What are the street names for buprenorphine? A guide to slang and misuse

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

An estimated 87% of people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) do not receive evidence-based treatment, leading many to seek diverted medication. Knowing what are the street names for buprenorphine is vital for recognizing and understanding the complexities surrounding this critical medication for addiction treatment (MAT).

Quick Summary

This article explores the slang terms associated with buprenorphine and its brand-name products, like Suboxone. It addresses the reasons behind its misuse and diversion, highlighting the associated dangers.

Key Points

Common Street Names: Common slang for buprenorphine includes "Bupe," "Subs," "Subbies," "Oranges," "Strips," and terms like "Big Whites" for tablets.
Misuse vs. Self-Treatment: The misuse of diverted buprenorphine is often for self-medicating withdrawal symptoms, not primarily for recreational euphoric effects.
Diversion is Linked to Lack of Access: Many people resort to buying buprenorphine on the street due to barriers to treatment, such as cost, stigma, and limited provider availability.
Suboxone vs. Subutex: Suboxone includes naloxone, a deterrent that causes withdrawal if the medication is injected, unlike the buprenorphine-only formulation, which was previously marketed as Subutex.
Risks of Misuse: Misusing buprenorphine by injecting or mixing it with other drugs, like alcohol or benzodiazepines, can lead to serious health issues, including overdose and respiratory distress.
Potential for Overdose Aversion: In some contexts, the use of diverted buprenorphine has been associated with a decrease in overdoses among those with OUD, as it can be a replacement for more lethal opioids like fentanyl.
Comprehensive Treatment is Key: The most effective and safest approach for OUD is supervised medical treatment, which provides not only medication but also counseling and support.

What is Buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic opioid approved for both pain management and the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). As a partial opioid agonist, it binds to opioid receptors in the brain but produces weaker effects than full agonists like heroin or fentanyl. This unique property helps suppress withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings without producing the full euphoric 'high' associated with more potent opioids. The medication is available in several forms, including tablets, sublingual films, and extended-release injections.

Common Buprenorphine Street Names

Because of its function and the potential for misuse, buprenorphine and its products are known by a variety of street names. The names often refer to the product's appearance, brand name, or perceived effects. Common terms include:

Bupe: A simple shortening of the word buprenorphine.
Subs / Subbies: A reference to Suboxone, a brand of buprenorphine, which comes as sublingual (under the tongue) tablets or filmstrips.
Oranges / Orange Guys: Refers to the common orange color of many Suboxone filmstrips and tablets.
Strips: Another term derived from the filmstrip formulation of Suboxone.
Stops: Possibly a reference to the brand name Suboxone or the effect of stopping withdrawal symptoms.
Big Whites / Small Whites: Refer to the appearance of certain buprenorphine tablets, particularly those previously sold under the brand name Subutex.
Buse: A less common slang term for buprenorphine.
Sobos: A variation of the name for Suboxone.

Misuse and Diversion of Buprenorphine

The diversion of buprenorphine, which is the rerouting of prescription medication to someone for whom it was not intended, presents a complex issue. Research shows that misuse is often linked to gaps in addiction treatment services rather than a desire for euphoria. The most common motivations for using non-prescribed buprenorphine include:

Self-medication: Using the drug to manage painful withdrawal symptoms from other opioids, or to prevent cravings when legal access is difficult.
Avoiding stigma: People may prefer obtaining the drug on the street rather than navigating the formal healthcare system, which is often associated with stigma.
Lack of access: High costs, unavailability of prescribers, or geographical barriers can push individuals toward the illicit market.
Injecting or snorting: Although the naloxone in Suboxone is intended to deter this, people still misuse the medication by crushing and snorting tablets or dissolving and injecting films. This can lead to serious health complications and, in the case of injecting Suboxone, may trigger precipitated withdrawal.

