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Certain jails in the UK are allowing inmates to vape in their cells

Following a riot which took place in one of the UK’s prisons as a result of enforcing a smoking ban, certain jails across the country are encouraging prisoners to switch to electronic cigarettes.

Diane Caruana

October 25, 2017

As prison personnel are struggling to control the smoking situation in UK jails, this month jails across Merseyside are encouraging their inmates to take part in Stoptober, whilst giving them advice on quitting.

Stoptober, is organized by National Health Service (NHS) UK and is a campaign that encourages smokers to quit cigarettes for the month of October, with the hope that this will encourage them to stop smoking for good. The campaign offers a number of suggestions to smokers wishing to quit, and highly recommends the combination of behavioral support and the use of Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRTs).

Riots in UK jail as a result of enforced smoking ban

In the UK e-cigs have now been widely accepted as safer alternatives to regular cigarettes, and have also been made available for sale in all prison shops across the country.

This approach towards prisoners could have been influenced by a series of riots which took place at Walton prison in Liverpool last month. These events were reportedly caused by efforts to implement a smoking ban, a ban which was introduced over a decade ago, but never enforced up till now.

Whilst e-cigarettes remain banned in several countries, in the UK they have now been widely accepted as safer alternatives to regular cigarettes, and have also been made available for sale in all prison shops across the country.

Stoptober campaign to support both staff and inmates

“Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service have agreed to make the rechargeable vaping devices piloted in Wales available across the whole estate, including within the Long Term High Security and Women’s prisons,” read a recent Public Health England North West report.

“All North West prisons are taking part in the Stoptober campaign to either support staff, prisoners or both. Materials and resources have been made available to all North West prisons and so far feedback has been positive,” added the report.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said that caution must be exercised in phasing out cigarettes and prisons will only become smoke free when deemed appropriate. “This phased introduction will reduce the risk to staff and prisoners of exposure to secondhand smoke, whilst maintaining the safety and security of our prisons,” she concluded.

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