| Heroin use among young folks has been climbing at | | | | methadone. Suboxone, sometimes referred to as the |
| alarming rates over the past few years. Heroin is not | | | | "miracle drug" has been very successful in relieving |
| just a drug found on skid row; instead it is right in | | | | withdrawal symptoms of heroin and getting patients |
| almost every school system, with more and more | | | | free from the grips of their addiction. Within just a |
| young students experiencing heroin withdrawals | | | | few weeks patients begin tapering the suboxone and |
| requiring a need for new treatments. | | | | finally get off of the suboxone without experiencing |
| Traditional treatments have not shown much success | | | | any withdrawals and becoming completely drug free. |
| in getting patients free from the heroin. Mainly | | | | Suboxone can be administered by a physician and |
| Methadone treatment is used to relieve heroin | | | | taken home by the patient. This allows the patient to |
| withdrawals but has some pitfalls that some of the | | | | have more flexibility and not be tied to a clinic. It also |
| newer medications overcome. Methadone is a full | | | | enables those who cannot get to a methadone clinic |
| opiate and basically just a switch from an illegal drug | | | | to receive treatment. Because Suboxone has an |
| to one that is legal and actually harder to get off of | | | | ingredient that will cause severe withdrawals if it is |
| than heroin itself. Methadone is also very tightly | | | | abused there is a smaller likelihood of it being abused |
| regulated by the government and has a high abuse | | | | and because it is only a partial opiate overdose does |
| potential as well as overdose deaths. It can only be | | | | not occur if it is abused. |
| dispensed at government regulated clinics and | | | | Methadone has been around for some time and is still |
| patients must report to the clinic every day to | | | | used widely. For some patients it is still is the best |
| receive their dose. Sometimes patients must travel | | | | treatment and it all depends upon the patient and |
| many miles to get to a clinic because there are few | | | | their professional who is helping them. However it is |
| clinics around. | | | | good that there are other options to deal with the |
| Some newer treatments have successfully overcome | | | | relief of heroin withdrawals with newer treatments. |
| some of the negative issues associated with | | | | |