Adelaide Women’s Prison to go smoke free next year, smoking to be banned at all jails by 2020

ADELAIDE Women’s Prison will go smoke-free from the end of February next year, as the State Government moves towards a complete statewide behind-bars ban by 2020.

• 2011: Prison smoking ban first raised
• 2017: Union demanded Government fast-track smoking ban
• DECEMBER: $250k in nicotine patches to help prisoners kick habit
• FEBRUARY: Labor said it would ban smoking in all SA jails by 2019

ADELAIDE Women’s Prison will go smoke-free from the end of February next year, as the State Government moves towards a complete statewide behind-bars ban by 2020.

The Women’s Prison change follows implementation of the state’s first ban, at the Adelaide Remand Centre in 2016, and the State Government is promising support services for inmates and staff as they make the change.

Correctional Services Minister Corey Wingard told The Advertiser the move to go smoke-free “will ensure a healthy and safe environment for staff, prisoners and visitors”.

The entrance to the Adelaide Women’s Prison at Northfield. Picture: Calum Robertson

“All Department of Correctional Services prisons will be smoke-free by 2020,” he said.

“The specific timing of each prison to go smoke-free is still being finalised through implementation planning but Adelaide Women’s Prison is first cab off the ranks.”

Prisoners will be offered nicotine replacement therapy, “culturally appropriate” Aboriginal health support and counselling as transition strategies from the ARC are adapted and updated.

Mr Wingard said there was a strong focus on support for prisoners and staff to quit smoking.

“Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Australia, and in the lead-up to the 2018 election the Government made a commitment to eliminating staff and prisoner exposure to environmental tobacco smoke,” Mr Wingard said.

“We all know that there is no level of safe smoking. A workplace that is smoke-free can benefit from a healthier and happier workforce and a safer, cleaner workplace for everyone.”

The State Budget has allocated $6.2 million over the next four years to provide counselling support and nicotine therapies to assist with the transition to smoke-free prisons.

“We will be drawing on this experience at the Remand Centre to ensure the process is implemented in a structured, planned approach with minimal risk,” Mr Wingard said.

Before the election, the former Labor state government said it planned to make all prisons smoke-free by the end of next year.

Last year it was revealed that nicotine patches were costing as much as $250,000 a year at the smoke-free Adelaide Remand Centre.

Originally published as Adelaide Women’s Prison to go smoke free next year, smoking to be banned at all jails by 2020