5 questions about prison ‘smoke-in’ answered
By CHELSEA CONABOY
Concord Monitor
LACONIA, N.H. — The state prison in Laconia will host its own version of the Great American Smokeout tomorrow: They’re calling it the Great American Smoke-In. The daylong health fair for minimum-security inmates will focus on the effects of smoking and managing stress and boredom.
Corrections spokesman Jeff Lyons explains:
Why target inmates with this program?
The Lakes Region Facility in Laconia is our transitional facility. Many things we’re trying to instill in the inmate population are about making the proper choices when they get out.
How many inmates smoke?
We don’t keep that statistic.
Is the ratio higher than the general public? I think it’s probably compatible. . . . But tobacco is our largest contraband issue because it is so readily available locally and people try to sneak it in. Since 1999, there’s been no smoking or tobacco use allowed in any of our state prisons.
What will the event include?
We have several presentations about secondhand smoke, the hazard of that to their health and respiratory system, and dealing with boredom.
How do you approach the issue of boredom with inmates?
I don’t have a good answer to that. . . . We do have opportunities for inmates to participate in programs. Hobby craft. The library. We have volunteer organizations that come in - a woodworking master, a veterans group. Even though they’re incarcerated they still have opportunities to alleviate their boredom by participating in other activities.
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