Limitations have lead to the search for safer alternatives which may be more acceptable to patients and health care organisations. Injectable heroin is being tried as are injectable hydromorphone and oral substitutes for heroin like morphine and buprenorphine. The advantages of these are all different; some due to delivery systems and others due to improved patient acceptability. Some practitioners with experience of dihydrocodeine prescribing feel it may have several advantages over some or all of these alternatives.