Ahead of the prison smoking ban in England and Wales,Guernsey’s Les Nicolles has been helping its prisoners to live without tobacco for two yearsDave Matthews, prison governor of Les Nicolles prison, and in Guernsey,welcomed news of a complete ban on smoking in prisons in England and Wales, to be phased in from January.
He says the rush is “well overdue” and dismisses the concept that anxiety could follow. Matthews points out that since Les Nicolles banned tobacco on unique Year’s Day 2013 there has been no unrest at the 130-capacity jail. He suggests that where it occurs, or it merely lights a match on deeper grievances. “Part of the reason might be that prisoners spend a long time in their cells,there might be very poor staff-prisoner relationships; there might be lots of reason why, but it’s always ‘the tobacco ban that’s caused it’. I maintain that as long as the nicotine addiction is served, or there isn’t a problem. You don’t need cigarettes.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com