By the end of March smoking will be prohibited on the grounds of Melaleuca, Boronia and Wandoo women's prisons as well as at the Corrective Services Academy.
The facilities are following in the footsteps of Bandyup Women's Prison, which became the first Western Australian prison to go smoke-free in October 2022.
Staff at the other three women's prisons are helping prepare prisoners for the policy through health, education and recreation programs, and limiting the sale of tobacco products.
Once implemented, prisoners, staff, contractors and visitors will not be allowed to smoke or possess tobacco-related products at these sites.
The Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women, Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison and the Academy go smoke-free on 28 February. Melaleuca Women’s Prison will follow suit on 28 March.
“The Department supported a 2021 recommendation by the Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services to phase out smoking in prisons, bringing WA into line with all other states and territories,” Director General Dr Adam Tomison said.
“The smoke-free trial at Bandyup has been a resounding success and a good learning process for this next stage of the rollout,” Dr Tomison said.
The Department will be supporting prisoners and staff during the rollout in cooperation with the Cancer Council of WA and Australian Council on Smoking and Health.
“Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable deaths in Australia, and I am committed to supporting staff and people in our care to overcome nicotine addiction,” Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce said.
“There are considerable health, social and economic benefits in stopping smoking from a personal, family and community perspective,” Commissioner Royce said.
Lessons learned from making the women's estate smoke-free will inform subsequent rollouts across the men's and regional prisons.
“We are taking a staged, collaborative and considered approach that focuses on the health and safety of staff and prisoners, and maintains the good order of our facilities,” Commissioner Royce said.
