BATON ROUGE -
Voluntary smoking cessation programs at two state correctional facilities have proven successful in the first months of implementation as the Department readies for a full ban on indoor smoking by August 15, 2009.
State correctional facilities are on target to comply with the Louisiana Smokefree Air Act, passed by the Louisiana Legislature in 2006. However, a provision in the law gave state correctional facilities more time to implement the indoor smoking ban.
Department of Public Safety and Corrections Secretary James M. Le Blanc says the Department has revised its smoking policy for both offenders and staff and educational programs and training have been implemented department-wide. Smoking inside areas of public buildings and places of employment operated by the Department, including work release programs, is prohibited for all employees, visitors and offenders beginning August 15, 2009.
Some facilities, however, chose to implement the ban prior to August 15 as allowed by regulation. Avoyelles Correctional Center in Cottonport, LA and Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson, LA voluntarily banned all indoor smoking on May 15, 2009.
"An indoor smoking ban is a big deal for both offenders and staff, but it's the right thing to do," said Secretary Le Blanc. "The Department started the educational process months ago in an effort to ease all parties toward this significant change."
DPS&C Medical Director Dr. Raman Singh says employees and offenders at the two facilities are cooperating with the new procedures and understand the overall goal of the ban: to create a safer, smoke-free environment for all who live and work at state correctional facilities, and, perhaps indirectly, to reduce the number of smokers resulting in healthier individuals and reduced medical costs.
"Some employees and offenders see the ban as an opportunity to quit smoking for good," said Dr. Singh. "Smoking is one of the biggest 'preventable' causes of morbidity and it also becomes more important to help people break the habit because our beloved state of Louisiana has some of the highest numbers of cancer and heart disease rates in the nation."
Certain indoor areas in state correctional facilities were off-limits to smokers already, such as cellblocks, infirmaries and hospice areas. The new regulation bans smoking in all indoor areas. Offenders will have the option to smoke in designated areas outdoors. However, offenders assigned to Administrative Segregation, Extended Lockdown, Working Cellblocks, and Maximum Custody Dormitories for disciplinary reasons are prohibited from possessing, smoking or using tobacco products under any circumstance.
State correctional facilities are on target to comply with the Louisiana Smokefree Air Act, passed by the Louisiana Legislature in 2006. However, a provision in the law gave state correctional facilities more time to implement the indoor smoking ban.
Department of Public Safety and Corrections Secretary James M. Le Blanc says the Department has revised its smoking policy for both offenders and staff and educational programs and training have been implemented department-wide. Smoking inside areas of public buildings and places of employment operated by the Department, including work release programs, is prohibited for all employees, visitors and offenders beginning August 15, 2009.
Some facilities, however, chose to implement the ban prior to August 15 as allowed by regulation. Avoyelles Correctional Center in Cottonport, LA and Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson, LA voluntarily banned all indoor smoking on May 15, 2009.
"An indoor smoking ban is a big deal for both offenders and staff, but it's the right thing to do," said Secretary Le Blanc. "The Department started the educational process months ago in an effort to ease all parties toward this significant change."
DPS&C Medical Director Dr. Raman Singh says employees and offenders at the two facilities are cooperating with the new procedures and understand the overall goal of the ban: to create a safer, smoke-free environment for all who live and work at state correctional facilities, and, perhaps indirectly, to reduce the number of smokers resulting in healthier individuals and reduced medical costs.
"Some employees and offenders see the ban as an opportunity to quit smoking for good," said Dr. Singh. "Smoking is one of the biggest 'preventable' causes of morbidity and it also becomes more important to help people break the habit because our beloved state of Louisiana has some of the highest numbers of cancer and heart disease rates in the nation."
Certain indoor areas in state correctional facilities were off-limits to smokers already, such as cellblocks, infirmaries and hospice areas. The new regulation bans smoking in all indoor areas. Offenders will have the option to smoke in designated areas outdoors. However, offenders assigned to Administrative Segregation, Extended Lockdown, Working Cellblocks, and Maximum Custody Dormitories for disciplinary reasons are prohibited from possessing, smoking or using tobacco products under any circumstance.
