Pubdate: Thu, 07 Mar 2002
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2002 The StarPhoenix
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/saskatoon/starphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Lori Coolican

ADDICTED INMATES TAKE DESPERATE ROUTE FOR FIX

Woman Dies Of Apparent Overdose At P.A. Institution

Drug-addicted women inside Prince Albert's Pine Grove Correctional Centre 
have been drinking each other's vomit in a desperate effort to get high off 
a dangerous prescription drug administered to some inmates, The StarPhoenix 
has learned.

The shocking story emerged after a 37-year-old inmate, Sonia Faith 
Keepness, died of an apparent overdose last month.

Keepness, who had just started serving a 19-month sentence for drug 
trafficking and possession of criminal proceeds, was found dead in her cell 
at about 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 19.

A source inside the institution said Keepness consumed the vomit of another 
inmate -- an addict on the methadone program who had just been given her 
daily dose of the drug.

"I know that's what happened," said the source, who asked not to be 
identified. "The whole building knows about it. That's how she died."

Methadone is a powerful narcotic analgesic painkiller prescribed by doctors 
as a replacement for illicit morphine, heroin and other opiates, because it 
alleviates withdrawal symptoms.

The drug is always mixed with a small amount of orange juice before it is 
dispensed to addicts.

Because one dose can kill an adult who has not been weaned onto the 
medication by a doctor, many methadone patients -- including those who are 
in jail -- are required to drink it under a pharmacist's supervision.

Inmates forcing other inmates to throw up their daily dose, and then 
drinking or selling the liquid, sounds unbelievable but happens frequently, 
the source said.

A spokesperson for the provincial Justice Department, which oversees the 
facility, would not comment on the source's allegation, because the 
investigation into Keepness's death is ongoing. However, Jeff Bohach 
confirmed the jail has changed its procedures regarding methadone patients 
since Keepness's death.

Rather than allowing inmates back into the population a few minutes after 
drinking their dose, medical staff "will monitor the patient for one hour 
after they receive their methadone," Bohach said.

Police and provincial Corrections officials are still waiting for autopsy 
and toxicology results in connection with Keepness's death.

As well, an inquest has been ordered, as is standard procedure after an 
inmate dies in a correctional institution.

No date has been set for the hearing.

Two inmates, 30-year-old Candace Dawn Ahenakew and 24-year-old Redenah 
Faith Thomas, have been accused of selling or giving drugs to Keepness the 
day she died.

Ahenakew is accused of trafficking methadone, and Thomas is charged with 
trafficking marijuana and Librium, a common tranquilizer. Both appeared in 
Prince Albert provincial court earlier this week.

Prince Albert police would not confirm or deny the vomit story, because the 
investigation is ongoing.

Tim Krause, a spokesperson for Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) said 
staff inside the federally run Saskatchewan Penitentiary have heard of 
inmates in other facilities obtaining drugs by drinking vomit. No such 
incident has ever been reported inside the penitentiary, he said.

Inmates on the methadone program in the penitentiary are kept away from 
other inmates for five to 10 minutes after taking their dose in front of 
medical staff.

After hearing about the alleged incident at Pine Grove, CSC will take a 
second look at its practice, Krause said.
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