Smoking Suboxone: Dangers and Why People Misuse It
What smoking Suboxone means, why people misuse it this way, the dangers involved, why it does not work as intended, and how to get help for Suboxone misuse.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, Physician and Addiction Medicine Specialist, Phuket Island Rehab.
Smoking Suboxone means heating and inhaling the medication, a form of misuse, rather than taking it as prescribed, which is to let the film or tablet dissolve under the tongue. Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) is designed for sublingual use, and smoking it is not an effective or safe way to take it. People may misuse Suboxone by smoking it seeking a faster or stronger effect, but this largely does not work as intended, because buprenorphine is a partial opioid with a ceiling effect that limits any high, and the naloxone in Suboxone is included to deter misuse. Smoking Suboxone is dangerous: it can damage the lungs and airways from inhaling burnt material, it does not deliver the medication reliably, it can trigger withdrawal or unpredictable effects, and it carries the risks of any opioid misuse, including overdose when combined with other sedatives such as benzodiazepines or alcohol. Smoking Suboxone is also usually a sign of a deeper problem with addiction that needs treatment. If you or someone you know is smoking or otherwise misusing Suboxone, this is a signal to seek help from a healthcare provider or addiction service, because effective treatment is available and misuse can be addressed safely.
What does smoking Suboxone mean?
Smoking Suboxone means heating the medication and inhaling the vapour or smoke, which is a form of misuse, taking Suboxone in a way other than prescribed. Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) is designed to be taken sublingually, with the film or tablet placed under the tongue to dissolve, so that the buprenorphine is absorbed through the lining of the mouth. Smoking it is not how the medication is meant to be used, and it is neither an effective nor a safe way to take it. When people smoke Suboxone, they are misusing a medication that is itself intended to treat opioid addiction, which is usually a sign that something is going wrong and that help is needed.
This article explains what smoking Suboxone involves, why some people misuse it this way, the dangers of smoking Suboxone, why it does not actually work as the person may hope, and how to get help for Suboxone misuse. The central points are that smoking Suboxone is both ineffective, because of how buprenorphine and the naloxone in Suboxone work, and dangerous, carrying risks to the lungs and the risks of opioid misuse generally, and that misusing Suboxone in this way is a signal to seek treatment rather than a safe shortcut. The reassuring message is that misuse can be addressed and that effective, supportive help is available for anyone caught in it.
Why people misuse Suboxone by smoking it
People may misuse Suboxone by smoking it for a few reasons, though none of them achieve what the person is hoping for. Some smoke it seeking a faster or stronger effect than they get from taking it under the tongue, mistakenly believing that smoking will produce a bigger high. Others may misuse Suboxone, including by smoking, when they have run out of other opioids and are trying to stave off withdrawal, or out of a pattern of using drugs in non-prescribed ways. In some cases people experiment with different routes of use as part of addiction. Whatever the reason, smoking Suboxone reflects misuse driven by addiction rather than any legitimate benefit, which is why it points to a need for treatment.
What is important to understand is that these motivations are based on a misunderstanding of how Suboxone works. Buprenorphine, the main ingredient, is a partial opioid with a ceiling effect, meaning that beyond a certain point its effects, including any high, level off and do not keep increasing no matter how it is taken. And Suboxone deliberately contains naloxone, an opioid blocker, specifically to deter misuse. So smoking Suboxone does not deliver the stronger or faster high people may be chasing; instead it exposes them to real dangers for no real gain. Recognising that the perceived benefit is illusory, while the harm is genuine, is part of why anyone misusing Suboxone this way should be encouraged toward help rather than judged.
| Claim about smoking Suboxone | Reality |
|---|---|
| Gives a stronger high | No: buprenorphine has a ceiling effect that limits the high |
| Works faster | Unreliable delivery; not how the medication is absorbed |
| Harmless if it is medicine | No: smoking damages lungs and carries opioid-misuse risks |
| Naloxone does not matter | Naloxone is included to deter misuse |
| A safe way to use it | It is misuse and a sign of addiction needing help |
The dangers of smoking Suboxone
Smoking Suboxone is dangerous in several ways. First, inhaling the burnt material of a medication not designed to be smoked can irritate and damage the lungs and airways, causing coughing, breathing problems, and longer-term respiratory harm, since the film or tablet contains substances never meant to be heated and inhaled. Second, smoking does not deliver buprenorphine reliably, so the dose a person actually receives is unpredictable, which can lead to unexpected effects or, in someone dependent on Suboxone, to withdrawal if they are not getting their usual dose. The naloxone in Suboxone can also contribute to unpleasant or withdrawal-like effects when the medication is misused rather than taken as directed.
