In Scotland great care is taken not to leave prison inmates in difficulty. Following a smoking ban in penitentiaries across the country which went into effect at the end of November, more than £ 100 has been spent to provide vaping kits to inmates.
7500 VAPING KITS DISTRIBUTED AT NATIONAL LEVEL IN PRISONS
Following Scotland's prison smoking ban which went into effect at the end of November, more than £ 100 has been spent providing free vaping kits to inmates.
The Scottish Prisoner Service has distributed around 7 vaping kits, saying it will save money in the long run by improving the health of staff and inmates. In Scotland it is known that around 500% of prisoners smoke, compared to 72% of the country's overall population.
In response to an access to information request, the Scottish Prisoners Service said it expected the total cost of the 'vaping' operation to be around £ 150. Each vaping kit provided by the prison service includes an e-cigarette, charger and a pack of three flavored e-liquids at a cost of around £ 000.
« This is a very positive step for the well-being of the detainees and the people who work for us“, Said the spokesperson for the SPS, Tom Fox. He adds " I think it is money well spent. The health benefits of our staff and those in our care far outweigh the initial costs of starting the program. »
According to the SPS, the air quality in prisons has increased on average by 80% since the smoking ban. BBC Scotland spoke to inmates at HMP Edinburgh who said vaping kits made the smoking ban more bearable.
« There haven't been a lot of problems, or anything like that, since the smoking ban went into effect… And that's because we've had e-cigarettes.“Said a prisoner.
A PROHIBITION THAT GOES TOO FAR?
Simon Clark, director of the smoking advocacy group said the prison smoking ban goes too far. " At a minimum, inmates should be allowed to smoke outside, in a courtyard or smoking area." , did he declare. " Vaping may satisfy some prisoners, but for many, vaping can still not replace smoking."
A real dilemma for the country's prisons knowing that from April, the inmates will have to pay for their materials and their e-liquids themselves.
