It is a well known fact that if either of your parents or your grandparents were or are addicted to drugs and alcohol then chances are you will most likely develop an addiction if you decide to use, too. The Yale School of Medicine has further clarified this assumption by identifying a common gene among family members who suffer from drug addiction.

Based on data from one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers have found a genetic link in family members who exhibit dependence on opioid-based drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin, heroin and other opioid-based prescription medications. From a sample of 393 small families with at least two opioid dependent individuals, they searched out the genetic signposts—shared marker alleles and gene variants—that showed a link between the drug users in the family.

Joel Gelernter, MD, is a psychiatry professor and the lead researcher in the study.  He says, “These results provide a first basis to identify genes for opioid dependence from a genome-wide investigation. Research in the laboratory now is focused on finding specific genes that modify risk for opioid dependence. Once specific genes that increase or decrease risk are known, we will be in a better position to figure out exactly what the environmental factors might be and, perhaps, how they can be modified to protect people who are genetically at risk.”

Until we find out more specifics and how to apply this new knowledge to drug addiction treatment, Suboxone treatment and detox are available to help those who are addicted to opiates. An outpatient treatment that is easily accessible from a certified doctor like the ones at Meditox, Suboxone combines buprenorphine and naloxone to treat opiate drug addiction without an overwhelming time commitment. Perfect for those who are committed to family members and have careers, Suboxone is an effective withdrawal method no matter how or why the drug addiction came about in the first place.

Nicole Richie has suffered in the spotlight: her struggle with maintaining a normal weight, her spat with Paris Hilton, her in and out rehab status for heroin addiction. The gossip columns and paparazzi love to report that she is on her way back to rehab or going AWOL from a rehab facility to hit the shopping mall. At 26 years old, Richie has lived 10 lives in the press and with the conflicting stories from CNN, her press agent and the tabloids, who knows what’s really true?

From what I can gather, Richie was arrested for heroin possession in 2003; apparently, a balloon was found in her car and not on her person. She pleaded guilty and opted for drug treatment instead of jail time. In December, 2006, she was arrested for driving under the influence and admitted to California Highway Patrol (CHP) that she had smoked pot and taken Vicodin. She took a plea deal for this, her second DUI, and enrolled in an 18-month anti-drinking program.

Last month, she was granted a leave of absence from the program due to her advanced pregnancy. She was about 8 months pregnant with her first child with Joel Madden of the band Good Charlotte, so she should be giving birth any day now. Ostensibly, sometime after that she will return to the program.

How much easier would Nicole’s life have been this past year if she had opted for Suboxone treatment and detox in 2003 for heroin addiction? Instead of spending her pregnancy in drug education classes and groups, she could have been home nesting and getting ready for baby. Suboxone would also treat her problem with Vicodin, or any prescription painkiller addiction for that matter. If it’s an opiate, Suboxone will help you kick the habit and keep you out of jail, out of rehab and out of trouble.

Medical detoxification is a way of breaking an addiction to drugs with the help of a prescription designed to ease the symptoms of withdrawal. The alternative—quitting “cold turkey”—can be painful and even deadly depending on the dosage. A medical detox gives you the benefit of a drug-free life without the nasty physical withdrawal symptoms that would otherwise be a part of the experience.

The benefit of a medical detox is not just comfort. Of course, no one wants to feel like they have a flu that won’t quit as well as fidgety legs, insomnia and explosive diarrhea. More importantly, however, if you have other health issues like high blood pressure or heart problems then detoxing without a medical prescription like Suboxone or Subutex could put you in a coma or in a coffin. Medical detox provides a health safety net, which keeps your body from basically freaking out and making everything a whole lot worse before it gets better.

There are very few “cons” to a medical detox. It’s pretty difficult to come up with reasons why no withdrawal symptoms, no risk of overdose and no safety issues could be a bad thing. Perhaps some people might shy away from medical detoxification because of the “medical” part of it. Though there are inpatient detox treatments that take place in a hospital or clinic setting, it is possible to get the benefits of a medical detoxification with only one doctor’s appointment and a prescription that you take home.

Suboxone is a medical detox prescription that allows you to slowly withdraw from your painkiller medication without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Also, because buprenorphine, the partial agonist ingredient in Suboxone, is not as strong as full agonist opiates like OxyContin and Vicodin, you will almost immediately regain a clarity of mind that a prescription painkiller addiction makes impossible.

Meditox has doctors who are well-versed in medical detoxification via Suboxone. Contact them for more information today.