• Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

methadone detox cold turkey in jail

I think denying someone their opioid substitute medication can be considered 'cruel and unusual punishment'

That may be the case, but many American jails and prisons do not offer MMT and expect inmates to detox "cold turkey" upon entry. So far as I know, there hasn't yet been a case in an American court which specifically requires prisons to offer MMT. (If there has, I welcome any correction: this is one case where'd I'd be very happy to be proven wrong).

That's why the OP really needs to talk to a criminal defense attorney who is familiar with the rules of his jurisdiction. Free advice on this forum is worth what he is paying for it... and might wind up costing him a great deal if it happens to be wrong.

EDIT: here's an article from January 2007 which suggests that MMT programs in American prisons are the exception rather than the rule.
 
I suspect that things in the US will change and that they will in fact eventually offer substitute treament or drug-assisted detoxification and I in fact believe that this is inevitable. The UK legal system, although very different, is similar enough and things have changed here so that prisoners get methadone, so there is at least a possibility that things will eventually change in the US. I certainly hope it does, since it must be terrible to detox CT from a serious opiate habit - I honestly wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. The suffering, discomfort and pain must be unimaginably painful. Can you imaging coming off a 100+mg daily methadone habit? The suffering would be so intense and would last for so fucking long I just can't believe how bad it must be. I really feel sorry for these prisoners, honestly. No one deserves to be treated like that, it's inhuman and horrific. Unfortunately the general public underestimates the negative effects of opiate withdrawal, especially since in almost all cases it is non-lethal and people just assume that these 'criminals' deserve it as punishment for their crimes. So sad :(.
 
I suspect that things in the US will change and that they will in fact eventually offer substitute treament or drug-assisted detoxification and I in fact believe that this is inevitable. The UK legal system, although very different, is similar enough and things have changed here so that prisoners get methadone, so there is at least a possibility that things will eventually change in the US. I certainly hope it does, since it must be terrible to detox CT from a serious opiate habit - I honestly wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. The suffering, discomfort and pain must be unimaginably painful. Can you imaging coming off a 100+mg daily methadone habit? The suffering would be so intense and would last for so fucking long I just can't believe how bad it must be. I really feel sorry for these prisoners, honestly. No one deserves to be treated like that, it's inhuman and horrific. Unfortunately the general public underestimates the negative effects of opiate withdrawal, especially since in almost all cases it is non-lethal and people just assume that these 'criminals' deserve it as punishment for their crimes. So sad :(.

Oh, I agree with you 1,000%. The problem is that I'm not the OP's probation officer; neither am I responsible for MMT policy at any correctional institution. Given the stakes for the OP, I thought it was best that he seek advice from a professional.

I hope that we're starting to see an end to the "War on Drugs" in the United States. But until we do, I'd urge anyone who may become a Drug War Casualty to seek legal advice at their earliest opportunity.
 
I think denying someone their opioid substitute medication can be considered 'cruel and unusual punishment'

Wikipedia says:

Yes this may be true, but realize inmates are not subject to the laws, rights and privilages as everyone else. In fact as I have learned inmates have no rights. And while it may be a medical condition most jail won't let you stay on it as bein under the influence for parts of a trial could be grounds for appeal if they are convicted. This is the main reason why inmates cannot get methadone or bupe treatment.
 
I think denying someone their opioid substitute medication can be considered 'cruel and unusual punishment'

Wikipedia says:

i dont mean to sound like an A-hole, but having grown up in the city of Chicago and been in Cook County Jail and in a couple different prisions, what you just said about you thinking denying someone who is incarcerated MMT or BMT is cruel and unusual punishment , that is the funniest shit i heard all week!!!! trust me, they do it every single day, and aint nothing anybody gonna do about it!! where do you live? i think i need to move there.
 
In the US, ignorance is rampant. In Europe, people are more advanced.

I cannot wait to move out of this god awful country.
 
^^^ I wouldn't say "advanced". Have you ever watched Brittish Television?? Far from advanced.
 
You're going to judge a country and a society based upon television?

