Florida Prisons to Phase Out Tobacco

Florida’s Department of Corrections has announced it plans to make all of the state’s prisons tobacco free by September 30.

The prison system’s Tobacco Cessation Initiative began April 1, Central Florida’s News 13 reported. In a press release, Florida’s Department of Corrections said the decision to eliminate smoking and tobacco use “was made to reduce the medical cost associated with exposure to tobacco, and eliminate secondhand smoke exposure to nonsmokers.”

Prisoners will be offered a 14-day supply of nicotine patches for $34.99, according to the release. No tobacco items will be sold after September 2. Prisons will gradually reduce the amount of tobacco inmates can have over the next six months. Any inmate found with more than the allowed amount will face disciplinary action.