Male-Sex-Organ Function in Drug Users

To the Editor: In their recent article on the function of sex organs in heroin and methadone users, Cicero et al. (N Engl J Med 292:882–887, 1975) conclude that methadone causes greater impairment of sexual function than heroin use. This conclusion is not consistent with the data presented, since the dose taken by most street heroin users is so variable, and the quality of street heroin is so poor.^1,2 The average dose of methadone used by the methadone patients in their study was 66.9 mg per day. At the present street dose of heroin in Philadelphia (2 mg per bag).