Opiate addiction can be extremely difficult to overcome, and quitting without some kind of help is often not an option. In addition to drug rehab, addiction experts say that combining a medication like suboxone with a treatment plan can greatly increase an individual’s odds of successfully quitting.

Suboxone offers many benefits over other more conventional drug replacement therapies. Rather than being given to addicts in the form of an injectable liquid, which may be illegally sold, suboxone comes in pill form, which may cut down on trafficking rates.

Officials from the Health Sciences Center of Winnipeg recently urged the Manitoba government to make the medication more accessible to individuals struggling with opiate addiction, according to the Vancouver Sun.

They argue that doing so could result in drastically lower addiction rates, which could over time reduce the costs associated with trying and jailing nonviolent addicts.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has said that suboxone significantly increases the ability of individuals with opiate addictions to quit. It may be beneficial in both the short- and long-term.