What's Up With... Banning Smoking in New York State Prisons

So the Pataki administration wants to ban smoking in New York state prisons by 2001. According to the New York Times, the plan applies to all 70,000 inmates as well as 30,000 state prison employees, and will be phased in gradually: "Inmates' smoking will be limited to housing units starting Jan. 1, 2000. No smoking will be allowed in day rooms and television rooms of medium- and minimum-security prisons, and maximum-security inmates will be allowed to smoke in cell blocks, galleries, and tiers. Starting July 1, inmates will only be able to smoke in their assigned sleeping areas, and starting Jan. 1, 2001, smoking will be prohibited inside all state prisons." Outside areas like exercise yards are exempt.

In explanation, the authorities cite the potential dangers of tobacco smoke in enclosed spaces. They will be offering-- patriarchal benificence!-- nicotine patches and stop-smoking programs.

OK, question: YOU GUYS WANT A FUCKING RIOT? Everybody knows that smoking is bad for you, but c'mon-- taking away one of the, like, two daily pleasures a poor inmate can look forward to self-administering? Can't inmates be allowed to focus on the smoking issue after they've, quote, settled their debt to society and perhaps cleared a little mindshare for some next steps in self-improvement?

To weigh in with your opinion on this, go straight to the message boards. (And do not collect $200.)