PRISONERS at Channings Wood prison are to be among the first in the country to be banned from smoking.

The category C prison at Denbury is one of only four ‘early adopter’ prisons selected as part of the government’s roll out of making prisons smoke free.

From March 2016, Channings Wood, Exeter, Dartmoor and Erlestoke will be smoke free.

It is part of a ‘phased approach’ to implementing the ban.

Smoking is currently only allowed in cells and exercise yards but not communal areas.

An estimated eight out of ten inmates are smokers.

Between now and March, Channings Wood prison staff will be encouraging and supporting prisoners to stop smoking through a range of help and advice including nicotine replacement therapy.

Prisons minister Andrew Selous said: ‘Since the introduction of smoking legislation in 2007, our desire has been to move towards smoke-free prisons but given the high prevalence of smoking and the unique environment of prisons, implementing smoke free prisons is a difficult thing to do.

‘The National Offender Management Service has kept this issue under review and introduced measures to reduce the risk of exposure to second hand smoke while ensuring order and control is maintained.

‘This requires a careful and phased approach as we move towards fulfilling our long standing goal of smoke free prisons.’

The Ministry of Justice has already introduced electronic cigarettes to all prisons.

They are available in every prison shop and cost about the same as traditional tobacco products.

However, two recent studies have shown high levels of second hand smoke in some communal areas in prisons.

Mr Selous added: ‘The findings of these studies have reinforced our commitment to move towards smoke free prisons as soon as possible in a safe and controlled way.

‘We will continue to take a sensible and considered approach using the experience of the first prisons to go smoke free to inform the speed at which we move to smoke free across our remaining prisons.

‘We have no plans to move to smoke free overnight and will only do so in a phased way which takes into account operational resilience.

‘The operational safety and security of our prisons will always be our top priority.’

The ban is supported by the Prison Governors Association.

The Howard League for Penal Reform is asking for prisoners to be given extra support as the ban comes in.

Smoking has been banned from prisons in Canada, New Zealand and parts of Australia.

In the UK, Broadmoor Secure Hospital has been smoke free since 2007.