Consultation to create smoke-free prisons is launched

All prison cells will be required to be smoke free by April 2017 when the exemption period will come to an end.

A ban on smoking in enclosed public and work places in Wales was introduced in 2007.

There is currently no exemption in place to allow smoking in prisons in Wales, but evidence has shown that smoking is being allowed in prison cells, meaning non-smoking offenders and prison staff may be being exposed to second-hand smoke.

The new consultation sets out possible methods of supporting prisons to achieve – in a safe and secure way – the ultimate goal of becoming smoke-free by April 2017.

Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford said:

“Reducing the number of smokers in Wales has been a great public health success. The latest figures show smoking rates have fallen to 20%. Despite this progress, we cannot be complacent and want to go further as smoking continues to be the largest single preventable cause of ill health and death in Wales.

“The issue of smoking in prisons needs to be addressed so prisoners and staff are protected from the potential damage to their health.

“Moving to a completely smoke-free prison estate will improve the health of all inmates and staff but it must be managed in a way that will not increase the risk to the operational security of Welsh prisons. The proposed regulations are one way in which we can support prisons to achieve that goal in a managed way.”

The UK Government has responsibility for the management of prisons and their internal operations but Welsh Ministers have powers in relation to health.

It is intended that the exemption will come into force in February 2016, will be time limited until 5 April 2017, and that prisons will be required to be smoke-free by 6 April 2017 at the latest.

Such a move would, for the exemption period, bring the legislation in force in Wales in line with that in force in England, where prison governors can already designate cells where smoking is permitted.

A report published by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Psychiatrists estimated smoking prevalence of more than 80% in both male and female prisoners in the UK.