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The age of first use of drugs has been declining for many years. Is medication-assisted treatment for opiate addiction appropriate for adolescents under age 18?

April 26, 2017addiction adolescents age appropriate declining drugs medication-assisted opiate treatment

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The age of first use of drugs has been declining for many years. Is medication-assisted treatment for opiate addiction appropriate for adolescents under age 18?

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The safety and effectiveness of methadone has not been established in patients younger than age 18. For patients who are over age 15 but younger than age 18, buprenorphine is the preferred medication for treatment of opiate addiction. Parental consent may be an important issue for treatment of adolescent patients; rules vary from state to state.