Beyond these specific harms, smoking Suboxone carries the general risks of opioid misuse. Although buprenorphine’s ceiling effect makes it safer than full opioids, misuse still carries a risk of overdose, particularly when Suboxone is combined with other central nervous system depressants such as benzodiazepines or alcohol, a combination that can dangerously suppress breathing and can be fatal. Misusing Suboxone also tends to feed the cycle of addiction rather than support recovery, undermining the very purpose the medication is meant to serve. So smoking Suboxone exposes a person to lung damage, unreliable and unpredictable effects, withdrawal, and overdose risk, all without delivering any of the stronger effect they may be seeking, making it a clearly harmful practice.
Getting help for Suboxone misuse
If you or someone you know is smoking or otherwise misusing Suboxone, the most important thing to understand is that this is a sign that help is needed, and that effective help is available. Misusing the medication meant to treat opioid addiction usually means addiction is not under control, and a healthcare provider or addiction service can address this. Rather than facing judgement, a person who is misusing Suboxone can be helped to get onto effective, properly managed treatment, which may include taking Suboxone correctly as part of a supervised program, alongside counselling and support, so that the medication does what it is intended to do: reduce cravings and protect against relapse and overdose.
Reaching out can start with talking honestly to a doctor or prescriber about what is happening, without fear, so that the treatment plan can be adjusted and support put in place. Telling a provider about misuse is not about getting into trouble; it is the route to safer, more effective care. For anyone supporting a loved one, encouraging them gently toward professional help, rather than confronting or shaming them, is the most useful response. The key message is that smoking Suboxone is a danger signal, not a stable situation, and that with the right treatment and support, misuse can be turned around and the person helped back toward genuine recovery. Help is available, and seeking it is a sign of strength.
Summary
Smoking Suboxone means heating and inhaling the medication, a form of misuse, rather than taking it as prescribed by letting the film or tablet dissolve under the tongue. Suboxone is designed for sublingual use, and smoking it is neither effective nor safe. People may misuse Suboxone by smoking it seeking a faster or stronger effect, but this largely does not work, because buprenorphine is a partial opioid with a ceiling effect that limits any high, and the naloxone in Suboxone is included to deter misuse. Smoking Suboxone is dangerous: it can damage the lungs from inhaling burnt material, it does not deliver the medication reliably, it can trigger withdrawal or unpredictable effects, and it carries the risks of opioid misuse, including overdose when combined with sedatives such as benzodiazepines or alcohol. It is usually a sign of a deeper problem with addiction that needs treatment. If you or someone you know is smoking or otherwise misusing Suboxone, this is a signal to seek help from a healthcare provider or addiction service, because effective treatment is available and misuse can be addressed safely.
As Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, addiction medicine specialist at Phuket Island Rehab, puts it, “When I hear that someone is smoking their Suboxone, I do not see a person looking for a high so much as a person whose addiction has got the better of them, and that tells me they need more support, not a lecture. Smoking it does not even work the way they think, the ceiling effect and the naloxone see to that, but it can hurt their lungs and it can be deadly mixed with benzos or alcohol. My door is open for an honest conversation. We can get the treatment back on track and use the medication the way it is meant to be used.”
Frequently asked questions
Can you smoke Suboxone?
Suboxone is not meant to be smoked; it is designed to be taken sublingually, with the film or tablet dissolved under the tongue. Smoking it is a form of misuse and is neither effective nor safe. It does not deliver the buprenorphine reliably, and because buprenorphine is a partial opioid with a ceiling effect and Suboxone contains naloxone to deter misuse, smoking it does not produce the stronger or faster high a person might be seeking. Meanwhile it exposes them to real dangers, including lung and airway damage from inhaling burnt material, unpredictable effects, possible withdrawal, and the overdose risk of opioid misuse, especially if combined with other sedatives. So while people may physically attempt it, smoking Suboxone is harmful misuse that signals a need for help, not a safe or useful way to take the medication.
