Exposure to a drug meant to treat opioid addiction is growing in children under the age of 19, according to a new study.
Researchers looked at poison control center calls about buprenorphine between 2007 and 2016. They found reports of more than 11,000 young people ingesting the drug. Around 86 percent of those cases were in children under the age of 6, with almost half resulting in a hospital admission.
Adolescents accounted for about 11 percent of the reports, and more than three-fourths of buprenorphine exposure cases in that group were intentional.
Buprenorphine is used to treat opioid dependence, and while it is a controlled substance, it doesn't produce the same kind of high as a typical opioid does.
The study's authors recommend that manufacturers use child-proof packaging to prevent unintentional exposure and serious health effects in younger children. They also say the intentional consumption of buprenorphine in adolescents may highlight a need for more substance abuse resources and mental health services for that age group.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
