Does CATC treat addictions to substances other than opioids?

CATC is currently focused on treating Opioid Use Disorder. That said, our patients often present addiction to opioids and other substances, i.e., alcohol, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Our expert addiction treatment specialists support them in meeting their personal recovery goals.

How do I get started on a Methadone or Buprenorphine program?

CATC offers same-day intake appointments in all our centres. We recognize that when you are ready to start your recovery journey, we need to be ready to support you. From our location page, select the location that is nearest to you and then either walk-in or call 1-877-937-2282 to start your intake virtually.

What should I expect during an intake appointment?

Our Intake appointments usually range from 60-90 minutes. Our CARE team will capture your medical history, discuss medication options, share information on how the treatment program works, and prepare for your initial assessment with an expert addiction medicine physician. You do not need a referral to start on our programs, walk-ins are welcomed. You will be asked to present your provincial health card to see a physician.

What are the costs of the program?

Our programs are usually delivered at no cost to the patient. In some cases, patients may have to pay for their medications or counseling services that are not covered by their provincial health plans. Our CARE teams will work with you to help determine the best plan to get the costs of your care covered.

How can I ensure that my personal information is kept confidential?

All client information is considered confidential. We will not release your personal health information to anyone without signed consent from you unless it is required by law.

I recently found out I was pregnant and need help; can I use Methadone to help with my withdrawal?

Methadone is a safe and effective way to manage opiate dependency during pregnancy. Treatment with Methadone prevents opioid withdraw, which can be dangerous for your baby. View our resource on Opioid Use Disorder During Pregnancy.

When can I expect to be free of my opioid addiction with treatment?

Addiction is a chronic and relapsing condition. Every patient, depending on their history and recovery goals, will take a unique recovery journey. The ultimate goal of the program is to improve our patient’s quality of life across many dimensions – including ensuring the presence of a home, a job, and a friend for those who have lost so much because of their addiction. Methadone and Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®), when taken as prescribed, are safe and effective medications. This decision to taper off these medications should be made with your physician to ensure the best chance of success for you and prevent sudden onset withdrawal. People who are most successful at tapering off treatment, have generally been abstinent from illicit drugs for more than a year and are demonstrating a high level of functional stability, i.e., gainfully employed, presence of positive/supportive social relationships.

How often do I have to come to the treatment centre?

Your visit frequency will change as your stability increases. In early recovery, you will see your doctor 1-2 times a week to get your dose adjusted and you will see your pharmacist daily for the first 2-3 months. As your drug use declines, you will see your physician less – usually 1 time per month and visit your pharmacist 2-4 times per month. CATC offers integrated medical and pharmacy services, so there is no need to visit multiple locations.

When can I get my medications to take at home?

Once you have been on the program for 4-8 weeks you may be eligible for take-home doses. You will start with one dose, and as you gain stability these will increase. There are clinical guidelines that our physicians follow to determine take-home eligibility; physicians also utilize their clinical judgment based on your specific situation.

How often do I have to complete a urine drug screen during treatment?

Frequency of Urine Drug Screens also changes as you become more and more stable. In the first few months of treatment, you will be required to produce a urine sample 1-2 times per week to help the physician understand your use patterns. We also use urine drug screens to ensure that you are taking the medication that is being prescribed, as diversion of prescription medications is common. In some cases, your physician will ask for a random urine drug screen; this practice helps us identify and prevent any unsuspected medication diversion that may be occurring.

If I use drugs while on the program, am I kicked off?

Absolutely not. We recognize drug use and relapses are part of the recovery journey. It is important to remember that using other drugs while on Methadone or Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®) can be dangerous. There have been reported deaths because of the combination of Methadone with alcohol, opioids, cocaine, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and/or tranquilizers. If you have been prescribed or are using other medications, please disclose this to your CATC physician so they can make an informed decision on your treatment.

Do you recommend Methadone or Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®)?

The best medication for you is based on many factors and the decision should be made with advice from your physician. Both medications have their pros and cons and there is emerging evidence that medication choice should be influenced by the amount and type of opiates that are being used. In a recent survey of our patients, 67% of those who had tried both medications said Methadone worked best for them. This is consistent with data reported from other countries. Because CATC offers several medication types, you can always transition between medication types to see what works for you. Have a specific question? Please call us at 1-877-937-2282 or email info@canatc.ca.

