A affected person has raised considerations after he was refused entry to a theme park whereas carrying his medical hashish prescription.
Medical hashish affected person, Alex (who requested us to not use his surname) says he’s afraid of going out in public together with his prescription, after he was refused entry to Blackpool Pleasure Seashore final month.
The 28-year-old, who has held a prescription for hashish to handle his psychological well being points for quite a lot of years, visited the favored amusement park on 30 June, with some buddies who had travelled from the US.
On coming into the park his bag was searched by workers who found what they’ve described as “drug paraphernalia”.
Regardless of the treatment being in its unique packaging and Alex having a duplicate of his prescription, he was instructed to place it in a locker or it could be taken off him.
Alex says a safety guard went onto say that his prescription “didn’t matter” because it wasn’t prescribed by the NHS.
“I defined that I used to be prescribed medical hashish and that the grinder was a bit of apparatus that I wanted to take my treatment,” Alex stated.
“I had my prescription in its unique packaging, with the pharmacy label on it and my identify. I had my driver’s licence and my MedcannID card [no longer operational] and a duplicate of my prescription on my cellphone, which they didn’t even ask to see.”
Alex requested to talk to a supervisor, who was in a gathering on the time, however relayed that he wouldn’t be capable of take his treatment into the park as a consequence of considerations about kids on website.
He was given the choice to depart his treatment with the medical officer which he “reluctantly agreed to”, not desirous to spoil the expertise for his buddies.
“The second safety guard was fairly remorseful, I may inform his palms had been tied,” Alex continued.
“Whereas I didn’t assume the legitimacy of the treatment was a difficulty, they nonetheless handled it otherwise from every little thing else. If I had walked in with an inhaler or with codeine, it could have been fantastic.
“They requested what it was for, however I didn’t actually need to disclose my private medical info. It doesn’t actually matter what it’s for – you wouldn’t ask that if that was insulin for diabetes.”
Alex was then knowledgeable that the entry system had modified – the place beforehand entry to the park was free and guests paid for particular person rides, they had been now required to buy a ticket for the park prematurely, at a price of £40.
He made the choice to depart, not desirous to threat spending the day with out entry to his treatment.
“I had thought that we may stroll across the park and depart once we wanted to, however with the truth that we needed to pay for 3 full worth tickets, I wasn’t prepared to spend the remainder of the day with out my treatment on me, or in a spot the place I can simply entry it,” Alex stated.
“Think about if I had children and we’d spent a fortune on tickets and travelling, for them to say the one manner which you can are available in is in case you give up your treatment.”
He added: “I’m prescribed hashish for anxiousness and am at the moment awaiting prognosis for complicated PTSD. I don’t have a lot time, if I really feel an anxiousness assault come on I have to nip it within the bud there after which. That’s an issue that individuals don’t perceive.”
The park’s response
In an electronic mail to the park after his go to, Alex expressed his considerations concerning the incident, making reference to the Equality Act 2010.
In response, he was instructed that had he bought a ticket prematurely he would have been “made conscious of the phrases and situations of entry” to the park which is positioned on “personal land” and that they had been “unable to take the matter any additional”.
As he had not disclosed his incapacity, they stated they had been unable to precise “opinion on the applicability of the act” and his circumstances.
Alex says he was upset with how his grievance was dealt with and that the expertise has left him fearful about visiting different public locations together with his prescription.
“When somebody is able of authority, they robotically have energy over you in that state of affairs,” he stated.
“The safety guard may have wrestled me to the bottom and I couldn’t have executed something… that terrifies me as a result of I can’t reside with out this treatment.”
Alex continued: “It has impacted me to the purpose the place I don’t need to go anyplace, as a result of I simply need to keep away from any points.
“I’m all the time anxious one thing will occur, even going to the cinema. And I don’t need to spoil the expertise for different folks both, because of my hashish.”
He added: “I’ve tried a number of completely different prescribed drugs during the last 10 years, discovering one thing that works for me is one thing I by no means dreamed would occur, now I simply need to have the ability to reside my life.”
In an announcement to Hashish Well being a spokesperson for Blackpool Pleasure Seashore, stated: “We have now been in correspondence with Alex relating to his current go to to Blackpool Pleasure Seashore.
“On arrival at Blackpool Pleasure Seashore Alex had not bought a ticket to enter the park. If he had executed, his consideration would have been drawn to our Phrases and Circumstances of entry.
“Upon approaching our park entrance space, and in accordance with our Phrases and Circumstances, he was topic to a safety search as is similar for all friends coming into Blackpool Pleasure Seashore. That search revealed drug paraphernalia. A decision was reached with Alex, ought to he have chosen to enter our amusement park however within the occasion he didn’t and left.
“Your comparator to an individual with a diabetes situation shouldn’t be, in our opinion, an acceptable one.
“Alex additionally referred in his electronic mail grievance to the Equality Act 2010, which we really feel we have now appropriately addressed. Our insurance policies and procedures are affordable and proportionate and conditions could also be thought of on a case by case foundation.”
Seed Our Future lately revealed some pointers for sufferers who discover themselves going through discrimination when attending public locations with their prescription, you possibly can obtain the doc right here: Medical Hashish and Discrimination – What it’s worthwhile to know (1)