Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Legal Rights


minton

Recommended Posts

minton Contributor

Okay so I watch alot of medical shows like House and also Law and Order type shows (I'm debating a career in medical field or a career in law haha). And I started thinking after switching between Law and Order and House marathons one day...

If a celiac goes to jail, what are their legal rights for keeping the gluten free diet? DO they even have rights to stay on a medical diet? What do they do for those circumstances? If a celiac or other food allergic individual goes to jail and gets "poisoned" by the food provided, do the have legal recourse? What about their families if the individual dies from such "dietary abuse?"

What about such an individual in a hospital if they were to get "poisoned" and either became very ill or died?

Or a psych ward? Or any other place of confinement?

It really makes me wonder...does the government have an obligation to those it holds in confinement to keep them alive and protected from quite literally poisoning?

I don't know, it really made me wonder...Does anyone know the answers to this stuff?


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



mef Newbie
Okay so I watch alot of medical shows like House and also Law and Order type shows (I'm debating a career in medical field or a career in law haha). And I started thinking after switching between Law and Order and House marathons one day...

If a celiac goes to jail, what are their legal rights for keeping the gluten free diet? DO they even have rights to stay on a medical diet? What do they do for those circumstances? If a celiac or other food allergic individual goes to jail and gets "poisoned" by the food provided, do the have legal recourse? What about their families if the individual dies from such "dietary abuse?"

What about such an individual in a hospital if they were to get "poisoned" and either became very ill or died?

Or a psych ward? Or any other place of confinement?

It really makes me wonder...does the government have an obligation to those it holds in confinement to keep them alive and protected from quite literally poisoning?

I don't know, it really made me wonder...Does anyone know the answers to this stuff?

From watching American Jail and visiting a maximum security prison, yes, they have a right to maintain a dietary requirement. You can watch TruTV/american jail and the arrestees always go through an intense medical screening. Does it mean it always is available? Probably not. You really don't want to stand out in jail...

If you are really interested, you would have to look at both state and federal law.

spinsterwitch Rookie

Once you are diagnosed with Celiac, then yes they would need to provide you with a strict diet. It is a serious medical condition and the elimination of gluten is currently the only treatment. I work for a dialysis center, and I know that they have to provide dialysis and appropriate dialysis medications to their inmates.

As for the hospital, the same should be true.

There are 2 problems with all of this...1) being diagnosed is the big key. If you cannot prove to a prison that you have the disease, I don't think they have to do this. 2) Cross contamination.

DarkIvy Explorer

^So then, in other words, celiacs, stay out of trouble!!

It's funny that you mention it though, I was wondering about this the other day.

YoloGx Rookie

Its a good question. And a big hassle if one just goes to a hospital here in the States!! Not to speak of getting into trouble. LOL!! One reason I really want to go to Europe. Both as an artist and a celiac I hear its a lot better over there... And no I have no desire to get into any more hot water than I already am just having to convince my recalcitrant relatives I have a real condition...

Bea

home-based-mom Contributor

More than one poster has mentioned that gluten triggers severe irrational anger in either themselves or someone they know. It has occurred to me that the entire prison population would be better off totally gluten free. Maybe some inmates would never even be there in the first place and everyone would behave better without gluten.

Just a thought.

caek-is-a-lie Explorer

Yeah they do have to accommodate you. There are lots of people in jail with dietary restrictions, like diabetics, etc. And lots of people on medications, too. However, the system is far from perfect and mistakes happen or you get some jerk who refuses to comply. I've seen stupidity abound at jails. Also, sometimes right at the beginning of a jail/prison sentence it takes a few days for communication to go through the proper channels from your Dr. & Lawyer to the right person for you to get your meds or proper diet. If you died from "dietary abuse" after proper steps were taken and documented to try and get you help, then your family would probably file a wrongful death suit against the city or state, depending on where you were confined.

I'm not an attorney...I just worked in the criminal justice field for awhile.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



one more mile Contributor

It took us three days to get a breathing machine in to jail for someone who had already "died" once in his sleep.

Most diabetics in Jail in county in Pennsylvania have a blood sugar of 250. Sunday brunch in county jail is always toast, french toast sticks and maybe a doughnut. They nearly killed my friend with his gastric bypass. If you make it to jail good luck. So far diabetics and people with gastric bypass have not had any luck. People with ADD are also not getting their medications in jail.

What the law states and what reality is do not match.

one more mile.

mindiloo Rookie

Legally, yes, a person in any type of prison or medical ward must be kept healthy. Even if a prisoner needs a heart transplant, they are required to put him on the transfer list and bump him up accordingly as if he were a regular citizen. Therefore, in a legal sense, a person with celiac would be required to have a completely gluten free diet with safety precautions to prevent from cross contamination.

Unfortunately, that's the not truth of the matter. Inmates are also required to get exercise and be rehabilitated as long as they are not confined to solitary, but that rarely happens to the levels it is required. When budget cuts come, that's the first to go. The prisons may give the inmates gluten free food, or things they say are gluten free, but unless they're in the prisons reserved for the rich and famous I doubt there would be care taken to make sure that it was carried out safely. Many times it's other prisoners preparing food and they most likely don't know nor care what would be needed to keep the food gluten free. It's not necessarily that correctional officers, wardens, etc don't care (although some would not) but they don't have the manpower or the money to see that it happens correctly.