What Is Kratom? Uses, Risks and Safety Facts

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What Is Kratom? Understanding Its Uses, Risks, and What You Need to Know

What Is Kratom? Understanding Its Uses, Risks, and What You Need to Know

Kratom is widely available in Canada and increasingly common, yet most people have limited accurate information about what it is, how it works, or what the real risks are. If you’ve heard about kratom from a friend, noticed it on shelves at a supplement store, or are concerned about someone you know who uses it, you’re probably looking for straightforward answers.

This guide explains what kratom is, how it interacts with the body, what the documented risks are, its legal status in Canada, and when professional support might help. If you or someone you love is using kratom for pain, mood, or as an alternative to opioids, this information is here to offer clarity, not judgment.

What Is Kratom?

Kratom is a tropical tree (Mitragyna speciosa) native to Southeast Asia, where its leaves have been used for centuries. Labourers traditionally chewed the leaves for energy and pain relief during long workdays. Today, kratom has entered the North American market in forms most traditional users would barely recognize, including powders, capsules, extracts, and teas.

The leaves contain two primary active compounds: mitragynine, the more abundant compound, and 7-hydroxymitragynine (often called 7-OH), the more potent one. Research published in Scientific Reports found that 7-hydroxymitragynine exhibits tenfold greater potency than morphine in antinociception assays, meaning it binds to opioid receptors more powerfully than morphine does by weight.

Product form matters more than many people realize, because potency varies dramatically between natural leaf kratom and concentrated 7-OH extracts. Regulators in both Canada and the United States are increasingly focused on concentrated synthetic 7-OH products rather than traditional leaf kratom, and this distinction is shaping how these products are treated.

Key Terms

Mitragynine: The primary alkaloid in kratom leaves, present in higher quantities
7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH): A more potent alkaloid; concentrated versions are drawing regulatory attention in both Canada and the US
Alkaloid: A naturally occurring compound that produces physiological effects

What Is Kratom Used For?

People use kratom for different reasons. Research published in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that people who use kratom most commonly report doing so for pain management, mood enhancement, and as an alternative to managing opioid cravings or withdrawal. These motivations often overlap significantly.

Kratom’s effects depend heavily on dose. Lower doses tend to produce stimulant-like effects, including increased energy, alertness, and sociability. Higher doses tend to produce sedative and pain-relieving effects, including relaxation, drowsiness, and reduced discomfort.

Some people turn to kratom seeking relief from chronic pain, anxiety, depression, or opioid withdrawal symptoms. The harm reduction context is worth acknowledging honestly: some individuals use kratom to reduce or stop opioid use, and this is a documented pattern. However, kratom is not approved by Health Canada for any medical condition. Using it to manage opioid cravings or withdrawal means self-managing a medical situation without clinical oversight, consistent dosing, or evidence-based protocols.

If you’re using kratom to manage opioid cravings or withdrawal, professional outpatient treatment options exist that can provide safer, more effective support.

Is Kratom an Opioid?

This question comes up consistently, and the answer matters more than you might think.

How Kratom Interacts With Opioid Receptors

Kratom’s active compounds, especially 7-hydroxymitragynine, bind to mu-opioid receptors. These are the same receptors activated by morphine, heroin, and fentanyl.

The technical answer: kratom is not classified as an opioid in the traditional pharmaceutical sense. It is a plant-derived substance, not a synthetic or semi-synthetic opioid drug.

The practical answer: kratom can produce effects similar to opioids, including pain relief, euphoria, sedation, and physical dependence. This is why researchers and clinicians often refer to kratom as an “atypical opioid” or “opioid-like substance.” According to peer-reviewed research published in Scientific Reports, both mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine bind to the human mu-opioid receptor with nanomolar affinity, functioning as partial agonists.

Why This Distinction Matters

Understanding kratom’s opioid receptor activity explains several important things:

Tolerance develops. Regular users often need increasing amounts to achieve the same effects.
Physical dependence can occur. The body adapts to kratom’s presence and reacts when it’s absent.
Withdrawal symptoms mirror opioid withdrawal. This isn’t coincidental. It’s because of how kratom interacts with the same receptor systems.

Many people didn’t expect kratom to have these properties. They tried it because it was legal, available, and marketed as a natural supplement. Learning that it activates opioid receptors can be surprising, even alarming. If you’re concerned about how kratom is affecting you or someone you love, professional support is available and designed for exactly this situation.

