Why can you take Suboxone if you are taking benzodiazepines?

Because benzodiazepines are not opiates. They are...benzodiazepines. Suboxone only blocks the effects of opiate drugs. Although, you should be careful taking benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax) with Suboxone. As they are both depressants, taking too much of them together could cause an overdose.

Actually, you can even take opiates while you are on Suboxone. You won't be able to get high on them, but they will still work as painkillers (although you might have to double your dosage of the painkiller). A couple of years ago I had a root canal and they gave me Vicodin for it, but I had to take double doses of the Vicodin, and cut my Suboxone dose in half, in order to get enough relief from the pain.