BOSTON — A federal appeals court has affirmed a judge’s order requiring the Aroostook County Jail to provide Suboxone to an inmate to keep her opioid addiction in remission.
The Aroostook County Jail appealed to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a Maine federal district court judge granted the preliminary injunction, which requires the jail to provide physician-prescribed medication to Brenda Smith. The appeals court released a brief, unsigned ruling on Tuesday that said it found “no abuse of discretion by the district court” in ruling in Smith’s favor.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine has argued on behalf of Smith. She is scheduled to report for her sentence on Wednesday.
Aroostook County Jail officials did not return a call seeking comment. Smith’s sentence is set for 40 days.
