Is the use of medications like methadone and buprenorphine simply replacing one drug addiction with another?
No—as used in maintenance treatment, buprenorphine and methadone are not heroin/opioid substitutes. They are prescribed or administered under monitored, controlled conditions and are safe and effective for treating opioid addiction when used as directed. They are administered orally or sublingually (i.e., under the tongue) in specified doses, and their pharmacological effects differ from those of heroin and other abused opioids. Heroin, for example, is often injected, snorted, or smoked, causing an almost immediate “rush,” or brief period of euphoria, that wears off quickly and ends in a “crash.” The individual then experiences an intense craving to use again so as to stop the crash and reinstate the euphoria. The cycle of euphoria, crash, and craving—sometimes repeated several times a day—is a hallmark of addiction and results in severe behavioral disruption. These characteristics result from heroin’s rapid onset and short duration of action in the brain.
Related Questions
- May nurse practitioners and physician assistants prescribe controlled substances such as methadone or Buprenorphine to treat drug addiction or dependence?
- Is the use of medications like methadone and buprenorphine simply replacing one drug addiction with another?
- Is the use of medications like methadone simply replacing one drug addiction with another?