...really?

Upon that, I say that America is the dumbest nation on earth. This is self evident, and you will find it so too.
 
^ Some things are better, some things are worse. Overall though, when it comes to drugs things are usually better here in the UK. I used to want to live in the US, but not any more TBH. Canada (my place of birth as a matter of fact, meaning I have dual nationality i.e. a British passport and a Canadian one :)) however seems like an appealing place to live - particularly Vancouver, BC. The only problem is that because I'm unable to work I have no choice but to claim benefits and if I were to move over there I wouldn't be able to claim welfare right away - I think you're only able to claim them after you've been a resident for a number of years (is this correct?). I understand the Cannabis laws there are quite relaxed.

Oh yeah and British TV is al load of complete shit and a very poor representation of what it is like to live over here.
 
Being provided with medical treatment is a human right, not a legal right (which for example would be an attourney-client privilage for example).
 
Being provided with medical treatment is a human right, not a legal right (which for example would be an attourney-client privilage for example).

You misunderstood what I was trying to say. I'll put it this way, every jail I've been to has denied MMT and bupe patients their meds. Most jail do not allow any mind altering chemicals to be given out on their premesis. As far as rights go, inmates only have very limited legal rights.
 
I accept that maybe I'm confused and have got it wrong, but I'm pretty certain that methadone treatment is a medical treatment, in which case if you suffer from WDs, especially because you have come off an established methadone maintenance programme, you have a human (not legal) right to receive this medical treatment. This is why the courts here in the UK changed the system so that addicts in prison are entitled to methadone maintenance treatment.

I'm not suggesting you do store buprenorphine up your ass, but personally if I were you I would stick the bupe right up my ass, far enough to avoid it falling out if were made to squat. If the container e.g. plastic bag is large enough and fits snugly it shouldn't just fall out. Like the above posters suggested, they may not even look in the first place (who wants to see another member of the same sex spread their ass cheeks whilst but naked?). If you're not in prison for drugs I believe their even less likely to suspect that you are storing something in your rectal cavity. I'd rather take a slight risk of getting caught rather than suffer for a protracted period of time.
 
You're going to judge a country and a society based upon television?

...really?

Upon that, I say that America is the dumbest nation on earth. This is self evident, and you will find it so too.

Nothing worse than a person that hates their own country!! By the way I was joking about the TV thing.....sarcasm anyone???
 
I had to detox cold turkey from 110MG of Methadone because the county jail in Spokane, WA refused to dose the inmates. It was /**/not fun/**/ to say the very least. Really really sucked. But, I got through it, and I'm still alive today...I guess the old saying is true: "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger". But I would NEVER want to go through that ever again.
-thelung
 
Yes this may be true, but realize inmates are not subject to the laws, rights and privilages as everyone else. In fact as I have learned inmates have no rights. And while it may be a medical condition most jail won't let you stay on it as bein under the influence for parts of a trial could be grounds for appeal if they are convicted. This is the main reason why inmates cannot get methadone or bupe treatment.

I did not think about that. Very interesting. If an alleged murderer was convicted via trial by jury, yet was under the influence of "drugs" like Methadone or Buprnorphine, the defense theoretically could make an appeal on the grounds that their client was "under the influence and therefore not (psychologically) capable of excersising sane judgement" or some crap like that. American Justice. Gotta love it:|
 
Screws dont care about dopefiends and infact might get some plesure out of seeing them squrime. But, if faced with that situation tell them that your a hard core alchoholic/benzos(I mean really hard core like first thing in the morning, and lots. Delerum tremors the whole thing). They will have to take you more serious because you can actually die from those WD. You cant die from coming off methadone or dope and they know this, so you can cry and plead all you want and if your lucky might get librium...... PS when I turned my self in for just a few days I brought my subutex in the script bottle when I was being processed and gave them to the jail shrink. I got 1 8mg subutex every morning at pill call, I didnt need that much but thats what the bottle said and I couldnt say just give a 1/2 or a 1/3 today.
 
Top