The smoking ban in Scottish jails has been hailed as a success.
A landmark study has revealed inmates have adjusted well to the 2018 rule and said it has helped to reduce medical treatments.
Academics at Glasgow University said the report, part of the Tobacco In Prisons research project, found jails didn’t see a rise in mental health medication after the ban.
Prisons had one of the highest rates of smokers in Scotland.
In 2017 70 per cent of offenders said they regularly puffed tobacco – three times as many people outside jail.
The study looked at more than 44,000 prisoners locked up between 2014 and 2019.
Offenders were helped by a 40 per cent increase in nicotine replacement therapy after the ban.
Author Dr Emily Tweed said: “Implementation of the smoke-free policy resulted in a substantial increase in the use of medications for quitting smoking and reductions in medications for short-term health conditions related to smoking.”
Deborah Arnott, of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Smoke-free prisons are a success story.”
The Scottish Prison Service said: “There was trepidation over how prisoners would fare but the results have been good.”
