Adderall XR vs Dexedrine tablets. Why not just use short-acting amphetamine in Canada?

In Canada the marketed mixed-salt product is Adderall XR, not a widely stocked immediate-release mixed-salt Adderall like the US tablet. The usual short-acting amphetamine option is dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine tablets), with a CADDRA duration estimate of about 4 hours, versus about 12 hours for Adderall XR. Long-acting stimulants with Health Canada approval for the age group, including Adderall XR, are first-line for adults on the CADDRA chart; short- and intermediate-acting stimulants are second-line. If the change is persistent, distressing, or affecting daily functioning, bring a brief timeline to the prescribing clinician rather than changing the dose independently. Related reading: https://www.fastreat.com/en/blogs/adhd-medication References: https://www.caddra.ca/wp-content/uploads/CADDRA_ADHD-Medication-Chart_May2026.pdf https://www.camh.ca/en/professionals/treating-conditions-and-disorders/adult-adhd/adult-adhd---treatment/adult-adhd---pharmacotherapy https://www.caddra.ca/wp-content/uploads/Canadian-ADHD-Practice-Guidelines-4.1-January-6-2021.pdf

I asked why we could not just do short-acting Dexedrine so I could skip days I work from home. The answer I got was that they prefer the XR mixed-salt product as the default here, and that the US-style Adderall IR was not what the pharmacy had. I still ended up discussing tablets later when I needed a shorter window. Coverage questions went to the provincial plan, not to a Canada-wide price list. I did not switch myself. Only my clinic conversation.