CIGARETTES THE CONTRABAND OF CHOICE IN SMOKE-FREE PRISONS

When a visitor to a Connecticut prison slips an inmate something illegal,
it is not likely to be marijuana, cocaine or heroin. Since the state's
slammers went smoke-free in 1996, the contraband of choice has become tobacco.

"Inmates have become more interested in sneaking in cigarettes than
anything else," said Jack Tokarz, deputy commissioner for the state
Department of Correction.

The department's anti-smioking initiative started in 1995, and a year
later, all tobacco products became Class A contraband. That means any
inmate found sneaking a smoke in one of the state's 19 correctional
facilities faces disciplinary action.

The Department of Correction does not keep statistics which show exactly
how many inmates have been caught with tobacco compared to other outlawed
items. But officials say there is no doubt that cigarettes are in more
demand than any other addictive substance.

"We're definitely dealing with more tobacco-related issues than
drug-related issues," said Capt. Scott Semple, a spokesperson with the
Department of Correction.

While officials say there is zero tolerance for all contraband, they would
much rather deal with inmates smuggling tobacco than drugs.

"With drugs, you get violence," Semple said. "That doesn't happen with
cigarettes."

Back when cigarette butts were littered around the prison and smoke escaped
from the cells and filled nearly every common area besides the mess hall,
inmates were allowed to have as many as two cartons of cigarettes at any
given time.

"Cigarettes were a hot item in the commissary," Tokarz said. "I'd say well
over 50 percent of our inmates were smokers."

But the nonsmoking inmates and guards were complaining of secondhand smoke,
and started telling correctional officials about their problems.

"[Inmates] would say they were trying to execise and take care of
themselves, then they'd go into the day room and it would be filled with
smoke," Tokarz said. "It became a health issue."

Because prison populations are transient, officials say it will be hard to
measure the smoking ban's health impact.

"It certainly isn't making them any sicker, and the ban is partially
justified for the lont-term health of the inmates," said Edward Pesanti,
medical director for the state's prisons. "I'll bet that 99 percent of the
reason behind the ban is to keep the staff from being exposed to secondhand
smoke."

As the state phased in its smoking ban, correctional officers handed out
pamphlets encouraging them to stop smoking. And mess halls were stocked
with candies to take the place of after-dinner smokes.

But nicotine habits die hard.

Correctional officers began stepping up their searches of inmates after
visitations, and found more cigarettes being smuggled than anything else,
Semple said. That's partly because cigarettes are not illegal outside the
prison system and can be easily passed during a visit, he said.

But prisoners have found other ways to get their hands on tobacco.

Correctional officers are allowed to smoke in designated areas, and some
inmates have taken advantage of their litter.

"Some inmates pick up the butts and collect the tobacco in there until
there's enough for a cigarette," Semple said. "You'd be surprised how much
tobacco you can get from collecting butts."