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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Canada bans smoking in prisons
2008-05-07
In order to ensure a healthy place Canada has banned smoking in federal prisons after a partial ban was largely ignored, the government says.
Think about this, now. You've got those unable to conform to the dictates of society. They've been jugged for various sorts of felonious behavior. Now you want to get them nice and healthy, with good, clean lungs, so they've got lotsa wind to outrun the coppers when they engage in further depredations?

I'd give them all the smokes they can handle, along with a 5000 calorie a day diet, heavy on the mashed potatoes, gravy, and cream pies, easy on the Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Add in a nice, easy, sedentary life that involves downloading all the pørn they can take and a big "closed for repairs" sign on the gym. That way they can come out of jug just as vicious as they want, but the wheezing, gasping lardasses won't be able to do anything about it.
As a result of the ban, which took effect in all maximum-security prisons on Monday, inmates will be barred from smoking anywhere inside or outside prison property, including private visiting rooms and yards. "Since the partial ban was not working in order to ensure a safe, healthy, smoke-free environment, we decided to move towards the total ban," said Lynn Brunette, a spokeswoman for the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). The remaining medium- and minimum-security institutions will see the ban in place by the beginning of June, Reuters said. The ban applies to all guards and staff as well as prisoners. Last year, Canada's federal prison system handled almost 20,000 inmates, three-quarters of whom are smokers.
Posted by:Fred

#13  sorry for the late reply
I too smoked 3 packs a day, and haven't smoked since I was pregnant years ago. I really enjoyed smoking, but am glad that I don't smoke anymore. I'm not hard core, and also have friends that smoke. My point that I was trying to make was that for inmates to be able to smoke along with all of the other ammenities they get is often more than the regular joe on the outside.
My thought of the guard being exposed, an analogy, to have an aide having to take a patient outside of a hospital to smoke, having to be around the smoke.
Interesting topic, I don't see anything changing.
Posted by: Jan   2008-05-07 23:27  

#12  BTW, that "secondary smoke" meme is crap. Concentration way too low. It may annoy you, but it's not killing you, any more than your back-yard barbeque is.
Posted by: mojo   2008-05-07 16:00  

#11  I wish they'd ban meals.
Posted by: Canuckistan sniper   2008-05-07 13:46  

#10  btw, Tobacco is the medium of exchange in every prison World-Wide.

And that one sentence sums up the whole idea, Take away a "Currency" and regain control.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-05-07 13:25  

#9  Gonna be a lotta fun to be a federal prison guard in Canada...
Posted by: tu3031   2008-05-07 12:30  

#8  And if they smoke the punishment will be what exactly? Take away their free room and board, free health care, free education, etc.?
Posted by: Excalibur   2008-05-07 08:53  

#7  Sorry, Jan, second-hand smoke is right up there with fireplace smoke and automobile exhaust. Like RD, I haven't smoked (regularly) since 1989, and not at all this year.

Ya think second-hand smoke is bad? Go ahead and take a drag off a cigarette.

But there will be riots, and the ACLU will say it violates their rights. Then the black market will start take over. And the smoking will continue.

I still recall a kid in high school, 1965, smoking just ouside the door when a teacher approached. He calmly closed his hand tightly over the cigarette to avoid detention. Plus to demonstrate how tough he was. Such is the power of tobacco.
Posted by: Bobby   2008-05-07 07:26  

#6  An absolute OUTRAGE! They'll be coming after televisions, computers, cellular phones, and weight training equipment next.
Posted by: Besoeker   2008-05-07 04:58  

#5  That's one way to quit.
Posted by: Crolusing tse Tung2778   2008-05-07 03:43  

#4  Heh - if they keep it up, maybe the prisons will finally be seen as a place of punishment that you want to avoid.
Posted by: Sninert Black9312   2008-05-07 02:17  

#3  There will be riots....
Posted by: Scooter McGruder   2008-05-07 02:08  

#2  I haven't smoked for over 22 years but ima not a hard core anti-smoker.
In fact I'm more put-off by the Fanatics who rail against smoking and second hand smoke 24/7/365.

One particular smoker I know is my current squeeze... and her habit doesn't bother me at all. /[and no! she isn't a nun]

btw, Tobacco is the medium of exchange in every prison World-Wide.
Posted by: RD   2008-05-07 01:56  

#1  This probably won't be popular, but keeping in mind secondary smoke and being exposed to it if you're a non smoking guard.
Also, prison is supposed to be punishment, I get tired of hearing about how inmates get to watch cable and other amenities. Let them suffer not getting their precious smokes.
Posted by: Jan   2008-05-07 00:22  

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