Buprenorphine originally used for detoxification of patients addicted to heroin started to be used also for short-term substitution treatment. Practice showed that it is suitable also for long-term substitution. It is particularly interesting because of its agonistic and antagonistic action on opioid receptors. Experience with buprenorphine in a total of 32 out-patients – mean age 22–23 years – with a reported daily dose of heroin of 0.4 to 2.5 g is described. Does of 2–8 mg buprenorphine per day proved sufficient for long-term treatment of patients addicted to heroin. Termination of treatment is sometimes associated with the phenomenon of the last drug dose. The author describes undesirable complications among which the most serious one is abuse of buprenorphine for administration by injection.

        Key words: heroin addiction, buprenorphine substitution, last drug dose phenomenon.