Comparing Misuse Motivations

While some fear that buprenorphine diversion primarily serves recreational purposes, the motivations are often more complex. A comparison of misuse reasons demonstrates this distinction:

To Manage Withdrawal: A large majority of people misusing buprenorphine do so to ease or prevent withdrawal symptoms from other opioids like heroin or fentanyl. This suggests that diverted buprenorphine often acts as a bridge to treatment for those who feel their needs are unmet by the healthcare system.
To Get 'High': A much smaller percentage of individuals misuse buprenorphine for euphoric effects. This is because buprenorphine's partial agonist nature means its effects level off at a certain dose, making it less likely to produce a strong high compared to full opioid agonists.

The Difference Between Suboxone and Subutex

Understanding the key differences between buprenorphine formulations is important for recognizing street names and risks.

Subutex (Buprenorphine-only): This formulation contains only buprenorphine. While a monoproduct may be used in specific medical circumstances (e.g., during pregnancy), it carries a higher potential for misuse than products containing naloxone. As a result, street names often reflect its form, such as 'Big Whites' or 'Small Whites'. Subutex was largely discontinued in the US in 2011, though monoproducts can still be prescribed.
Suboxone (Buprenorphine-Naloxone): This product contains buprenorphine combined with naloxone, an opioid antagonist. The naloxone is poorly absorbed when the film or tablet is taken as prescribed (under the tongue or in the cheek). However, if someone attempts to inject or snort it, the naloxone becomes active and can cause unpleasant, severe precipitated withdrawal symptoms. This built-in deterrent makes Suboxone a frontline treatment option to discourage misuse. Street names like 'Subs' and 'Oranges' are primarily associated with this product.

Comparison of Common Buprenorphine Formulations and Street Names


Feature	Buprenorphine-only (e.g., Subutex)	Buprenorphine-Naloxone (e.g., Suboxone)
Active Ingredients	Buprenorphine only	Buprenorphine + Naloxone
Primary Purpose	Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment	Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment
Misuse Deterrent	No built-in deterrent	Contains naloxone to trigger withdrawal if injected or snorted.
Common Street Names	'Big Whites,' 'Small Whites,' 'Bupe'	'Subs,' 'Subbies,' 'Oranges,' 'Strips'
Risk of Misuse	Higher potential for misuse and diversion via injection.	Lower potential for injection misuse due to naloxone deterrent.
Availability	Mostly replaced by combination products in the US.	The most widely prescribed formulation for OUD treatment.

Conclusion

Street names for buprenorphine and its brand-name products are varied and often refer to their form or appearance, such as 'Subs,' 'Oranges,' and 'Bupe'. While buprenorphine is an effective and life-saving medication for opioid use disorder, recognizing its street names is essential for understanding the realities of its misuse and diversion. The motivations behind misuse are complex and frequently stem from insufficient access to proper medical care, driving people toward self-medication to avoid debilitating withdrawal. For those struggling, the safest and most effective path is always supervised medical treatment, not relying on the unregulated and dangerous illicit market. Awareness of the slang and the risks involved is a crucial step toward addressing the ongoing opioid crisis. For more information on evidence-based treatment for OUD, including safe and effective use of buprenorphine, consult authoritative resources such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Frequently Asked Questions

Buprenorphine is a prescription medication primarily used to treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and manage pain. It helps to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with opioid dependency.

Street names for buprenorphine include "Bupe," "Subs," "Subbies," "Oranges," "Strips," and "Stops". Other terms like "Big Whites" and "Small Whites" refer to older tablet forms.

The misuse of buprenorphine, often called diversion, is frequently driven by the need to self-treat withdrawal symptoms or manage cravings when access to formal treatment is limited due to cost, stigma, or availability.

On the street, the main difference relates to the risk of misuse via injection. Suboxone contains naloxone, which is meant to trigger withdrawal if injected, while Subutex was a buprenorphine-only formulation without this deterrent.

Using buprenorphine with other central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol or benzodiazepines, is extremely dangerous and can lead to severe respiratory depression, overdose, or death.

The orange coloring of many Suboxone films and tablets is a manufacturer's safety feature used to identify the medication and make it less appealing for recreational use.

Signs of buprenorphine misuse can include evidence of injecting or snorting the drug, combining it with other substances, or obtaining the medication illicitly. The appearance of the drug, such as crushed tablets or dissolved films, may also indicate misuse.