All WA prisoners need protection from smoking

June 27, 2008

The AMA (WA) says it welcomes moves to protect prisoners and staff at Greenough Regional Prison from smoking, but that all WA inmates need protection.

"Prisoners and prison staff should be given the same protection from second hand smoke as other members of the community," said association President Prof Geoff Dobb. "Their lives are no less important and with many prisoners being incarcerated for long periods, they have a right to clean air.

"Restricting the smoking environment will also have positive health benefits for those prisoners who smoke.

"However, the issues are more complex than those relating to buildings that people can leave at will. We also have regard to the rights of prisoners, including those on remand, to either smoke or have the opportunity to breathe smoke-free air."

Prof Dobb said the AMA (WA) had written to Health Minister Jim McGinty last month urging the WA Government to develop a comprehensive health promotion strategy for the State's prison population.

Smoking policy is at the top of the list and initiatives suggested by the AMA (WA) include:

• Providing support and encouragement for those prisoners wishing to quit smoking by offering access to counselling and nicotine replacement therapy (N RT) or the newer pharmacological therapies such as Zyban and Champix;
• Establishing a tobacco policy covering all prisons, including staff and visitors;
• Providing designated smoking areas and smoke-free cells or prison wings.

"We believe a staged approach to tobacco control in prisons is more likely to be successful in the context of a wider health promotion strategy for prisoners," said Prof Dobb.

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