Pot smoker gets his confiscated drugs back
Svein Berg, 40, has finally got his marijuana back after it was confiscated late last year by over-zealous Norwegian customs officials who refused to believe he had been prescribed the drug.
“I’m happy to finally be able to taste my medicine,” said Berg.
Before travelling to the Netherlands last year, Berg informed the customs authorities that he would be returning to Norway with 30 grams of marijuana.
According to the Norwegian Medicines Agency (Legemiddelverket), the would-be weed smoker did nothing wrong when he made his way home armed with six small yellow plastic boxes filled with medical marijuana.
“If a person has legally been prescribed with a medicine in the Schengen area, and has had the prescription filled by an authorized chemist, then that person is free to bring it into Norway,” Martin Bjerke at the Medicines Agency told newspaper Dagbladet.
Berg suffers from ADHD and post-traumatic stress disorder, diagnoses that both qualified him for the Dutch prescription. Since Marijuana can function as a pain killer and can also have a calming effect, Berg prefers it to Ritalin, a psychostimulant drug often used in the treatment of ADHD.
“I remember well the first time I tried smoking. It felt like I achieved total calmness in my head. All the pains in my back and neck subsided and I slept really well. It was liberating,” said Berg.
The customs authorities said they did not wish to comment on the specifics of the case, which formed the subject of a six-month long police investigation.
“We can certainly say that is was an unusual situation having to give back the marijuana,” said police inspector Mona Hertzenberg.
"We were surprised that the rules are the way they are, but we can’t intervene unless something is forbidden.”
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“I’m happy to finally be able to taste my medicine,” said Berg.
Before travelling to the Netherlands last year, Berg informed the customs authorities that he would be returning to Norway with 30 grams of marijuana.
According to the Norwegian Medicines Agency (Legemiddelverket), the would-be weed smoker did nothing wrong when he made his way home armed with six small yellow plastic boxes filled with medical marijuana.
“If a person has legally been prescribed with a medicine in the Schengen area, and has had the prescription filled by an authorized chemist, then that person is free to bring it into Norway,” Martin Bjerke at the Medicines Agency told newspaper Dagbladet.
Berg suffers from ADHD and post-traumatic stress disorder, diagnoses that both qualified him for the Dutch prescription. Since Marijuana can function as a pain killer and can also have a calming effect, Berg prefers it to Ritalin, a psychostimulant drug often used in the treatment of ADHD.
“I remember well the first time I tried smoking. It felt like I achieved total calmness in my head. All the pains in my back and neck subsided and I slept really well. It was liberating,” said Berg.
The customs authorities said they did not wish to comment on the specifics of the case, which formed the subject of a six-month long police investigation.
“We can certainly say that is was an unusual situation having to give back the marijuana,” said police inspector Mona Hertzenberg.
"We were surprised that the rules are the way they are, but we can’t intervene unless something is forbidden.”
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