Opiate dependence is an increasing problem among young adults (18-25 years old) whose rates of current use of illicit drugs are generally high (19.7 %)according to data from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use \& Health (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2008). Young adults start using heroin around this age range, and more recently have had increasing rates of prescription-type drug use. Given that young adults with opiate dependence who are seeking treatment are relatively treatment naïve, have a shorter period of addiction, and are more likely to choose buprenorphine over methadone, developing short-term buprenorphine treatment alternatives to long-term methadone agonist treatment is needed.
