so what are the regulations/process. What steps does someone take when:
1.) They are hooked on a drug like heroin, and then go to jail, and start wd'ing?
2.) Someone is using methadone/suboxone and then goes to jail..?
3.) Someone is taking a non-narcotic drug like seroquel or celexa?
4.) Someone is taking a more mild narcotic than methadone, like Lorcet?
What is the process? Are you allowed to continue taking your medications in any circumstance... I know they have a Jailhouse nurse that comes to the door and stuff. But if you were on Lorcets and somas for a Back injury (couple years back) and your placed in jail would they continue to let you take the medicine a medical physician deemed appropriate for you BEFORE you went to jail...? Just wondering
I am enrolled in a Methadone Maintenance Treatment and get 120mg a day, which is actually more than I need to feel normal, for that I need 100mg a day so I save up 20mg each day as well. A couple of months ago I was arrested and after my arrest was sent straight to jail. The same day a doctor from the mental healthcare institution came by and asked me about the medication I take. I told them about the Methadone and the dosage, and at what clinic I'm enlisted. I also told here about the dextro-amphetamine I take daily for my ADD, and that I also take Rohypnol each night to sleep and am prescribed it, which wasn't actually true but I was allowed to grab some medicine from my home during my arrest to take with me to jail, and so I wisely grabbed some Roofies. The doctor prescribed me the Methadone at the dose I was prescribed before my arrest, as well as the dextro-amphetamine and Rohypnol. The doctor only inquired about my Methadone prescription and whether if that was true according to my Methadone clinic, but never bothered to ask my general practitioner about the dextro-amphetamine and Roofies ....
After staying 6 day's in jail, I was sent to prison for another two weeks, and the prison had it's own doctors as well as their own pharmacy. Once I arrived there, everything was already taken care of before I even went to see the prison doctor for the first time. However, the doctor there didn't want to prescribe me the Flunitrazepam anymore because I was already getting Methadone, I though that was insane, I just as well might have been a long term benzo dependent person ...
To reply to the four questions;
1# People who are addicted to Heroin can ask for an intake appointment with a mental /addiction healthcare professional when they arrive at the jail or prison, and they will see that doctor before the end of that same day, no matter which day of the week it is or. Based on that the doctor on call will prescribe Methadone to stabilize the inmate and prevent any withdrawl. The inmate will be kept on a maintenance dose for the duration of their stay, they are not forced to taper while in prison or jail.
2#People who were prescribed Methadone or Buprenorphine before entering prison or jail can ask for an intake appointment with a mental/addiction healthcare professional when they arrive at the jail or prison, and they will see that doctor before the end of that same day, no matter which day of the week it is or. Based on that the doctor on call will prescribe them their Methadone or Buprenorphine in the dose they were prescribed before entering the prison or jail, in the mean time contact will be sought with the doctor from the addiction clinic who treats the inmate to verify about the Methadone or Buprenorphine. The inmate will be kept on the same dose as prescbribed beforehand to be used as a maintenance dose for the duration of their stay, they are not forced to taper while in prison or jail.
3# People who were prescribed any other physically addictive or otherwise important medication before entering prison or jail can ask for an intake appointment with a mental or regular healthcare professional when they arrive at the jail or prison, and they will see that doctor before the end of that same day, no matter which day of the week it is or. Based on that the doctor on call will prescribe them their medication in the dose they were prescribed before entering the prison or jail, in the mean time contact will be sought with the doctor(s) who treated the inmate before entering prison or jail to verify about their medication. The inmate will be kept on the same dose as of their medication for the duration of their stay, unless for medical reasons it needs to be changed.
4#I don't know what lortab is, but if you mean with weaker opioids something like pentazocine or tramadol, the protocol and treatment will also depend on wether this/these opioid(s) were used illicitly or prescribed by a doctor instead. If taken illicitly, it's the same protocol as with #1 and if it's prescribed by a doctor, it's the same protocol as with #2.
This is all for jails and prison in the Netherlands, most certainly the best country in the world to be locked up if you had to choose, I can confirm that myself ...
Also regarding fatalities caused by opioid withdrawal, Methadone and most strong, short-acting semi-synthetic opioids can be fatal to withdraw from indirectly and when untreated, but withdrawal from Fentanyl and it's directive, especially when addicted to high doses or after long time use can actually be fatal due to direct causes, and it's by far the worst stuff to withdraw from.
