Suboxone is a synthetic and semi-synthetic opioid combination product. It contains buprenorphine, a partial agonist of the brain’s mu opioid receptor and naloxone, a drug used to treat opioid overdose. The naloxone is included to discourage illegal abuse of the buprenorphine, but it will have no effect when taken as directed by mouth. The naloxone only becomes active if the drug is dissolved in water and injected. Most heroin addicts know this and would not attempt it because they know the naloxone will cause immediate, intense withdrawal symptoms. It’s very difficult to abuse Suboxone but not impossible. Actually, heroin addicts don’t like it much. It causes no euphoria and worse, the buprenorphine can remain attached to the brain’s mu receptor for several days. This blocking effect prevents any high from other opioids. Suboxone is really only good for suppressing opioid withdrawal symptoms and keeping drug cravings at bay. For someone serious about recovery, this is enough, but in this article we will explore, “what does a heroin addict do with a Suboxone strip?”
Suboxone and the Law
The narcotic ingredient in Suboxone, buprenorphine, is used for both MAT or medication-assisted treatment and for the treatment of pain. It can be prescribed only by physicians who have taken special training and who have received an X number from the DEA. This authorizes them to prescribe the narcotic buprenorphine for maintenance purposes. This is normally not allowed. Other than buprenorphine, any doctor who knowingly writes an addictive substance for someone they know or should have known is addicted to it is breaking the law. The doctor must also have the X number or it’s illegal, too. The only exception is an emergency room physician, who is authorized to provide buprenorphine one time to someone in opioid withdrawal. After that initial dose, the person must follow up with a Suboxone doctor.
Buprenorphine is available in both pill and strip form and with and without naloxone. Suboxone always contains naloxone, and that is reflected in the last syllable of its name. The first syllable refers to Subutex, a pill version containing only buprenorphine and no naloxone. That is not used for MAT. Buprenorphine’s BA or bioavailability is terrible when swallowed. The BA is a measurement of how much of an ingested opioid is actually delivered to the brain. Most of a swallowed dose of buprenorphine would be lost, so it’s taken sublingually instead. This means it’s placed under the tongue until it dissolves. Some is still swallowed, of course, but most crosses into the bloodstream through the oral tissues.
Suboxone Strips
Suboxone is supplied as a small, orange, opaque, flexible strip. Each one is individually packaged and contains 8 milligrams of buprenorphine and 2 milligrams of naloxone. An average dose for someone on Suboxone maintenance is probably about 16 milligrams buprenorphine, so they would take 2 of the strips once a day. This is sufficient because the drug is very long-acting. The 2 milligrams of naloxone doesn’t bother the buprenorphine because the dose is too low. However, 2 milligrams of injected naloxone would be enough to cause an immediate withdrawal reaction. You can be 100 percent positive that no one would ever do such a thing more than once.
Suboxone causes no euphoria for heroin addicts for two reasons: One, their tolerance is too high, and two, it’s a partial agonist. This means it can only activate the mu receptor partly. This limits its ability to induce euphoria. Heroin addicts and those addicted to other strong opioids don’t go out of their way for buprenorphine unless they’re in withdrawal. As far as they’re concerned, that’s all it’s good for.
A heroin addict might like to dissolve the strip in water and inject it, but they know better. However, there are some reports of heroin addicts smoking the strip. This makes little sense because smoking will not increase the buprenorphine’s very low ability to produce a high. It also makes no sense because heat is bad for opioids. It breaks them down and reduces their potency. It can even destroy them outright. Even so, there are reports of heroin and other opioid addicts dissolving the strips in water, heating it and inhaling the vapors. This method is stupid and totally illogical. The bottom line is, it’s hard to get high on Suboxone. That’s why it’s allowed for MAT in the first place.
Let us Help
We’re here 24 hours a day to offer hope and help to anyone with a substance abuse issue. We can give you more information about Suboxone and other types of MAT and refer you to treatment if you like. Call anytime at 844-844-3463.