New Zealand bans smoking in prisons

Prison smoking ban tipped to light a fuse
THE Corrections Minister, Judith Collins, has confirmed that smoking will be banned in prisons from July next year. The move, she said, would make prisons safer and healthier for staff and prisoners. As with similar initiatives overseas, there is also a concern that taxpayers could be liable for legal action by prison officers or non-smoking prisoners exposed to inmates' second-hand smoke. The initiative is bound to be applauded by those who believe inmates have an easy life. But even without delving into concerns that will be raised by human rights campaigners, it is flawed in several ways.

Bans in prisons overseas have thrown up many unintended consequences. These flow from the fact that as many as two-thirds of prisoners smoke, far more than the general populace.

Smoking has traditionally been an integral part of prison culture, not least as a reliever of boredom and the stresses of being incarcerated. This makes quitting harder for inmates than people on the outside. When they are deprived of tobacco, a black market, with its associated problems, is inevitable. At some time or other, prisoners, visitors and prison staff will all be caught smuggling and selling on this market.

Inmates coming off nicotine can also be very aggressive and unpredictable. Three weeks after Queensland's smoke-free Woodford Correctional Centre opened in 1997, the prisoners rioted and attempted to burn the complex down. A government inquiry found the smoking ban was partly to blame.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• smoking ban
• Prison
• New Zealand
• John Key

[iJamesxx]

Duts bullshut brew!! Aww day can suck ma duck!

[86nugget19]

national white pricks!!

[mseryduzit]

solid as this mah gurl nelly shot ma geeh fcuk the law

[gleninnes01]

@c0ldbl00dedkiller i didnt know government paid for their smokes. maybe not deserve to but if they were paying for their own smokes then they should have every right to. but will just wait and see how it pans out

[c0ldbl00dedkiller]

@gleninnes01 imagine how much money the nz government would be saving by this smoking ban. Hypothetically speaking...if you went to prison, do you deserve to smoke cigarettes?

[fjbutch]

Now the prisoners are smoking their nicotine patches ....

[gleninnes01]

@CraigSFiney yeha youre right but i still think it's bullshit. so the people already serving lengthy to life sentences who dont really care about laws. when they make prison violence even worse to the extent where prison workers and other inmates are at risk of harm due to this ban. will that still be your response?

[CraigSFiney]

Want more rights?? Stay out of Jail Fool!!

[CraigSFiney]

@gleninnes11 Your breaking my heart How sad no smokes for the prison inmates perhaps they should think twice before they break the law..

[gleninnes11]

fark the isle of man.

thats taking away more rights