Drug addicts win human rights compensation for being forced to go cold turkey

ranunky

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Drug addicts win human rights compensation for being forced to go cold turkey. Three drug addicted prisoners in the United Kingdom (Hampshire) have won more than £11,000 in compensation after a court ruled that forcing them to go cold turkey was a breach of their human rights.

Each was awarded £3,800 after it was ruled that denying them heroin and other drugs such as methadone to help treat their addictions was illegal.

Chris Huhne MP, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said "Some of these claims seem to be little more than a shameless cashing in on this country's compensation culture."

But Martin Barnes, chief executive of the charity DrugScope, said prisoners were entitled to "the same standard of health care that they would receive in the community".

He added: "By conceding the legal action, the Home Office accepted full liability in all cases.

December 3rd 2008

"It is clear that short, sharp, enforced detoxification is still the experience for many entering prison, even for those who were in receipt of a prescribed substitute drug such as methadone prior to custody."

The figures were released this week as a result of a Freedom of Information request made to the Ministry of Justice.

http://www.quest4quality.nl/euromethwork/index.php?page=76&item=97
 
I know this is a bit old but I figured it's pretty noteworthy nonetheless.
 
Since there ARE humane medical procedures for taking people off drugs, "forced detox" counts IMO as denying patients proper medical attention when needed.
 
Absolutely agree Jammy. I'm glad that they were given compensation, but the real big thing is that there is recognition for such cases and it's been put out in the open :)
 
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