DOJ Banning Smoking in Federal Prisons Only exemptions for ‘religious reasons’ and staff

[mystery-ak]

http://thehill.com/regulation/226196-feds-ban-smoking-in-prisons

Feds ban smoking in prisons

By Tim Devaney - 12/07/14 07:00 AM EST
Federal prisoners will be prohibited from smoking under new rules from the Bureau of Prisons.

With few exceptions, the smoking ban in federal prisons will target more than 212,000 inmates who will be disciplined if they are caught with cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or any other tobacco products, according to the bureau.

The prison bureau’s crackdown on smoking comes as part of an effort to promote a healthy and clean environment for prisoners and guards.
“Back when I worked in the prisons, staff and inmates smoked all over the place,” said Ed Ross, a spokesman for the prison bureau. “Tobacco was very common.”

But the bureau has been cutting back on smoking at federal facilities in recent years. It originally proposed the smoking ban in 2006.

The final rules are scheduled to be published in Monday’s edition of the Federal Register and will formalize the smoking ban.

The rules would apply to inmates at 120 federal prisons around the country, but not those at state prisons who are subject to different rules.

"Tobacco in federal prisons is contraband and inmates that are caught with tobacco are disciplined,” Ross said.

Prisoners caught smoking will have their tobacco confiscated and could lose privileges, such as visitations and phone calls, Ross said.

More serious offenders are sometimes punished by being removed from the general population, he added.

The Bureau of Prisons offers smoking cessation programs for inmates who are forced to quit cold turkey, Ross said.

Some prisoners will be exempted from the smoking ban for religious reasons.

The smoking ban could also affect prison guards, staff, and visitors, who will also be prohibited from smoking, except in designated areas, the bureau said.

The Prisons Bureau says this will not only improve the health of inmates who smoke, but also those who are exposed to secondhand smoke.

"It creates a healthier environment for staff and inmates,” Ross said.

The move corresponds with rules prohibiting smoking on all property owned or rented by the federal government.

The smoking ban goes into effect in 30 days, though many prisons are already enforcing the rules.

[alicewonders]

I'm actually OK with that.  It will make prison a little more "punitive" for the prisoners  - and isn't that what it's supposed to be?

[aligncare]

How'd you like to be the unfortunate cellmate of "Turk," the one-eyed, two-pack-a-day inmate caught up in this federal smoking ban? Yikes! Isn't there something about cruel and unusual punishment in the constitution?

[alicewonders]

How'd you like to be the unfortunate cellmate of "Turk," the one-eyed, two-pack-a-day inmate caught up in this federal smoking ban? Yikes! Isn't there something about cruel and unusual punishment in the constitution?

It wouldn't be nice, for sure! 

Maybe it will make prison a little less attractive to these lifers that can't wait to get back in as soon as they get out.

[flowers]

http://freebeacon.com/issues/doj-banning-smoking-in-federal-prisons/

The Justice Department (DOJ) is banning smoking and all tobacco products in federal prisons, according to a final regulation to be published Monday.

All federal prison inmates will be prohibited from smoking, unless they receive a religious exemption. Staff will also still be able to smoke in designated areas. The government said they are moving forward with the regulation, which goes into effect in 30 days, out of concerns of the health of their inmates.

The rule will affect the estimated 80 percent of prison inmates that smoke.

“The revised regulations generally prohibit smoking in and on the grounds of Bureau institutions and offices, except as part of an authorized inmate religious activity; and, for Bureau staff and official visitors, only in smoking areas designated by the Warden,” the final rule said. “Possession of smoking apparatus and tobacco in any form is prohibited for inmates under this rule, unless as part of an authorized inmate religious activity.”

“We intend this amendment to promote a clean air environment and to protect the health and safety of staff and inmates,” the DOJ’s Bureau of Prisons (BOP) said.

The government has been working to ban smoking in prisons since 2006, according to the rule.

Several commenters raised concerns about a larger black market due to the ban, and said the rule was unfair since it does not apply to prison guards.

“Banning tobacco products will decrease the safety of staff,” said one commenter. “The price of contraband tobacco will increase, inciting inmate security issues.”

BOP said the rule is not unfair since, “As a practical matter, smoking is a lawful acti

[alicewonders]

So I guess the exemption is for smoking a peace pipe or something? 

[mountaineer]

So I guess the exemption is for smoking a peace pipe or something?

Ganja, too?

[alicewonders]

Ganja, too?

Oh yeah mon, I forgot about the Rastafarians!

[rangerrebew]

Does the smoking ban include illegal drugs which are routinely smuggled in?  Anyway, I took a tour of Alcatraz many, many years ago and remember the guide talking how they did everything possible to keep the inmates from rioting.  They had great food according to one former inmate, better than anything that could be gotten in San Francisco.  Why they would do this is beyond me.  Who cares if they smoke?  Its a politically correct move, not a logical one.