Canada fears withdrawal crisis with Oxycontin change

An unusual alarm is being raised in Canada on account of a change in Oxycontin pills. Leaders in Canada's First Nation are warning of a crisis with widespread withdrawals among people who are addicted to the drug when it goes out of production soon. Perdue Pharma Canada plans to stop production of the original formulation and to replace it with a new line named "OxyNeo" which is intended to be more resistant to crushing and illicit use. The production change is set to take place on March 1.
First Nation (Canada's name for some of its indigenous groups) officials cite dangers for thousands of their members who are heavily addicted to Oxycontin. Their concern is for the potential for long-term illnesses and other issues resulting from withdrawal problems.
In northern sections of Ontario, there are about four dozen First Nation communities and officials estimate that as many as half the residents there are addicted to Oxycontin. Another estimate is that as many as 10,000 individuals in one First Nation community's total population of 45,000 are addicted.
The situation brings new issues to the arena of opioid addiction. While much concern is expressed with the abuse of prescription drugs, it is unusual to see fears for an entire population facing a mass withdrawal. Also, out of the ordinary are calls for the government to intervene in such situations. The First Nation regions along with Canada, as a whole, reportedly have heavy black market narcotic trafficking.
Health Canada, the nation's public health agency, reportedly pays for Oxycontin prescriptions for only a few  First Nation residents. There has been a clamor for Health Canada to intervene with what is seen as an impending crisis. Sources say that methadone - a popular treatment for opioid addiction - is not available in many of the remote areas involved. Subozone, another treatment, can be paid for by the agency on a case by case basis, when requested by a health-care professional.