Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) is a brand-name prescription drug. It’s used to treat dependence on opioid drugs.

This drug comes as an oral film that’s placed under your tongue (sublingual) or between your gums and cheek (buccal). The film dissolves in your mouth.

Suboxone contains two drugs in each film: buprenorphine and naloxone. It’s available in four strengths:

• 4 mg buprenorphine / 1 mg naloxone
• 8 mg buprenorphine / 2 mg naloxone
• 12 mg buprenorphine / 3 mg naloxone

Studies show that Suboxone is effective for reducing opioid misuse. It’s also effective for keeping people with opioid dependence in treatment over a period of 24 weeks. (How well a drug such as Suboxone performs is partly assessed based on how long people stay in treatment.)

Is Suboxone a controlled substance?

Yes, it is a controlled substance. It’s classified as a schedule three (III) prescription drug. This means that it has an accepted medical use, but it may cause physical or psychological dependence and may be abused.

The government has created special rules for how schedule III drugs can be prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacist. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more.

Doctors can only prescribe this drug for opioid dependence after receiving special training and certification through the U.S. federal government.

Suboxone is a brand-name drug that contains two ingredients: buprenorphine and naloxone.

It is also available in a generic version. The generic version comes in two forms: an oral film and an oral tablet. Both the film and the tablet are sublingual forms, which means you place them under your tongue to dissolve. The film can also be placed between your gums and cheek to dissolve (buccal).