The length of time that you stay on Suboxone should be determined by your treatment plan. People stay on Suboxone indefinitely. Some get aftercare and taper off of it more quickly. The way buprenorphine works is completely different than that of traditional agonist opiates, so although it is an opiate medication, it's abuse potential is much lower than that of traditional opiates. It's true that you will become dependent on the buprenorphine, but chances of overdose is much much lower than that of an agonist opiate. So, if you refuse aftercare and counseling, then Suboxone will allow you to place your addiction into remission until you feel comfortable coming off. If you start aftercare now, you can taper off more quickly.
You know, now that TRAMAHATER mentions it, I just remembered that I was put on Suboxone for the first week that I was in treatment (PaRC class of Nov.2009...can I get woot-woot!).
They said to get on and off as quickly as possible, before my body had an opportunity to start liking it too much, so I'm guessing if the treatment center has that attitude towards it, I would think it's a good bet they have some experience.
From what I've heard, it's a great way to deal with the w/d's caused by opiates, but as TRAMAHATER indicated above, get off it as fast as possible.
To answer your original question, as far as safety goes, I would say don't stay on it very long. I took it for about a week once in rehab, but then I stopped. I think that people who stay on it a long time have a really hard time stopping it, and they have to taper down to just a crumb. Then they STILL have some WDs.
You are right to fear this stuff! And I am proud of you for making the effort to find out about it!
I'm a firm believer that trading one addictive substance for another (vic's for sub's) won't lead anywhere positive, but there are folks on here that will completely disagree with me, so there you go. To each there own...
However, in my humble opinion, dropping mood-altering medications COMPLETELY, in whatever form they come in (IE: zanex, sub's, vic's, etc), is the only way to get on the path to true recovery.
I'm not preaching, mind you, and if tapering down from vic's to sub's and then completely off sub's is going to work for you, then I applaud your efforts to get yourself clean.
I didn't answer your question and just rambled... sorry.