONS ARE SUGGESTED TO EXPLAIN THIS PHENOMENON, AND EXPLORATION IS MADE OF THE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES ADMINISTRATORS MIGHT EMPLOY TO DEAL WITH IT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)