I'm a criminology minor and one of my professors has worked in prisons for most of his life. We hear all the good and the bad about them.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - knitty kitty replied to Charlie1946's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      45

      Severe severe mouth pain

    2. - Lkg5 replied to Charlie1946's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      45

      Severe severe mouth pain

    3. - Charlie1946 replied to Charlie1946's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      45

      Severe severe mouth pain

    4. - Aretaeus Cappadocia posted a topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      0

      Brown Rice Vinegar (organic) from Eden Foods is likely gluten free

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,097
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Hana B
    Newest Member
    Hana B
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      @Charlie1946,  Sorry I sidetracked your thread a bit.  Apologies. Proton pump inhibitors, like Omeprazole, change the pH in our gastrointestinal systems which allows opportunistic microbes to move in and take over.  Have you been checked for SIBO?  There's a significant link between length of Omeprazole use and SIBO.  I had SIBO, thrush (Candida) and lichen planus and other problems while I was on Omeprazole.  I had to stop taking it.  It was a horrible time, so I understand how painful and frustrating it is.   You change your microbiome (the bacteria and microbes living inside you) by changing what you eat.  They eat what you eat.  Change the menu and you get different customers.   I changed my diet.  I cut out dairy because I was reacting to the casein and lactose.  I cut out all processed foods and most carbohydrates. I ate meat and veggies mostly, some fruit like apples and mandarin oranges.  By cutting out all the excess carbohydrates, lactose, and empty carbs in processed gluten-free foods, the opportunistic microbes get starved out.  SIBO bacteria send chemical messages to our brains demanding more carbs, so be prepared for carb cravings, but don't let the microbiome control you!   The skin and digestive system is continuous.  The health of our outside skin reflects the health of our gastrointestinal system.  Essential B vitamins, like Thiamine B 1 and especially Niacin B 3, are needed to repair intestinal damage and keep bad bacteria in check.  Niacin helps improve not only the intestinal tract, but also the skin.  Sebaceous Hyperplasia is linked to being low in Niacin B 3.  Lichen Planus is treated with Niacinamide, a form of Niacin B 3.   Vitamins are chemical compounds that our bodies cannot make.  We must get them from our food.  If our food isn't digested well (low stomach acid from Omeprazole causes poor digestion), then vitamins aren't released well.  Plus there's a layer of SIBO bacteria absorbing our vitamins first between the food we've eaten and our inflamed and damaged villi that may have difficulty absorbing the vitamins.  So, taking vitamin supplements is a way to boost absorption of essential nutrients that will allow the body to fight off the microbes, repair and heal.   Doctors are taught in medical learning institutions funded by pharmaceutical companies.  The importance of nutrition is downplayed and called old fashioned.  Doctors are taught we have plenty to eat, so no one gets nutritional deficiency diseases anymore.  But we do, as people with Celiac disease, with impaired absorption.  Nutritional needs need to be addressed first with us.  Vitamins cannot be patented because they are natural substances.  But pharmaceutical drugs can be.  There's more money to be made selling pharmaceutical drugs than vitamins.   Makes me wonder how much illness could be prevented if people were screened for Celiac disease much earlier in life, instead of after they've been ill and medicated for years.   Talk to your doctor and dietician about supplementing essential vitamins and minerals.   Interesting Reading: The Duration of Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy and the Risk of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12250812/#:~:text=The long-term use of,overgrowth dynamics is less clear. Lichenoid drug eruption with proton pump inhibitors https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC27275/ Nicotinamide: A Multifaceted Molecule in Skin Health and Beyond https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857428/
    • Lkg5
      My sebaceous hyperplasia and thrush disappeared when I stopped all dairy.
    • Charlie1946
      @knitty kitty Thank you so much for all that information! I will be sure to check it out and ask my doctor.  I am just at a loss, I am on my 2nd round of miracle mouthwash and I brush and scrape my tongue and (sorry this is gross) it's still coated in the middle 
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      Traditional brown rice vinegars are made by fermenting brown rice and water with koji (Kōji 麹). The gluten risk comes from the method of preparing the koji: rice, wheat or barley may be used. Regardless of the starting grain, "koji" typically will be listed as an ingredient, and that term alone does not indicate gluten status. I called Eden Foods regarding their product "Organic Brown Rice Vinegar" (product of Japan) to ask how their product is made. They gave me a clear answer that they >do< use rice and they >do not< use wheat or barley in preparing their koji. FWIW, the product itself does not contain any labeling about gluten, gluten risk, or gluten safety. Based on Eden's statement, I am going to trust that this product is gluten safe and use it.
    • Scott Adams
      Your post nails the practical reality of living well with a celiac diagnosis. The shift from feeling restricted to discovering a new world of cooking—whether through a supportive partner making gluten-free spanakopita and gravy, or learning to cook for yourself—is exactly how many people find their footing. It turns a medical necessity into a chance to build kitchen skills, eat more whole foods, and actually enjoy the process. Your point that the basics—knife skills, food safety, and experimenting with spices—are all you really need is solid, helpful advice. It’s a good reminder that the diagnosis, while a pain, doesn’t have to stop you from eating well or having fun with food.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.