title: The emerging buprenorphine epidemic in the United States.
abstract: The authors sampled for expanded drug testing of 1,061 urine specimens collected by Maryland Division of Parole and Probation staff. They found an increase in the percentage of individuals testing positive for buprenorphine and found that these specimens often contained other drugs, suggesting misuse. Subsequent interviews with 15 probationers and parolees in Baltimore, Maryland, showed wide-scale availability of buprenorphine on the street and in prisons. Medical examiners and drug testing programs should immediately initiate routine testing for buprenorphine to track a possible outbreak of buprenorphine diversion and misuse. Physician education programs should redouble their efforts to teach strategies to deter diversion and misuse of the drug.
authors.affiliation: Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR), University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA. ewish@umd.edu
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Wish
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Artigiani
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Billing
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: Jordana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hemberg
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiplet
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: DuPont
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002047:Buprenorphine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D002047:Buprenorphine