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Suboxone addiction is caused by long term intake of the semi-synthetic
narcotic Suboxone, which is a combination of Buprenorphine and Narcan. Suboxone
is a sublingual formulation, which means it is taken under the tongue. Taken
this way, the Buprenorphine is absorbed through the mucus membrane, while
the Narcan is not. This drug cannot be injected, because the Narcan component
causes instant opiate withdrawal.
Suboxone is part of a class of drugs called opiates, derived from opium. Research indicates that every year nearly two million Americans use prescription opioid painkillers, and in some communities, abuse of prescription painkillers has overtaken cocaine and marijuana use. The 2002 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) showed that approximately 9% of the U.S. population has used pain relievers illegally in their lifetime. An estimated 1.6 million Americans used prescription-type pain relievers non-medically for the first time in 1998. This represents a significant increase since the 1980s, when there were generally fewer than 500,000 new users per year.
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