The HSE Tobacco Free Ireland (TFI) programme has a long-standing programme of work and engagement with the Irish Prison Service. The TFI Programme commenced engagement with the governor of Mountjoy Prison back in 2019 when they first started to support the development of smoke-free wings in the prison and developed stop-smoking support for both inmates and prison staff. The smoke-free movement has grown over the years with local stop smoking services supporting prison officer staff to quit, through in-reach groups and one-to-one services in a number of prisons in recent years.
Smoking prevalence among prisoners is c. 86.0%, a staggering 3.7 times higher than the general population. There are significant challenges within this cohort with poor education, high prevalence of homelessness, high prevalence of concurrent drug addiction and mental illness among this population. The latest development in this partnership has seen the work now extended to a wider network of prisons and Tobacco Free Ireland stop smoking trainers, delivering peer stop smoking support training to inmates who work as ‘red cross volunteers’ within the prison so that they can further support their own peers in their respective quit attempts.
“Quitting in prison truly tests you …. But I am proof that it can happen and I 100 % would recommend the programme. I think the support group should last longer …SO PROUD”
Quote from an inmate who successfully quit tobacco after 30 years of smoking.