[DanaC]

Methadone isn't consideres to be 'safer' I don't think. If anything it seems to be well established that it is more dangerous unless taken in a highly controlled manner. It just doesn't give the 'high' that heroin does and is politically more palatable than giving pure heroin to addicts.

methadone is much easier to overdose on and far more deadly in the case of such an overdose. It's also more addictive ( iirc)