THAILAND
The Thai Corrections Department director-general, Pol Colonel Narat Savettanan announced that a new regulation will ban the sale of cigarettes and tobacco at all prisons across the country to reduce the number of inmates falling sick or dying from respiratory diseases.
Savetanan said the ban, which will be implemented at a later unspecified date, was required because prisons were regarded as state facilities and hence came within the ambit of the smoking ban. He also said that once sent to jail, an inmate can use this as an opportunity to quit smoking and do other useful activities such as disciplinary training, vocational skill training, or practicing meditation. The plan for the ban follows a successful pilot project that banned the sale of such products at 13 prisons around the country.
According to Savetanan, the ban had led to fewer inmates suffering from respiratory diseases and the eradication of a factor that was a threat to inmates already suffering from chronic illness such as high blood pressure, and stroke, which could be worsened by being in a smoke-filled environment.
Prisons nationwide were said to have a higher ratio of smokers compared to other sites and secondhand smoke also posed harm to the health of non-smoking inmates and wardens.
According to Savetanan, prisons had arranged cells as no-smoking zones and set up smoking areas outside the building since 2008.