Addictions worker fears onslaught of Oxy withdrawal

People involved with a special drug withdrawal program at Dennis Franklin Cromarty School are bracing for the end of OxyContin.

The highly addictive opiate will be taken off the market on Thursday.

A pilot project at the First Nations high school has helped about 40 students through withdrawal from the drug.

'They're going to be doing crazy stuff' —Kya, student and former addict

Kya is one of them. CBC is not using her last name to protect her identity. She said she can't imagine what it will be like for people to go through withdrawal without support when OxyContin is no longer available.

"I think they're going to turn to another drug," the 19-year-old said. "They're going to be sick, they're going to be withdrawing, they're going to be doing crazy stuff."

Colleen McCreery, a nurse at the school, said most student addicts aren't using the drugs to get high — they need them just to feel normal. She noted that, without support, people looking to kick their drug dependence will suffer, because the withdrawal symptoms are so painful.

"My concern is that they would turn to anything to get those withdrawal symptoms away," McCreery said. "I'm worried about suicide — that the pain would be so bad they don't think they can carry on."

The pilot project at the high school ends next month. The school is hoping it will get approval, and additional funding, to continue.