Butts Out – Smoking Ban in Brit Jails Proposed
LONDON – It’s butts out in jails in England and Wales. The prison system is looking at banning smoking in jails across the UK. The proposed smoking ban would force the 84,000 prisoners currently housed in the system to stop smoking. Currently inmates are allowed to smoke in their cells, but not in the common areas of the English and Welsh jails.
There are currently smoking bans in jails on the Isle of Man and Guernsey in effect.
There has been a smoking ban in effect since 2007 in Britain that has impacted smoking in public places. However the proposed ban on smoking in prison cells has served as an exception, as prison cells have been considered as private or temporary homes.
Smoking Bans in Effect in Britain
“All mental health units have been smoke-free for over five years. We know of some excellent models which can be shared with the prison service to support their prisoners and staff whilst necessary changes are introduced.,” states Ian Gray, Principal Policy Officer at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).
The CIEH has been a leading advocate for smoking bans in Britain.
Thunder Bay and Smoking
In Thunder Bay the Regional Health Sciences Centre is moving quickly toward a complete ban on smoking on hospital bans.
In the UK, the BBC is reporting on a smoking ban that came into effect on October 1st. “A full smoking ban at all hospital sites in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan has been given the go-ahead”.
There are a number of Thunder Bay students who have attended University in Cardiff. The BBC reports that “Smokers will be prescribed with nicotine replacement patches to help them cope during their stay at affected hospital sites, but e-cigarettes will not be allowed”.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre has moved to fully ban smoking on the property.
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