What Are the Side Effects of Kratom?

Understanding kratom’s side effects means distinguishing between common effects, serious health risks, and the specific challenge of dependence and withdrawal.

Common Side Effects

Short-term effects vary based on dose, product strength, and individual factors:

Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
Dry mouth
Increased urination
Loss of appetite
Drowsiness at higher doses
Increased energy and alertness at lower doses

Serious Health Risks

Kratom carries documented serious risks that anyone using it should understand. According to the Frontiers in Pharmacology review (2025), the FDA and DEA have both warned consumers of the risk of liver toxicity, seizures, and death associated with kratom use. Serious risks include:

Liver injury: cases of kratom-associated liver damage have been documented
Seizures: particularly concerning when combined with other substances
Respiratory depression: dangerous at high doses or when mixed with sedatives
Cardiac effects: elevated heart rate and blood pressure

The scale of these concerns is growing. According to a CDC MMWR report published in March 2026, US poison centres documented 14,449 kratom exposure reports between 2015 and 2025. The 3,434 exposures reported in 2025 alone represent an increase of approximately 1,200% compared to the 258 reports in 2015. These are US figures, as equivalent Canadian surveillance data are not currently published, but they reflect the broader pattern of increasing use and increasing adverse events as higher-potency products enter the market.

Contamination is another risk. Because kratom products are not regulated or quality-tested in Canada, they may contain heavy metals, bacteria, or other substances not listed on the label.

Kratom Dependence and Withdrawal

Regular kratom use can lead to physical dependence. This isn’t a moral failing. It’s how opioid receptor systems work. Withdrawal symptoms include:

Muscle aches
Irritability
Insomnia
Anxiety
Nausea
Sweating
Runny nose

These symptoms mirror opioid withdrawal because kratom activates the same receptors. Withdrawal can be uncomfortable enough that people continue using kratom to avoid it, even when they want to stop.

Signs that kratom use may have become problematic: using more than you intended, feeling unable to cut back despite wanting to, experiencing withdrawal when you don’t use, using kratom to manage another substance dependence, or kratom use affecting work, relationships, or daily functioning. If any of these feel familiar, professional support is available. Harm reduction services and treatment are designed for exactly this situation.

Is Kratom Legal in Canada?

Kratom occupies a regulatory grey zone in Canada. Understanding exactly where it stands matters for anyone using it or considering it.

Health Canada’s Position

Kratom is not approved by Health Canada as a food, natural health product, or drug. It is not listed under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, meaning it is not a scheduled controlled substance. However, Health Canada has stated that kratom is not permitted for sale for human consumption.

As a result, vendors in Canada typically sell kratom labelled as a botanical product, aromatic, or incense, with disclaimers that it is not for human consumption. This grey market arrangement exists across many provinces, though the regulatory landscape continues to evolve.

What This Means for You

Purchasing kratom in Canada means navigating this regulatory ambiguity. The substance is not explicitly illegal to possess, but it is also not regulated, quality-tested, or approved for the purposes most people use it for. There are no Canadian regulatory standards ensuring consistent potency, purity, or labelling accuracy.

This is particularly relevant given the emergence of concentrated 7-OH products, which carry significantly higher risk than traditional leaf kratom and are increasingly available through the same unregulated channels.

United States Context for Canadian Readers

While US law does not directly apply to Canadian users, the US regulatory situation is relevant because many kratom products sold in Canada originate from US or international supply chains, and US regulatory actions often precede similar developments in Canada.

As of 2026, kratom is not federally scheduled in the US, but approximately nine states have banned it outright, and over 20 states have enacted consumer protection frameworks requiring lab testing, age verification, and concentration limits. The FDA is specifically targeting concentrated 7-OH products, signalling that these products face stricter regulation regardless of jurisdiction.

Status Category	Description	Jurisdiction
Not approved, not scheduled	Kratom sold in grey market as a botanical	Canada (federal)
Banned	Kratom prohibited entirely	Several US states including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee (as of 2026)
Regulated	Legal with consumer protections (age limits, testing)	Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, Utah and others with KCPA legislation
Unregulated	No specific law addressing kratom	Many remaining US states

Does Kratom Show Up on Drug Tests?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions about kratom, and the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

Standard drug panels (5, 7, 10, or 12-panel tests) screen for substances like opioids, amphetamines, cannabis, and benzodiazepines. They do not test for mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine. Kratom does not appear on standard drug tests.

