Smoking Ban in New Zealand Prisons
L.I: To write a discussion argument giving both points of view concluding with my opinion.
Smoking in New Zealand prisons is a big problem with around 5700, which is roughly two-thirds, inmates that smoke. The New Zealand Corrections Minister, Judith Collins, said that the ban on smoking in prisons will definitely take place in July. “The move would make prisons safer and healthier for staff and prisoners” said Mrs Collins. Smoking is an addiction that it is very hard to quit, especially within 12 months. Current inmates will get help an counselling to help them quit, but what about the smoking prisoners who come in after the ban and are then just expected to stop? Smoking produces a toxin that can be inhaled just from being around a smoker. Some New Zealand prisons put two or more people in one cell and often they put non-smokers in with the smokers. This is dangerous as the toxin that smoking produces, which is commonly referred to as second-hand smoke, can be inhaled just from being around a smoker and it is almost as bad as just smoking a cigarette in the first place. Another reason why smoking should be banned in New Zealand prisons, is that if it was then the materials needed for smoking would be very hard to access. Therefore, prisoners would not have access to lighters and it is highly likely that this would reduce the amount of fires in prison cells. Also, prisoners are there for a reason and that reason is that they committed a crime and they are being punished. Why give them the privilege of being able to have a smoke? If that privilege is taken away then it is possible that crime numbers will be reduced as criminals who smoke probably will not want to give up for something as minor as shoplifting, for example. Then on the other hand, it is your right to smoke and why that should be taken away from you just because you are serving time is ludicrous. Okay, so we have to deal with the second hand smoke issue in prisons, but banning it is like going in with a gun to a knife fight. It is way over the top, “Smoking has not been outlawed in the community, despite its known health risks, so it can be asked why that should be the case in prisons” quoted the New Zealand Herald in one of their editions. Couldn’t Mrs Collins just place a by-law that says that smokers must not be placed in the same block of cells as non-smokers? Also, smoking should not be banned in prisons because it is an addiction. The ban will certainly take place in July and current inmates will get help to quit smoking between now and then, but what about the inmates who come in after the ban has taken effect? Will they get help to quit, or will they just get told to stop immediately? Some research shows that it costs around $250 to keep one person in jail for a day, and some of that money will be for smokes. In conclusion I believe that smoking should be banned in New Zealand Prisons because some New Zealand prisons put two or more people in one cell and often they put non-smokers in with the smokers. This is very dangerous as the toxin that smoking produces, which is commonly referred to as second-hand smoke, can be inhaled just from being around a smoker and it is almost as bad as just smoking a cigarette in the first place. Also, prisoners would not have access to lighters and it is highly likely that this would reduce the amount of fires in prison cells.
Learning Comment:
In this work I learned how to write and edit a two-sided discussion argument using quotes and current knowledge. I put this piece of writing on here because it shows my work and what we are currently learning to do in class at the moment.
