In the future, arrested individuals will be allowed to smoke only in places and at times established by the head of the remand prison, according to the amendments to the Internal Regulations of the remand prison adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia on Tuesday.
The amendments stipulate that henceforth the head of the remand prison will determine the places where smoking is allowed in the facility, such as in the exercise yard or on the outdoor sports ground, as well as the times when it is permitted.
The changes also establish that the arrested person will have the right to keep matches and gas lighters only in a place designated by the head of the remand prison.
The Ministry of Justice explains that such a requirement will reduce the possibility of setting objects on fire in cells, as well as decrease the risk of malicious triggering or damage to fire safety systems.
Thus, if the head of the remand prison determines that the arrested individuals are allowed to smoke in the exercise yard or in a specially designated smoking area, access to matches or gas lighters will be provided by the administration of the respective facility in a specific location — for example, matches or gas lighters will be placed in the exercise yard and made available to each smoking detainee.
As the Ministry of Justice explains in the annotation to the amendments, a healthy lifestyle and its promotion are in the interest of society as a whole, and inmates in Latvia are also encouraged to reconsider harmful health habits.
Already now, in places of deprivation of liberty in Latvia, inmates can purchase nicotine substitutes by the appointment of the prison doctor to completely give up the harmful habit.
