Detoxing in Jail: Treating Opioid Use Behind Bars | NBC Left Field

In Bellingham, Washington, a recent class action lawsuit by the ACLU may impact how inmates across the country are treated for addiction. Following a settlement, the Whatcom County Jail now provides inmates suffering from opioid use disorder with medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services. In Washington state, released prisoners are 13 times more likely to die by overdose than the rest of the American population. For inmates like Cordelia and Brooke, access to Suboxone has vastly improved their experience of detoxing in jail.


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[cnearwheel]

Nothing worse then opioid would be the last place I would want to be during who have never felt it will never understand.

[khanimran]

if you never been on the heroin or other opioids you will never know the pain that we go THROUGH its not a light cold its hell

[Guardianangel]

I'm on day 4 withdrawal, of 5 year opioid addiction, my bones hurt so bad, I'm throwing up, haven't eaten for 4 days, the agitation is bad, if I do fall asleep I'm waking back up as if I'm in a nightmare, delirious. I pray I make it through, this is the longest I've ever done this.

[calianne]

10 years ago I was in this exact Jail Detox on the floor, throwing up and unable to get up, It was the worst experience I ever had. I'm now 10 years clean and sober. I never want to do that EVER AGAIN. I believe in MAT!!

[Ohhhoneyyy]

We’re rooting for all my brothers and sisters out there striving for soberity

[FoidGames]

Lol imagine if withdrawals were as easy to get through as the flu.

[kRazoh]

Withdrawals are like Getting outta of a shower immediately stepping outside in the north pole

[rafflegiveaways]

That nurse looks like she's that type of person who get joy out of watching inmates suffer

[sarahcraig]

Worse thing ever detox. Thank you god i made it. 6 years clean.

[bionicman]

Think what you will about suboxone, it has saved mine and my brother's lives, and we both lead good lives.

[SandorBalazs-bqro]

Psychedelics saved me from years of uncontrollable depression, anxiety, alcoholism, smoking, and illicit pills addiction. Imagine carving heavy chains for over a decade and then all of a sudden that burden is gone. Believe it or not, in a couple of years they'll be all over for treatment of mental health related issues.

[marcimonroe]

Methadone saved my life. I've been clean 12 years. I went from spending $1500 a week on heroin and being a raging criminal and addict to a productive citizen. I am truly grateful.

[wattz]

These people are addicted to Heroin and you’re offering them Tylenol for pain? She needs to lose her medical license 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

[jacyrogers]

lol it’s so annoying when ppl say it’s like the flu but have never experienced withdrawal!!!

[Take-A-Ride]

Doctors only say “withdrawal is like the flu” because thats the only thing to compare it to when trying to put withdrawal into perspective for people who haven’t experienced it. But I can honestly say it is nothing like the flu. The only similarities are body aches and diarrhea/vomiting. The symptoms are 1, 000, 000x more severe and painful from opiate withdrawal. Personally the “flu like” symptoms werent even the worst. It was the RLS throughout my entire body, the anxiety, time moving extremely slow where every minute feels like an hour, the cold sweats, and the goosebumps so severe that it hurt my skin. Wanting to rip your own skin off so you can scratch your muscles because your muscles itch underneath your skin. Fatigue so bad that sometimes you cant even walk a few feet without feeling like youre going to collapse. The list goes on and on.

[frogganna]

20 months clean from fentanyl here. When the inmate said that the judges need to understand that people aren't taking care of their warrants because they're afraid of detoxing in jail, she was spot on! Hello Ohio! Fix our jails now!!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[Okiedude]

With the amount of taxes I have to pay and with jails and police departments constantly asking for tax increases! Every jail in this country should have to offer these addicts proper care while they are in their custody. No! Tylenol does not qualify! Methadone is cheap and creates no high. Everyone who says it's just like the flu has never gone through it! And if you've never gone through it then keep your mouth shut

[jm]

That withdrawal is terrible by itself I can't imagine doing it in jail. Holy crap.

[tmurphy]

As an addict, watching these poor souls suffer through the hell of withdrawal - (NOT even comparable to the flu..seriously lady??) - my heart goes out to them, no one should have to suffer like that in jail.
My brother is a CO. He has watched our brother, our sister and myself battle the demons of addiction.. it has left him bitter and cold - particularly judgmental of other addicts.
I just beg him to be neutral.. if he can’t show compassion or a shred of kindness and human connection to a fellow human being suffering tremendously while getting sick on the cold dirty jailhouse floor… I beg him to just be neutral. At the very least, don’t introduce or contribute additional pain and hurt to these people who are battling a chronic and progressive DISEASE for which there is no known cure.

Stay strong everyone - God knows I need to

[stefangier]

If you’ve never felt an opiate withdraw, you really have idea how bad it is.