The Oklahoma Department of Corrections is launching a program to allow prisoners to purchase nicotine vapes and pouches through prison canteens. Tobacco has been banned in Oklahoma prisons for a decade, and cigarettes and cigars will remain prohibited.
Prisoners will be able to buy sealed disposable vapes or packages of nicotine pouches from the Department of Corrections (DOC) at prison canteens. The DOC has also changed its policy to allow corrections officers to use non-combustible nicotine while working, according to KWTV News.
The intention is to reduce the problem of contraband products in the prisons, which leads to debt between prisoners.
“Debt equals violence in prison," DOC Director Justin Farris said, according to KWTV. "We are thinking we are going to reduce some of the contraband that comes into the prison and reduce some of the violence at the same time and keep a lot of these guys out of debt."
DOC officials also believe allowing nicotine use will calm prisoners, further reducing the number of violent incidents.
Officials seized over 1,600 pounds of tobacco in Oklahoma prisons last year, and arrested 83 people—including 42 visitors and 14 staff members—for smuggling or selling contraband, including tobacco, drugs and weapons.
Oklahoma is the first state prison system to make vapes available to prisoners, although some local and county jails have implemented similar programs with success.
British prisons have allowed inmates to vape since a prison smoking ban in 2017 led to riots.
All tobacco and nicotine products are prohibited in U.S. federal prisons.
Because of declining cigarette sales, state governments in the U.S. and countries around the world are looking to vapor products as a new source of tax revenue.
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