When Virginia instituted its long-planned smoking ban in prisons in February, it brought half the number of the 50 states which have outlawed the use of tobacco products by staff and inmates on prison grounds.
A number of the other 25 states that still permit tobacco products on prison grounds have some sort of partial ban in place, with some sort of exception such as staff smoking areas. Georgia will become the next state with smokeless prisons when its ban takes effect in December.
Most states have relied on a phased-in approach in order to achieve a total ban, rather than a much harsher “cold-turkey” approach.
By banning the use of tobacco products in prisons, states hope to realize huge savings in health care-related costs for inmates, as well as an eventual reduction in insurance premiums for healthier staff.
Attempts by Arizona lawmakers to outlaw smoking in prisons were defeated last year. But state Representative Bill Konopnicki, the bill’s sponsor, said plans were underway to re-introduce the legislation this year.
The American Civil Liberties Union supports some bans through its National Prison Project, citing an inmate’s right to breathe non-contaminated air.
For some reason, states along the country’s southern border from New Mexico to Florida still allow some form of tobacco in prisons.