Ban On Smoking In Prisons

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2426471/Smoking-ban-introduced-British-prisons-sparking-fears-inmates-riot-longer-light-up.html

Is it better to risk riots or pay out huge amounts of compensation to those prisoners and staff who are affected by passive smoking?

[saxy_jag]

If they want to smoke, they should lock them together in a cage in the prison yard to do it - whatever the weather.

[woofgang]

did the other post on this get deleted?

[Baldric]

As there is a smoking ban in public in force just about everywhere else, I don't see why it can't applied to those in Jail, after all isn't it supposed to be a form of punishment being inside?

[paddywak]

They're not there for a holiday,they're there to be punished and the sooner people stopped treating them like guests in a hotel the better.

[andy-hughes]

In modern society, smokers are allowed to smoke outside buildings in designated areas - i cannot see why prisoners cannot be afforded the same situation?

Prison is the proscribed punishment - not Prison with denial of simple rights to a habit of choice afforded to the rest of the population.

[jake-the-peg]

Interesting isn't it?

The original ban exclusions were predicated on circumstances where people had no option to go to a designated smoking area - seems to be currently being challenged.

From a legal perspective I can't see Human Rights being an issue - there's no Right to smoke in prison any more than there is to drink alcohol.

I think it's best to look at the advise of the prison officers union - they are after all at the sharp end and doubtlessly they will have considered the increased difficulty of control with the removal of the ability to smoke

They seem to support the move so there you go.

This is what organisations like the Prison Officers union should be doing - advising on delicate trade offs like this

[Old_Geezer]

In office environments. these days. places are set aside for the addicts to indluge, leaving a decent working environment elsewhere. One would have thought it wasn't beyond the wit of the prison authorities to do much the same. Non-smokers ought not have to bear the additional punishment of being in such an unpleasant enviornment.

[McMouse]

Fat chance of effectively banning smoking when hard drugs are in common circulation in out prisons.

[Old_Geezer]

indulge

[baza]

as smoking is banned in a place of work then that must apply to prisons, after all it is a place where the screws work.

[jake-the-peg]

It's a health and sfety at work issue McMouse - so it's not about stopping them smoking like it's about stopping hard drugs

It's about prison officers being able to work in a smoke free environment

The occasional offender getting a sneaky puff isn't an issue

[McMouse]

Hard drugs are illegal Jake and prison officers are either unwilling or unable to stop their use in pokey. Whether it's a H&S issue or not, my point is that enforcement of a smoking ban is very unlikely.

[beso]

McMouse //Hard drugs are illegal Jake and prison officers are either unwilling or unable to stop their use in pokey. //

The prison officers are instrumental in bringing the hard drugs into the prison.

[Gromit]

There is already a post on this

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1276916.html

[McMouse]

I'm sure you are current beso.

[leahbee]

Is it true that MP's can smoke in the house of commons?

If that is so then how come?

[Zeuhl]

^I understand not

Legally, the Palace of Westminster is exempt from a number of laws including the Smoking Ban, as are all Royal Palaces

However, the Commons and Lords both voted to abide by the Smoking Ban

I think they have smoking areas outside (possibly good places for a bit of ad hoc Lobbying)

[pusskin]

What would the prison guards think if they are all smokers.
Total chaos in the prison all round.

[askyourgran]

Health and Safety issue...........So stop the drug taking as well, provide clean well lit cells (it is their 'home' for x amount of years), E-ciggies for all, and ban bum bandits.

[Gromit]

In the general adult population only 16% are smokers.
In the prison population 81% are smokers.

So never trust a smoker.