Cheneal Puljević1,2,3, Ross Coomber1,4, Stuart A Kinner1,5,6,7,8, Dominique de Andrade1,9,10, Courtney Mitchell11, Alan White11, Sarah L Cresswell11, Jasper Bowman11. 1. Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. 2. Queensland Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. 3. The Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. 4. Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. 5. Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. 6. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. 7. School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. 8. Mater Research Institute-UQ, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. 9. School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. 10. Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, School of Psychology and Counselling, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Centre for Children's Health Research, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. 11. School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Following the introduction of smoke-free policies in prisons in several countries, there have been anecdotal reports of prisoners creating cigarettes by mixing nicotine patches or lozenges with tea leaves ('teabacco'). Among a sample of people recently released from smoke-free prisons in Queensland, Australia, the aims of this study were to explore the perceived popularity of teabacco use, motivations for its use and describe the process of creating teabacco to identify potential associated health risks. DESIGN AND METHODS: This study used a mixed-methods design. Eighty-two people recently released from prison in Queensland, Australia completed surveys at parole offices measuring teabacco use while incarcerated. Twenty-one teabacco smokers took part in follow-up, qualitative interviews to explore survey responses in greater depth. RESULTS: The majority of survey participants (57%) reported smoking teabacco while incarcerated, with 37% smoking teabacco frequently (> once per week). Teabacco use was primarily motivated by cigarette cravings. Participants described the perceived inevitability of prisoners finding substitutes for tobacco. Multivariate analyses found that self-rated poor physical health, having been incarcerated five or more times, experiencing cigarette cravings while incarcerated, and use of illicit drugs while incarcerated were positively associated with frequent teabacco use in prison. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that teabacco use has become common practice in Queensland's smoke-free prisons. Correctional smoking bans are an important public health initiative but should be complemented with demand and harm reduction measures cognisant of the risk environment.
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Following the introduction of smoke-free policies in prisons in several countries, there have been anecdotal reports of prisoners creating cigarettes by mixing nicotine patches or lozenges with tea leaves ('teabacco'). Among a sample of people recently released from smoke-free prisons in Queensland, Australia, the aims of this study were to explore the perceived popularity of teabacco use, motivations for its use and describe the process of creating teabacco to identify potential associated health risks. DESIGN AND METHODS: This study used a mixed-methods design. Eighty-two people recently released from prison in Queensland, Australia completed surveys at parole offices measuring teabacco use while incarcerated. Twenty-one teabacco smokers took part in follow-up, qualitative interviews to explore survey responses in greater depth. RESULTS: The majority of survey participants (57%) reported smoking teabacco while incarcerated, with 37% smoking teabacco frequently (> once per week). Teabacco use was primarily motivated by cigarette cravings. Participants described the perceived inevitability of prisoners finding substitutes for tobacco. Multivariate analyses found that self-rated poor physical health, having been incarcerated five or more times, experiencing cigarette cravings while incarcerated, and use of illicit drugs while incarcerated were positively associated with frequent teabacco use in prison. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that teabacco use has become common practice in Queensland's smoke-free prisons. Correctional smoking bans are an important public health initiative but should be complemented with demand and harm reduction measures cognisant of the risk environment.
Authors: Ashley Brown; Rachel O'Donnell; Douglas Eadie; Richard Purves; Helen Sweeting; Allison Ford; Linda Bauld; Kate Hunt Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2021-02-16 Impact factor: 4.244