Do they have to give you methadone in police custody?

[Artificial Emotion]

Last month I got arrested for assault because I pushed someone away that lunged for my camera while I was taking pictures in public. I'm on all sorts of medications and the only way they were going to let me take them is if they let me allow officers to go into my home on their own and retrieve the medications in their original packaging. I wasn't keen on that so they just made me do without. One of my medications was methadone and I thought they had to give you this while in custody? I was really sick withdrawing from benzos and methadone and I feel aggrieved.

 

[BecomingJulie]

What the law says and what Law Enforcement do are, unfortunately, still a way apart. It certainly sounds like a nice little ruse so they could have a look around your house, or find out whether there might be something interesting there you did not want them finding .....

If it's ever going to happen again, it might be worth keeping all your meds in a box in the front room; so at least someone can retrieve them without searching too far. A good lawyer might be able to have any evidence they discovered in excess of their authority -- i.e., beyond the room you consented to them entering -- declared inadmissible, especially if they searched in your absence. But I'm just some random idiot on the Internet who likes her police procedural dramas. You would do best to seek proper legal advice before you resort to relying on anything.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Here in the UK if you are arrested for anything they have the powers to search your home without consent. And as for the fruit of the poisoned tree inadmisable evidence here in the UK even if they had no powers of entry (warrant, arrest etc.) they could still use what they found in court unlike in america. They might get told off by the judge but I would still have to go to court and answer the charge. I don't have anything illegal to hide, I just didn't feel comfortable with them being there without me being present simply because they are strangers and I don't know them.

You're right about the lawyer, I was just curious if anyone knew about some right to methadone because I know there was a human rights court decision that prisoners in prison had the right to methadone and people ended up getting compensation as a result. I want to know if this extends to police custody.

edit: oh by the way thank you for your reply

 

[bummer]

It's probably not a ruse.

How else will the police get medication ? The pharmacy can't do anything without a script. Getting an emergency script is hassle and can take hours.

Getting one out of hours will be a massive pain.

I guess the when looking at the considerable amount of time and phone calls involved the police attitude will be "do you need this stuff or not?"

They probably won't want to get too involved in the process either because of the responsibility that comes with supplying medication, especially if the g.p or pharmacy screw up.


Getting the meds in the original packaging does seem the only logical thing they can do

 

[Sadie]

Well, you could give your permission for your doctor to disclose your medical information and confirm what medications you are on. I don't see a reason the police cannot speak to your doctor when you've given consent. Then, that's up to the person....

There is no reason why police cannot use that as evidence that certain meds need given. I could understand not wanting to allow strangers ( even the police ) into your home. That is your private environment and there could be any number of reasons for not wanting this.

 

[Eveleivibe]

Yea pharmacies can depense controlled drugs but it's a bloody nightmare. When I was in hospital in July I'd missed getting my script n the hospital had to get a pharcist to come from his home one evening to get me my suboxone or I'd have not had any for four days. They also give me some for rest of week. However it may be difference in police custody to AnE departments so not sure. Best bet may have been giving consent for your medical records.

Evey

 

[Wenlock]

The police/arresting officer won't do anything. You can ask to speak to the duty doctor. It'll be up to them and even, it's a gamble. Or if you have a solicitor you know and trust they could fetch you your prescription(s), but even then it's up to the custody sergeant to say yay or nay. If they think they/cps will get a better result out of you while you're clucking though, chances are you're gonna be clucking.

 

[lurching]

The police/arresting officer won't do anything. You can ask to speak to the duty doctor. It'll be up to them and even, it's a gamble. Or if you have a solicitor you know and trust they could fetch you your prescription(s), but even then it's up to the custody sergeant to say yay or nay. If they think they/cps will get a better result out of you while you're clucking though, chances are you're gonna be clucking.

That's what it's like here, if you're friendly to the duty doctor you might be able to claim a much higher dose than what you're normally on as they never bother to ring up your GP/psych/whatever for double-checking, using pokerface I once got absolutely massive doses of benzos and pregabalin. But I was denied seeing the duty doctor on another occasion as he was "too busy that night" and I was thrown into benzo WDs for a while(took nearly 24hr to see him--quite the busy man indeed),crossed bad luck and just a bad bunch of rossersthat time


wait, what,The duty doctor doesn't have any methadone or benzos you say? And they need to go into your home to fetch it? That sounds highly unusual

 

[BlindHelperMonkey]

its no ruse, standard procedure to retrieve yr own meds. custody isnt prison, youre entitled to see the Dr, nothing more

 

[Eveleivibe]

Just curious - Are you allowed methadone in prison? I know some places in America they're not allowed to.

Evey

 

[Artificial Emotion]

Yes you most definitely are.

Btw they rung my doctor to confirm the meds I was on. Still didn't make a difference lol.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Just curious - Are you allowed methadone in prison? I know some places in America they're not allowed to.

Evey

You are now, yes. It used to be standard practice to just give new arrivals with opiate addictions a few DF118s (dihydrocodeine) 'to take the edge off', then let them suffer. But a few years ago (or maybe a couple of decades ago - my memory isn't what it was), a group of persistent offenders got a bit fed up of suffering for their crimes and appealed to the European Court of Human Rights - and won!! This resulted in many of them receiving compensation to the tune of several thousand pounds, and the comfort of knowing they can get banged up as many times as they like and not have to do a rattle. Some of the scallies from round my way were in on this - and no prizes for guessing what they did with the dosh