Treatment that meets you
where you are.

OAT is the use of a prescribed, long-acting opioid medication — methadone, slow-release oral morphine, or buprenorphine/naloxone — to stop withdrawal and reduce cravings. It is the standard of care for opioid use disorder in British Columbia, and it is a medical treatment, not a test of willpower.

Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) dissolves under the tongue and is BC's recommended first-line option because of its safety profile. Kadian is a once-daily swallowed capsule of slow-release oral morphine, usually considered when methadone or Suboxone hasn't held someone well or caused side effects. Which one suits you is a decision between you and your prescriber — we dispense whichever you are prescribed and can talk you through the differences.

Buprenorphine binds tightly to opioid receptors and displaces whatever is already there. If other opioids are still active, that displacement causes sudden, severe withdrawal — called precipitated withdrawal. Your prescriber will tell you how long to wait; we will go over it with you again.

The whole point of the capsule is that it releases morphine slowly over 24 hours. Crushing, chewing or dissolving it releases the entire day's dose in one go, which can cause an overdose. Swallow it whole with water.

Buprenorphine products that dissolve in the mouth have been linked to tooth decay, and Health Canada has advised patients about it. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with water once the dose has dissolved, wait about an hour before brushing, and see a dentist regularly.

Suboxone: headache, constipation, sweating, nausea and trouble sleeping, which usually ease. Kadian: constipation is the most common and most persistent — ask us about it early, it's very manageable. Tell us what you're noticing and we'll raise it with your prescriber.

Eventually, yes — OAT has to be prescribed. But you do not need one to talk to us. Call 778-421-3333 or come in, and we will explain how treatment works and help you connect with a prescriber in the Alberni Valley.

Suboxone is a regular PharmaCare benefit for eligible BC residents and does not require Special Authority. Kadian's coverage as OAT often does — we prepare that request with your prescriber. Either way, most patients pay nothing, and we confirm your coverage before you start.

At the start, usually yes — most people begin with daily witnessed dosing. That is a prescriber decision, not ours. As treatment stabilises, your prescriber may authorise take-home doses so you come in less often.

Come in as soon as you can and talk to us — missed doses are common and not something we will lecture you about. If you miss several days in a row your tolerance drops, and your prescriber has to reassess your dose before you restart. We contact them on your behalf.

Yes. Dosing takes place in a private area, and we do not discuss your care with family, employers, or anyone else without your written consent. We share information with your prescriber and your care team because that is how treatment is coordinated.

Yes, and it is straightforward. Call 778-421-3333 and tell us where you are dosing now. We contact that pharmacy and your prescriber and arrange the switch, usually without any interruption to your dosing.

Yes. People move between them for all sorts of reasons — side effects, dosing convenience, how they feel. Switching needs to be planned by your prescriber, and we dispense whichever you end up on.

Yes. We serve the whole Alberni Valley and beyond — Cherry Creek, Beaver Creek, Sproat Lake, Coombs, Parksville, Ucluelet, Tofino and Bamfield. Witnessed doses are taken here, but authorised take-home doses can be delivered.

No. You are a pharmacy patient like every other patient, and you will be served at the same counter with the same courtesy. If that is ever not your experience here, tell us directly and we will fix it.