Does smoking Suboxone get you high?
Smoking Suboxone does not produce the strong high people may expect. Its main ingredient, buprenorphine, is a partial opioid with a ceiling effect, meaning its effects, including any high, level off beyond a certain point and do not keep increasing no matter how it is taken. Suboxone also contains naloxone, an opioid blocker included specifically to deter misuse. So smoking Suboxone does not deliver a bigger or faster high than taking it as directed, and the perceived benefit is largely illusory. What it does deliver is real harm: lung damage from inhaling burnt material, unreliable dosing, possible withdrawal, and the overdose risk of opioid misuse, particularly when combined with benzodiazepines or alcohol. Chasing a high by smoking Suboxone is therefore both ineffective and dangerous, and a sign that help is needed.
Is smoking Suboxone dangerous?
Yes. Smoking Suboxone is dangerous in several ways. Inhaling the burnt material of a medication not designed to be smoked can irritate and damage the lungs and airways. Smoking does not deliver buprenorphine reliably, so the dose is unpredictable, which can cause unexpected effects or trigger withdrawal in someone dependent on it, and the naloxone can add to unpleasant effects when the medication is misused. Beyond this, smoking Suboxone carries the general risks of opioid misuse, including overdose, especially when Suboxone is combined with other central nervous system depressants such as benzodiazepines or alcohol, which can dangerously suppress breathing. It also feeds the cycle of addiction rather than supporting recovery. So smoking Suboxone exposes a person to genuine harm for no real benefit and is a clear signal that treatment is needed.
Why do people smoke Suboxone?
People may smoke Suboxone seeking a faster or stronger effect than from taking it under the tongue, mistakenly believing smoking produces a bigger high; to stave off withdrawal when other opioids have run out; or as part of a pattern of using drugs in non-prescribed ways driven by addiction. None of these achieve the intended result, because buprenorphine’s ceiling effect limits any high and the naloxone in Suboxone is there to deter misuse, so the perceived benefit is illusory while the harm is real. Smoking Suboxone therefore reflects misuse driven by addiction rather than any legitimate gain, which is why it points to a need for treatment. Recognising that the motivation is based on a misunderstanding helps explain why the right response is support and help, not judgement.
What should you do if someone is smoking Suboxone?
If someone is smoking or otherwise misusing Suboxone, treat it as a sign that they need help with their addiction, and encourage them gently toward professional support rather than confronting or shaming them. The most useful steps are to talk honestly and without judgement, and to help them connect with a healthcare provider or addiction service, where their treatment can be adjusted and properly managed, often including taking Suboxone correctly within a supervised program alongside counselling and support. Telling a provider about misuse is the route to safer, more effective care, not a cause for punishment. In an emergency, such as a suspected overdose with very slow or stopped breathing, call emergency services and give naloxone if available. The core message is that misuse is a danger signal that can be turned around with the right help.
How should Suboxone be taken instead?
Suboxone should be taken exactly as prescribed, sublingually, by placing the film or tablet under the tongue and letting it dissolve completely, without chewing, swallowing, or smoking it. Taken this way, the buprenorphine is absorbed through the lining of the mouth and works as intended to reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal, while the naloxone stays largely inactive and simply deters misuse. Taken correctly as part of a treatment program with counselling and support, Suboxone is safe and effective and dramatically reduces the risk of overdose. If a person feels their current dose is not working, the answer is to talk to their prescriber about adjusting treatment, not to misuse the medication by smoking it. Using Suboxone as directed is both safer and more effective than any form of misuse.
Sources
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Buprenorphine. https://www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/medications-counseling-related-conditions/buprenorphine
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Buprenorphine. https://nida.nih.gov/
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) Prescribing Information. https://www.fda.gov/drugs
National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). Buprenorphine and Naloxone. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a605002.html
World Health Organization (WHO). Opioid Overdose. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/opioid-overdose
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Buprenorphine. https://www.dea.gov/factsheets
Smoking Suboxone — key entities and related terms
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