However, specialized kratom-specific tests do exist and can detect mitragynine for up to 7 days after use. If you’re in a treatment program or subject to workplace testing, ask specifically what your test panel includes. There have also been reports of kratom causing false positives for methadone on some immunoassay tests, though this is uncommon.

If you’re in medication-assisted treatment and using kratom, being honest with your treatment team helps them provide the best care. They’re not there to judge you.

How Does Kratom Compare to Other Substances?

Factor	Kratom (Natural Leaf)	Prescription Opioids	Buprenorphine/Naloxone	Caffeine
Opioid receptor activity	Yes (partial agonist)	Yes (full agonists)	Yes (partial agonist)	No
Regulation in Canada	Grey zone, not approved	Prescription controlled substance	Prescription controlled substance	Unregulated
Dependence potential	Yes	High	Lower (ceiling effect)	Low
Clinical oversight	None	Physician-supervised	Physician-supervised	None
Consistent dosing	Variable, unregulated	Standardized	Standardized	Standardized
Evidence base for treatment	Limited	Extensive	Extensive	Not applicable

Some people use kratom as a self-directed alternative to medications like buprenorphine/naloxone. However, kratom lacks the clinical oversight, consistent dosing, and evidence base that medication-assisted treatment provides. Professional treatment programs offer safety advantages that self-managed kratom use cannot replicate.

Common Mistakes People Make With Kratom

Assuming “natural” means “safe.” Kratom is plant-derived, but so are many substances with significant health risks. Natural does not equal risk-free. Many plant-derived compounds produce powerful physiological effects and carry real risks.

Not recognizing dependence until it’s established. Because kratom is available and sold openly alongside supplements, people may not expect it to cause physical dependence. By the time they recognize what’s happening, regular use may have already changed their brain chemistry.

Using kratom to self-manage opioid withdrawal without support. While some people use kratom to reduce opioid use, unsupervised withdrawal management carries risks. Professional support exists specifically for this situation and offers safer outcomes through evidence-based care.

Assuming all kratom products are the same. Potency varies dramatically. Traditional leaf powder is very different from a concentrated 7-OH extract. Canadian and US regulators are actively distinguishing between these products, and users should too.

Not knowing when to ask for help. If kratom use has increased, if cravings feel hard to manage, or if stopping feels difficult, these are signs that support could help. Waiting doesn’t make the situation easier.

When Kratom Use May Need Professional Support

Many people use kratom without developing significant problems. Seeking information, like reading this article, is itself a meaningful step toward making informed decisions.

However, some patterns suggest that professional support may be helpful:

Using more kratom than intended, or for longer than planned
Difficulty cutting back despite wanting to
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not using
Using kratom to manage symptoms of opioid dependence or withdrawal
Kratom use affecting work, relationships, or daily functioning

If you’re wondering whether your kratom use, or a loved one’s, has reached a point where support could help, our intake team can talk it through with you. No pressure, no judgment.

What professional support can look like:

Medical evaluation to understand your specific situation
Medication-assisted treatment that addresses opioid receptor activity directly
Counselling to work through underlying issues driving use
Structured outpatient or inpatient care based on your individual needs

If you’re concerned about a family member or loved one, support is available for you too. You can learn more about helping a family member and how to start a supportive conversation.

What to Do Next

Kratom is a plant-based substance with opioid-like properties. It can offer temporary relief for some people, but it carries real risks, including physical dependence. Professional support is available for anyone who needs it.

Key Takeaways:

Kratom activates opioid receptors and can produce dependence and withdrawal symptoms similar to opioid use
Product potency varies dramatically between natural leaf products and concentrated 7-OH extracts, and regulators are treating these differently
In Canada, kratom is not approved for sale for human consumption and exists in a regulatory grey zone with no quality controls
Standard drug tests don’t detect kratom, but specialized tests can identify use for up to 7 days
Professional support exists for anyone concerned about kratom use, whether their own or a loved one’s

If you’re gathering information, you now have a clearer understanding of what kratom is and what the risks are. If you’re concerned about your own use or a loved one’s, our intake team is available to help you understand your options without any pressure. Call 1-877-937-2282. We’re here to help.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please speak with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance about your situation.