THE health benefits of prison smoking bans are expected to become clear within several years, says Quit Victoria director Sarah White.
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Ms White said the changes, introduced about 12 months ago, have been positive for inmates, prison staff and visitors to the facility.
“It's going to take a few years for the health benefits to be shown,” she said.
“We spend a lot of money treating heart disease, bronchitis and cancers.
“I think we'll turn around in five years and say that was a really good thing that we did.”
Research suggests prison smoking bans lead to a black market in tobacco products and The Border Mail understands cigarettes are being left outside for prisoners when they're on day release.
But Ms White said it could be hard for people to sustain a nicotine addiction with reduced access.
“There was one study done in the US where people quickly went back to smoking when released,” she said.
“We don't yet know the situation in Victoria but we expect it to be different.
“Smoking is very denormalised now.”
More than 60 per cent of items seized from prisoners and visitors statewide since the smoking bans were introduced last July have been smoking related.
Beechworth correctional staff found 67 smoking related items in the six months after the bans were implemented.
Prisoners rioted at the Metropolitan Remand Centre in Melbourne last year ahead of the ban.