Methadone was the drug of choice in the heroin treatment program in Kansas for a very long time. It has been in use at least since the sixties. For all these years, it has enjoyed the position of being the sole treatment method for heroin addiction in Kansas, but it is only lately that another form of medication, namely buprenorphine, has made a great impact on the heroin treatment scene in the state. Buprenorphine is available in two forms for heroin treatment in the US. The first form, Subutex, is a pure form of buprenorphine, which is used for people with strong opioid addictions. The other form, Suboxone, is buprenorphine in combination with naloxone, which is used to reduce the addictive effect of buprenorphine.

It is true that buprenorphine is a habit forming substance, because it is an opioid itself. This is necessary because only an opioid can reduce the craving of another opioid, which heroin is. But at the same time, it is necessary to know that buprenorphine is not as addictive as methadone is. Methadone is highly addictive and it needs to be carefully reduced as the heroin withdrawal wanes otherwise the person may have a methadone problem with drastic withdrawals of it. That is the reason why methadone is always provided as an inpatient treatment in every drug rehab in Kansas.

But, buprenorphine medications can be easily provided as outpatient treatment. This medication is not so drastic with its withdrawal and chances of addiction are lesser. It is easy to understand why buprenorphine has become the drug of choice for treatment of opioid addiction within the state.

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