If methadone is administered orally, it takes an average of 24-48 hours to fully metabolize into the blood, therefore meaning that users can only receive about one dose every day or every two days. Injection will also produce the same results. Methadone, as an opiate used to combat narcotic addiction, has a slow metabolism and a very high lipid solubility, which makes it last longer than morphine-based drugs. As an analgesic, it also reduces the risk of addiction, and can also be used to ease chronic back pain. Methadone is also relatively cheap to manufacture and distribute, in comparison to the more expensive Demerol. Other alternatives are LAAM (levo-alphacetylmethadol), which takes a longer 48-72 hours to dissolve, and buprenorphine. However, LAAM was recently withdrawn from clinical use to its rare cardiac side effects. Additionally, diamorphine and dextropropoxyphene have been known to produce similar effects to methadone, but at a lower strength.