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AWOFESO: Why fund smoking cessation programmes in prisons? 

Over the past decade, most prison authorities in Western countries have responded to the public health, litigation, and security problems posed by high prevalence of tobacco use among prisoners, primarily through prohibition and severely restrictive policies. Although Britain recently funded nicotine replacement pharmacotherapy and smoking cessation programmes to assist prisoners willing to quit, such programmes to complement restrictive policies are rare in American and Australian prisons. The main argument against the funding of these complementary smoking cessation programmes by custodial authorities is cost. I would argue that, for a number of reasons, the benefits of funding smoking cessation programmes for inmates willing to quit surpass the costs of implementation.

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Prisoner sues Ottawa over smoking cellmate 

MONTREAL - A federal inmate in Quebec says he has the right to live in a smoke-free environment, and is suing the federal government for making him share a cell with a smoker.

Mario Tremblay is asking for $200,000 for endangering his health by denying him the right to live in a smoke-free environment. He's also asking that Ottawa donate another $500,000 to charity.

Fellow inmate Michel Lavoie drew up the lawsuit, saying Tremblay got the idea from the federal government's anti-tobacco television advertising campaign last winter.

Lavoie says prisoners are allowed to smoke everywhere in prison, making it almost impossible to escape the smoke.

Francois Damphousse, the Quebec director of the Non-Smokers Rights Association says Tremblay may have a strong case.

"The health rights of a non-smoker prevails over the health rights of a smoker because the smoker affects not only his health but the health of others, " said Damphousse.

Corrections Canada won't comment on the suit other than saying that the law protecting the rights of non-smokers does not apply in prisons. They are considered inmates' homes. . .

The Quebec prison says it's also setting up a non-smoking range for prisoners who don't want to bunk with cellmates who smoke, but won't draw a direct link between the decision and the lawsuit.

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