New Medication-Assisted Treatment Options For Meth Addiction

Meth addiction, also known as methamphetamine use disorder, is an illness that affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans.

Treatment interventions for meth addiction have traditionally involved detoxification (detox) and behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and contingency management.

However, with meth-involved overdose deaths rising, researchers are also looking into medication-assisted treatment options for meth addiction.

A clinical trial known as ADAPT-2, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that a combination of oral bupropion and injectable naltrexone reduced methamphetamine use compared to placebo.

A subsequent UCLA-led study published in 2024 found the combination resulted in a 27% increase in methamphetamine-negative drug tests compared to a placebo, reinforcing the earlier results.

What Is Medication-Assisted Treatment?

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a “whole-person” treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorder that involves taking medication and receiving behavioral health services, like therapy.

MAT with methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone is considered the “gold standard” treatment for opioid use disorder. For alcohol use disorder, naltrexone has shown to be helpful.

What Does Medication-Assisted Treatment For Meth Mean?

As of 2026, no medication has been FDA-approved specifically for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder, though research is ongoing.

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, for instance, shows that a combination of oral bupropion and injectable naltrexone may help treat meth addiction.

Bupropion (the generic name for Wellbutrin) is an antidepressant medication that can help people stop smoking. It can also help reduce dysphoria.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that is used for treating addiction to opioids and/or alcohol. Researchers believe it may help block the euphoric effects of meth and reduce drug cravings.

Results Of Treating Meth Addiction With MAT

That study, funded by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, showed that people who received both bupropion and naltrexone for meth addiction had better treatment outcomes than those who did not.

The study was conducted over two years, from 2017 to 2019. Participants included 403 adult volunteers with meth use disorder, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years old.

It found that the combined use of bupropion and naltrexone could help:

• reduce cravings for meth
• improve social functioning
• promote improved quality of life
• prevent relapse to meth use

How Does Medication-Assisted Treatment For Meth Work?

The NIH-funded study had study participants take a dose of extended-release bupropion daily, and receive an injectable dose of naltrexone once every three weeks.

All in all, the study was conducted in two six-week stages.

Experts believe medication for meth addiction may be effective taken alone, or in combination with other treatment services, like behavioral therapy or as part of a full drug rehab program.

Where Can You Find Medication For Meth Addiction?

Options for finding medication for meth addiction are limited, due to the fact that medication is not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment.

However, some treatment providers have begun offering this treatment in an effort to help curb rising rates of drug addiction and meth-involved overdose deaths.

Some treatment providers have begun offering bupropion and naltrexone off-label for people with methamphetamine use disorder, in the absence of an FDA-approved option.

What Is The Most Effective Treatment For Meth?

Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that can have severe effects on physical health, as well as mental health and psychological well-being.

Risks and dangers of meth use include:

• meth dependence
• addiction
• symptoms of psychosis
• increased risk of infectious disease (i.e., from injection drug use)
• mental health issues
• withdrawal symptoms
• overdose

Based on research, the most effective treatment plan for meth addiction generally involves a combination of medical care, behavioral therapy, and social services.

An example treatment plan may involve:

• detox
• cognitive behavioral therapy
• contingency management
• social services (e.g., housing assistance, as needed)
• relapse prevention planning
• treatment for co-occurring disorders (i.e., mental illness)

Overcoming meth addiction is possible with the right support.

If you have medical problems or have a severe meth use disorder, finding an inpatient or residential treatment program that can offer a high level of support may be recommended.

A Growing Risk: Fentanyl Contamination

A growing concern in meth use disorder is the increasing overlap with fentanyl. Methamphetamine is now frequently used alongside fentanyl, in part because meth can heighten fentanyl’s euphoric effects while reducing its sedative effects. This combination significantly raises overdose risk, as users may not recognize when they’ve taken too much fentanyl.

Between 2020 and 2021, the share of fentanyl-related overdose deaths that also involved stimulants like meth rose from less than 1% to nearly one-third. Researchers call this the “fourth wave” of the overdose epidemic.

People with methamphetamine use disorder should be aware that fentanyl is now commonly found in the illicit drug supply, including in drugs not expected to contain it. Keeping naloxone on hand is recommended even for people who do not use opioids intentionally.

Find A Meth Addiction Treatment Program Today

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Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff