❓ Hon. Sophia Moermond asks about the prescription of medicinal cannabis in WA prisons. The Minister confirms it's not currently prescribed, citing concerns about misuse, diversion, and coercion within the custodial environment, but states that the Department of Justice regularly reviews medication availability.
AnsweredQoN 594Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MEDICAL CANNABIS — PRISONS
594. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the minister representing the
Minister for Corrective Services:
Medicinal cannabis is a lawful
prescription medication used to treat a range of conditions also suffered by
persons who are incarcerated, including anxiety, insomnia and post-traumatic
stress disorder.
(1) Are any prison doctors currently prescribing
medicinal cannabis within the Western Australian prison system?
(2) If no to (1),
what consideration has been given to allowing its prescription within the Western
Australian prison system?
594. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the minister representing the
Minister for Corrective Services:
Medicinal cannabis is a lawful
prescription medication used to treat a range of conditions also suffered by
persons who are incarcerated, including anxiety, insomnia and post-traumatic
stress disorder.
(1) Are any prison doctors currently prescribing
medicinal cannabis within the Western Australian prison system?
(2) If no to (1),
what consideration has been given to allowing its prescription within the Western
Australian prison system?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer is provided on behalf of the
Minister for Corrective Services.
(1) Currently,
there are no prison doctors prescribing medicinal cannabis within the Western Australian
prison system.
(2) Department of Justice health services provides
health care in prisons, in alignment with community standards . However,
there are some considerations around provision of certain medications within
the custodial environment due to the fact that the living situation in prison
is not the same as that in the community. In the
custodial environment, medications that have the potential to be misused are
prescribed cautiously and after consideration of supporting evidence.
Medications perceived as being tradeable may be diverted by prisoners and sold
to others within the prison; they may be taken in a manner that is not recommended;
and vulnerable prisoners may be stood over and compelled to surrender
their medications to others. Therefore, the introduction of new medications is
discussed by the Department of Justice's team at the drugs and
therapeutics committee, and all evidence, supporting or otherwise, is
considered. Health services regularly
reviews and reconsiders what medications can be routinely made available to the
prison population.
some notice of the question. The following answer is provided on behalf of the
Minister for Corrective Services.
(1) Currently,
there are no prison doctors prescribing medicinal cannabis within the Western Australian
prison system.
(2) Department of Justice health services provides
health care in prisons, in alignment with community standards . However,
there are some considerations around provision of certain medications within
the custodial environment due to the fact that the living situation in prison
is not the same as that in the community. In the
custodial environment, medications that have the potential to be misused are
prescribed cautiously and after consideration of supporting evidence.
Medications perceived as being tradeable may be diverted by prisoners and sold
to others within the prison; they may be taken in a manner that is not recommended;
and vulnerable prisoners may be stood over and compelled to surrender
their medications to others. Therefore, the introduction of new medications is
discussed by the Department of Justice's team at the drugs and
therapeutics committee, and all evidence, supporting or otherwise, is
considered. Health services regularly
reviews and reconsiders what medications can be routinely made available to the
prison population.
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