Teens Less Likely To Get Medications For Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction impacts people of all ages. However, adults and adolescents receive different treatment approaches when they seek help.

A study published in JAMA found that teenagers with opioid use disorder are significantly less likely to receive evidence-based medication treatment than adults with the same condition. This gap persists despite strong evidence supporting medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for adolescents.

The stakes have risen sharply in recent years. Fentanyl now accounts for approximately 76% of drug overdose deaths among adolescents, according to CDC data analyzed by KFF.

Overdose deaths among teenagers more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, driven almost entirely by illicitly manufactured fentanyl and often in counterfeit pills purchased through social media. This makes access to evidence-based treatment, including MOUD, more urgent than ever.

Young People And Opioid Addiction

Opioids are drugs that relieve pain, and, when misused, also produce a euphoric high. These drugs include prescription medications such as oxycodone.

They also include heroin, a street drug that some people with OUD turn to when they no longer have access to pain medication.

Both regulated and unregulated opioids are highly addictive. Much of the research on the U.S. opioid crisis has focused on adults, but teens can also experience opioid addiction.

Although teen opioid misuse is uncommon, teens who do misuse opioids face a high risk of overdose and death.

Therefore, young people who experience OUD must receive treatment that has been proven effective.

Opioid Addiction Medications

One of the most effective forms of OUD care is MOUD. It is especially beneficial when combined with behavioral therapy.

Within MOUD programs, doctors prescribe medications that reduce cravings and other withdrawal symptoms that can inhibit the recovery process.

Existing research supports buprenorphine, often prescribed as buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone), as an effective treatment for opioid use disorder in adolescents.

A study published in JAMA found that among inpatient addiction treatment facilities serving young people, fewer than 25% offered any buprenorphine management. Facilities were also more likely to offer equine therapy than evidence-based medication treatment. More recent data suggests that this gap, despite receiving more attention, has been slow to close.

The study examined inpatient addiction treatment facilities for young people. Among the facilities in the study, less than 25% offered any level of buprenorphine management.

In fact, teen inpatient facilities were more likely to offer horseback riding, which is an unproven treatment approach, than MOUD, which is supported by evidence.

Why Are Teens Less Likely To Receive Opioid Addiction Medications?

It’s difficult to say why teens have less access to addiction medication than adults, as current research is limited.

There may be several overlapping reasons, including ageism and misinformation, that prevent young people from receiving this type of care.

Opioid Treatment Hesitancy

One possible reason for the lack of OUD medications for teens may come from overall hesitancy toward these medications.

Buprenorphine, for example, is itself an opioid, as are the other most common drugs that treat opioid addiction.

Many people mistakenly believe that buprenorphine and similar medications only substitute one addiction for another.

However, these medications, when used appropriately, do not cause a high. Instead, they relieve the physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal, which can be severe and dangerous.

They also replace more powerful and unregulated opioids such as heroin and illicit fentanyl, lowering the chances of overdose and death.

The FDA has approved buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment in patients as young as 16. The American Academy of Pediatrics also explicitly recommends MOUD as a first-line treatment for adolescents with OUD.

The gap between clinical guidance and actual practice in teen treatment facilities represents a significant failure to follow evidence-based standards of care.

Some people taper off MOUD over time, while others benefit from long-term maintenance. Both are valid approaches, and the decision should be made collaboratively between the patient and their provider based on individual circumstances.

Nevertheless, misinformation can prevent people from receiving the most effective treatment for their needs.

Adult Attitudes Toward Teens And Mental Illness

Many studies have examined ageism against older adults, but few have examined how ageism impacts young people.

Ageism, or age-related prejudice, impacts people’s income, opportunities, and daily lives. It may also overlap with people’s views on mental illness.

Today, researchers and clinicians understand addiction as a chronic brain disorder, not a moral failing or a deliberate choice, and one that responds to evidence-based medical treatment.

While addiction still carries a societal stigma, more and more people have begun to realize what addiction experts have known for years.

However, age-related prejudice may still affect people’s views on addiction in young people.

Some may see adolescent drug use as a deliberate rebellion rather than a disorder that requires treatment.

As a result, when parents and caregivers look for addiction programs for their teens, they may look for those that emphasize changing outward behaviors rather than programs that address the root of the illness.

Closing The Medication Gap

Research on teen access to addiction medication is still new. However, addressing this disparity is crucial.

By bridging the gap in OUD treatment access, professionals can help teenagers overcome opioid use disorder, reduce their risk of overdose, and take steps toward a healthier adulthood.

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Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff