In prison, he was only given painkillers, which he already knows he cannot tolerate. After two days, he had such severe abdominal pain that the doctor sent him to Kirkenes hospital by helicopter. – The prison has broken both the law and clear promises they made in advance, says his lawyer Lars Mathias Undheim. But it is unclear who actually made the decision to refuse Sørelvmo to use the medicines he uses regularly. The prison and the municipality’s health service blame each other. Expensive medicine – grown without permission – I’ve had a lot of hell throughout my life since I was little, says Remi Sørelvmo. He mentions back pain, migraines and later post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, he is well acquainted with a number of strong and addictive drugs. – Paralgin forte, Oxynorm, Tramadol, Stesolid, Valium, Ritalin. I’ve gone through everything. But the side effects have not been to live with. That is why he has switched to medical cannabis. – I have pain now too, but in a completely different way. It’s more cozy. – Does the medicine have any addictive effects? – Absolutely not. I know nothing of the world. These are the boxes that Sørelvmo did not take into prison. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news He has received two rejections from Norwegian pain clinics, and must pay for the preparations himself. Many thousands of kroner a month make a severe dent in disability benefits. That is why Sørelvmo has taken the chance to break the law and grow his own cannabis. It has been revealed. The last sentence from last spring was 15 days in prison. On Monday 9 January, the sentence began in Vadsø prison. Denied before – allowed now Sørelvmo’s doctor Aina Mumbi has experienced that other patients have been refused to use medical cannabis during their sentence. Mumbi therefore contacted the prison in advance. She referred to an earlier letter from the Directorate of Correctional Services (KDI). Already in 2020, they established that inmates should be allowed to use cannabis that was legally prescribed by a doctor. Two days before Sørelvmo was due to appear in Vadsø prison, he had not yet received a clear yes to use the medicine. Only after his lawyer Lars Mathias Undheim urged, did the confirmation come – on the same day that the sentence started. Remi Sørelvmo uses a so-called vaporizer to heat up the cannabis preparation before he inhales the steam. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news The prison turned around Nevertheless, Sørelvmo was deprived of the cannabis medicine Bedrolite as soon as he entered. Doctor Aina Mumbi believes that both the letters she sent in advance and the description on the box made it clear how the medicine should be used. A limit of 1.5 grams per day was set, and it is taken when the patient needs it. – This is 100 percent individual. He has managed this himself for years, without any problems. In prison, Sørelvmo only received Ibux and Paracet for the pain. Sørelvmo has bad experiences with the first. It didn’t go any better this time. – It felt as if my intestines were going to be ripped out of me, says Sørelvmo. After three days, he was sent by helicopter to Kirkenes hospital. There, the doctors interpreted it as a stomach ulcer, according to the epic crisis that news has seen. The hospital stay did not lead to any solution. Mumbi responded to new emails about the matter. The health service in Vadsø confirms to news that they have received answers both while Sørelvmo was in hospital and a few days after he returned. Nevertheless, he did not get his Bedrolite back during the last part of his sentence. Nobody takes responsibility – It is quite scandalous that something as simple as medication for a pain patient is not put in place, says lawyer Lars Mathias Undheim. The email from KDI is absolutely clear that inmates can use medical cannabis when it is prescribed by Norwegian doctors, and in line with the guidelines, says the lawyer. He will follow up on the matter. Lars Mathias Undheim demands clear rules that allow patients to use legal medical cannabis in prison. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB First he has to find out who made the decision to refuse Sørelvmo to use Bedrolite. No one has so far claimed responsibility. The health service in the prisons is provided by the individual municipality, in this case Vadsø. Marit Nordstrand is section manager. – According to the feedback from the doctor, it is the prison that has said that Sørelvmo cannot use the medication during his sentence, she says. – The medical follow-up is the responsibility of the health service, but we cannot go beyond the prison’s rules, says Nordstrand. – The prison health service has not refused him medication, but worked to obtain information and procedures. Nordstrand says they had contact with Sørelvmo’s doctor by phone and email. They received a response from Aina Mumbi on 11 January, sent another inquiry days later, and received a response three days later. – Would anything have turned out differently if Mumbi had answered earlier? – No, I don’t think so, because it is, as I said, the prison that has put its foot down. The prison refers to the municipality Prison manager Bård Buljo says, on the other hand, that they have not refused anyone to take prescribed medication. It was discussed how Sørelvmo should take the medicine without other inmates and the staff being bothered by smoke, but that was not where it stopped, writes Buljo. He states without reservation: “The prison would have made arrangements for this if the medication and implementation of the treatment had been approved by the prison health service.” The management at the prison in Vadsø denies that it has said no to cannabis medicines. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news Lawyer Undheim reacts to news’s information that the prison and the municipal health service blame each other. – It must be cleaned up. Someone must be held accountable for this. Undheim initially wants a proper explanation from the health service in Vadsø and the prison. He believes that KDI must follow up on what they themselves have said and create good guidelines for the use of medical cannabis in prison. – It cannot be the individual prison doctor or individual prison manager who decides. Prejudice to blame Doctor Aina Mumbi emphasizes that Sørelvmo has spent many years finding the right medication and the right dosage to relieve pain and insomnia. – There is no doubt that the authorities are obliged to make arrangements so that inmates can maintain good health. Losing your health should not be an additional penalty, say. Remi Sørelvmo believes that users of medical cannabis are labeled as criminals and not seen as patients. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news Sørelvmo is dismayed by the attitudes he and other users of medical cannabis face. – We are not seen as patients who use medicine, but as criminal drug addicts who get high. No intoxicating effects Cannabis contains several active substances. It is THC that causes intoxication, but there is practically zero of it in Bedrolite, which Sørelvmo uses. Mumbi believes prejudice stands in the way of cannabis being properly understood as medicine. – 50 years of the war on drugs and the propaganda machinery that has been put in place there, it works. The prison system and the health system are parts of society where this propaganda has taken extra root, says Mumbi. – Cannabis is a very low-risk medicine. This also applies to the variant that actually causes intoxication. But it’s completely ridiculous in Remi’s case. He is on CBD, and it has no intoxicating effect.
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Was deprived of medical cannabis in prison – ended up in hospital – news Troms and Finnmark
