Jeff Louden warns of the coming changes to the methadone program in BC. Jeff has been on the methadone maintenance program for nine years and is a connoisseur of opiates for much longer. He’s articulate about harm reduction strategies and drug enforcement policy in the DTES and has been my friend for years. Methadone – a highly regulated, strong narcotic prescribed to treat opiate addiction - is about to get ten times stronger in BC. Taking too much of the medication can cause overdose and even death. Most methadone patients have no idea this change is coming.On Feb 1, 2014, pharmacies and clinics in BC will begin dispensing a new product called Methadose, which will replace the methadone they used to compound themselves. Methadose is manufactured by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceutical, and comes in a red, cherry-flavoured liquid. The old methadone was dispensed at a concentration of 1mg/ml in a Tang-like juice. The new Methadose will be ten times more concentrated at 10mg/ml.