Treatments
Other Substances
Starting treatment for smoking, stimulants, cannabis, or other substance use disorders
If you are interested in learning more about medication-assisted treatment options for any substance use disorder, call us at (519)-631-9040 to see if we are currently offering assessments.
Our services are covered 100% by OHIP. Please bring your Health Card and a list of your current medications to your first appointment.
Your First Appointment
Your first appointment will last up to one hour and include completing some forms regarding your medical history and having an assessment with a physician. A comprehensive care plan will be developed, which includes a discussion about pharmacological treatment options and counselling options. Patients who are seeking treatment for nicotine addiction do not require drug urine testing.
Smoking Cessation
Tobacco kills up to half of those people who use it. Cigarette smoke contains over 7000 chemicals, including over 65 which are known to cause cancer (including of the lung, head and neck, stomach, colon, cervix, and bladder). Additional risks associated with smoking include cardiovascular and lung disease, stroke, pneumonia, asthma, and reduced fertility.
In recent years, many individuals have started inhaling electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes, or ‘vaping’ products) containing nicotine and often find themselves addicted and unable to stop. Emerging reports have also associated vaping with lung injury and potential death.
It can be challenging to quit smoking and vaping, particularly considering that nicotine withdrawal symptoms can include sleep difficulties, low mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, restlessness, anger, increased appetite, and weight gain.
At St. Thomas RAAM Clinic, we offer medication treatment options for smoking and vaping cessation and also help connect our patients with counseling services. Numerous research studies have shown that pharmacological treatment works best with counselling.
Stimulant Use Disorder
Stimulants include substances such as cocaine, methamphetamine (“crystal meth”), and amphetamine (“speed”). Stimulants are highly addictive, and their use can become compulsive and out of control. This can lead to problems affecting family, finances, relationships, or functioning at work or school.
Various health risks exist with stimulants, including psychosis, mood disorders, cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, and seizures. Cocaine is often contaminated with levamisole, which itself can produce dangerous side effects such as agranulocytosis, vasculitis, and/or tissue necrosis. Other common contaminants are the highly potent opioids fentanyl and carfentanil, which can cause unintentional overdose and death.
Specialized physicians at St. Thomas RAAM Clinic may offer medical assessment and brief counselling to patients experiencing a stimulant use disorder.
Cannabis Use Disorder
Contrary to popular belief, cannabis can be an addictive substance. Approximately 1 in 11 (9%) of adults who use cannabis will become addicted to it, and this number rises to about 1 in 6 (17%) for those who started using cannabis as a teenager. For those who smoke cannabis daily, the risk of addiction can be as high as 25% to 50%.
Regular cannabis use is often accompanied by withdrawal symptoms, which make it hard for people to stop using since they usually believe that cannabis is required to “treat” these withdrawal symptoms. Well-documented cannabis withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, irritability, decreased appetite, restlessness, and depressed mood. For certain individuals, cannabis use can impact their ability to perform well at school or on the job.
Frequent cannabis use can have negative long-term consequences, which is particularly risky in youth. Some of these possible long-term consequences include psychosis, impaired attention and memory, a decrease in IQ, and altered brain development.