– It is a heartbreaking case, says Andreas Sjalg Unneland, who is spokesperson for justice policy in SV. He refers to news’s story about Remi Sørelvmo, who received assurances in advance that he could use medical cannabis for pain relief in prison. Nevertheless, he was deprived of his medication when he appeared for sentencing in Vadsø. – He has to go through what must be described as a hell of pain before he has to be sent by helicopter to hospital, says Unneland. He sent a written question to the Minister of Justice demanding that she ensure good guidelines – and that the prisons actually follow them. Now the answer from Emilie Enger Mehl has arrived. Unneland is disappointed that the minister does not want to do anything. Andreas Sjalg Unneland says it is completely unacceptable that inmates are deprived of legal medicines. Photo: Olav Døvik / news Asking for clear rules – It is positive that the minister says that you should have the right to use the drugs you have been prescribed even while you are serving time in prison. But it is very disappointing that she does not say that she wants to follow up on this case, says Unneland. – It is quite clear that there is a failure in the system here, and there is a need to clean it up. The demand from SV was simple: – Here the minister must make it clear to the Directorate of Correctional Services that they must create good routines for the prisons to follow up on the rights of inmates. The authorities have a duty to facilitate the health of inmates. When it is broken, it is very serious and has major consequences. The Minister of Justice answered Unneland’s question on Wednesday. Emilie Enger Mehl says that medical cannabis should be handled like other medicines that have been correctly prescribed by a Norwegian doctor. Even after the incident with Remi Sørelvmo, she believes that the rules are clear enough. “There is no need for other specific guidelines from the correctional service regarding medical cannabis,” writes Mehl. Medical cannabis is frowned upon by many who believe it is about addiction. This is what both user Remi Sørelvmo and parliamentary representative Andreas Sjalg Unneland think. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news Blame each other The prison in Vadsø and the municipal health service disagree about who made the decision to refuse Remi Sørelvmo to use medical cannabis. The Directorate of Correctional Services will not get involved in the specific case. But section manager Tom Enger emphasizes that it is the municipal health service that will make the decision about medication. The prison must only make arrangements for the medication to be given. – If it should be the case that the regulations are not followed up, or you are not aware of what kind of rules apply, then of course we have to follow up what we do in all cases that are uncovered. Storting representative Unneland hopes that the answer from Mehl can in any case lead to something positive. – I hope that the clarification makes it clear to the entire correctional service that arrangements must be made for inmates to use their medication in prison. But I would probably have liked a greater willingness on the part of the minister to make sure that this is done. Emilie Enger Mehl believes that the prisons have sufficiently clear rules for medication. Photo: Eirik Hind Sveen / news – Not hanging on Remi Sørelvmo himself is disappointed that the Minister of Justice is not properly involved in the case. – According to her answer, we are the same distance. What she answers doesn’t make sense at all, says Sørelvmo. He is reacting to the Minister of Justice’s reply referring to a circular from 2016. It is about the use of medicines prescribed by a doctor abroad. – She has used a foreign prescription as a basis. I have it on a Norwegian prescription. You can’t get ahead with these answers. Sørelvmo’s lawyer Lars Mathias Undheim has asked for a written explanation of what actually happened in Vadsø. He is considering asking the Civil Ombudsman to look at the guidelines to ensure that the prison health service does not make decisions that violate the inmates’ rights.
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SV demands new rules after Remi was deprived of medical cannabis in prison – news Troms and Finnmark
