Yesterday I attended a day festival, had notified the organisers in advance had all the relevant documentation. However my experience at the entrance was not pleasant.
As soon as I reached bag search I declared my medicine. Fine at first, then the security guard saw my grinder and vape ‘can’t bring those in’. Then he asked what my medicine was again, I repeated medicinal cannabis and everything switched. I was told I was unable to enter, ‘we don’t know what is and isn’t prescribed’, that it wasn’t something allowed on site… this was in the open and lots of people were watching. The worst bit for me was when they took my medicine away from me, and opened it up in front of other staff and other festival goers.
I was calmly repeating the communications I had with the accessibility team (I began comms with them 2 months ago) the law, showing my prescription etc but it fell on deaf ears and caused me to have a panic attack due to how I was being treated despite having done everything right.
Another member of staff took us to the accessibility team to resolve the issue. And that team was lovely and appalled I had had this experience. They ensured me that staff should have known about medicines and they will escalate it.
I have had to deal with a lot of internal stigma about my medicine and yesterday didn’t help with feeling like I’m doing something wrong. I know I wasn’t but I am unable to even tell certain friends and family about my medication due to their beliefs and it’s taken me a long time to be comfortable even just medicating before I see them for fear they could tell.
I am neurodivergent and this is the only medication I have found that doesn’t suppress me to try make me ‘normal’. It stops me from becoming overwhelmed, and able to cope in social situations. It is a vital lifeline for me. Yesterday was my first time in 4 years attending event like this, I haven’t attended a festival this big and busy for 7. I have been a medical cannabis user for about a year now and it is a vital part of my daily life. My progress since taking MC is why I thought I would be ok. I did end up having a nice time but I was really affected by that incident. I never felt settled and was on edge all day.
I’ve never had any experience like this before, normally it’s just a ‘oh didn’t know you could get this on prescription’. Maybe I was naive to think I would always be welcomed. If one person in the chain of responsibility doesn’t understand or want to listen there will always be problems.
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13 comments
Timdude
- 3y
Rep: 3914 Lvl: Gold
I’m so sorry you had to experience that. You took a bullet for the next patient that encounters that security. It shouldn’t be this way, but it is, and as such you sticking to your guns and it being escalated is making the change that this country needs.
I hope from here on out you have no more issues!!
38
Toad
- 3y
Rep: 5778 Lvl: Gold
Congratulations on the disability discrimination, under the 2010 equalities act.
Sue them.
1) they will DEFINATELY regret treating you badly.
2) You get money.
3) they will improve their training.
17
Jax
- 3y
Rep: 4153 Lvl: Gold
A shit experience!
I'm good at directing them to the bag I want them to search, and they never check anything under my wheelchair. Often I'm not checked at all, or they find it too awkward to ask to check me further.
Invisible disabilities are so much more challenging, particularly for security staff.
If non-disabled people are awkward towards me, I'm happy to use that to get my meds in without a big argument.
14
Porgo
- 3y
Rep: 4470 Lvl: Gold
Did you leave your medication in its original container? This happened to me two weeks ago but I had removed it from the container and only taken a tiny amount to last the evening. I had copies of my prescriptions, my old MedcanID (now defunct) and a letter off the organisers allowing me in. I went last year with no problems. Got stopped by security with dogs. They just weren’t interested in anything and made me throw my meds away. I was with my 11 year old son and the treatment I received was disgusting. It was all a bit of a whirlwind at the time and if I had not been with my son would have reacted differently but I just wanted it all to go away at the time. We ended up having to leave early. I contacted the festival organisers when I returned home and they were mortified that this happened. Offered free tickets for the rest of the weekend, which I declined as my head was just no longer I the right place. Got free tickets for the whole of next year though.
12
Kartin
- 3y
Rep: 3800 Lvl: Gold
Sorry you had to go through that but glad you had a great time eventually!
4
Ellisahen
- 3y
Rep: 5783 Lvl: Gold
Very similar to how the slam dunk staff treated me when I was arriving to the NOFX show recently.
Kicking off because it's not on my NHS app, repeatedly telling me I wouldn't get in (after about 20bminites I did). Grim..
I did go to the proper slam dunk show, shortly after, and that was fine though. Maybe they were ready, maybe I just got lucky with a security guy that didn't fancy hassle.
Tell you what though, I am not against any pharmacy/doctor doing some more promo! Word needs to get out more.
3
Toad
- 3y
Rep: 5778 Lvl: Gold
Well done you
3
Dudley86
- 3y
Rep: 5933 Lvl: Gold
I feel you mate. Im thinking bout jacking it in at this point.
I was with lyphe group. When it came to light that my Dr hand not been keeping correct records (handling me off books) I spent six months in correspondence with lyphe. They fucked me around endlessly then got a MH locum who turned up an hour late to appointment with incorrect records. I tried to point this out. She then just talked over med lecturing me about what a serious narcotic cannabis is.
IT then tooks a further 2 months from the "review" which was a fuck you your not get any more.
I have been like a bunny in headlights since bearly able to leave the house. really really struggling.
I am on the spectrum and have cptsd. Its the only thing that has made my life tolerable. The is little i can do except get dragged in to further complaints processes which are long drawn out and exhausting. I absolutely dont have the capacity to complain.
I would like to get a new clinic but it seems totally random as to how shit each clinic is.
I also fear that, the by the hour Quack locum bastard who shat in my file is going to knobble me in getting new clinic.
This whole thing is cynical exploitation of valuable and desperate people.
...and fuck those gaslighting scammy fucks at lyphe utter fucking scum!!!!!
1
Wendy85
- 3y
Rep: 4019 Lvl: Gold
I wouldn't have said shit and I don't know if you know, but when you're a patient, your medicine shows up on your NHS app , I would have shown him that too.
1
Pepperbear
- 3y
Rep: 5279 Lvl: Gold
What was the name of the security company and the security guard in question? Name and shame.
1
JonEmalo
- 3y
Rep: 4834 Lvl: Gold
also, neurodivergent ✊
also, use cannabinoids✌️
also, experienced relatively similar event in the past🥲
wanted to comment to say that just & as an autistic bro,
*well aware of the effect & duration of teh experiences that you endured, speaking of it even is a struggle to say the least. remarkable, and I am happy for you that you enjoy the day 'fezzing' about .
however, *somewhat partial to festival vibez ( as the neurotypicals 'let themselves go' I guess is a way to say, which, in my experience appears to effect a more inclusive environment in regards to neurotype-needs ). I digress....
*one wouldn say no to nuerodivergent's gathering enmasse to say visit festivals, and stuff like that in the future potentially ?
*aware of 1, or 2x actually-autistic (only) gatherings scheduled for 2023. & certainly open to considering non-autist-only venues/events in future preferably with autistic-amigo's. hmu👍
1
Mupps
- 3y
Rep: 3786 Lvl: Gold
Lone others have said I'm so sorry you had to go through that I can't imagine how hard that must have been knowing you've went through the rigamarole to get the prescription in the first place.
I hope they were at least educated at that's one less security guard that bothers someone else in the future.
1
SitterBuilds
- 3y
Rep: 4199 Lvl: Gold
That’s not good! Which festival was it?
1