Vaping behind bars

For decades now, cigarettes have been seen as an indispensable accessory for prisoners. Whether in films, TV series or even in people's imagination, a prisoner is often seen with a cigarette in hand. Indeed, in an environment where opportunities for self-indulgence are very limited, smoking remains an escape during the days that follow one another and resemble one another. Yet many inmates would like to quit smoking, but are unable to do so because of their prison situation. In France in 2018, no less than 80% of incarcerated people smoke on a daily basis, i.e. around 71,000 inmates.

Another problem: non-smokers. As French prisons are overcrowded, administrations are unable to separate non-smoking inmates from smokers. In closed environments such as prisons and correctional centers, passive smoking remains a scourge that is difficult to combat, even with the best will in the world. That's why, in 2018, a campaign unique in France was set up: to offer vape as a substitute for tobacco in prisons.

It all started in the summer of 2017 when a project entitled "Vape en milieu carcéral" was launched. Dr Marie Van der Schueren, in charge of the addictology department at Caen University Hospital, jumped at the chance. With "Smoke-Free Month" just a few weeks away, the circumstances were ripe for the preparation and launch of this unique, avant-garde project. Dr Van der Schueren took matters into his own hands, contacting the Agence Régionale de Santé de Normandie (Normandy Regional Health Agency), which responded very favorably to the idea, releasing no less than €50,000! The chosen prison was Caen. Our addictologist thus found himself with funds and the backing of the administration, but one major problem remained: what equipment and what products to use in this environment, which is still considered sensitive?

That's when Xavier Guyou, president of the Vape du Coeur association, stepped in. With his more technical and in-depth knowledge of vape, he would be able to support Dr Van der Schueren in setting up and monitoring this project. Defining the needs of those concerned by "Vape in prisons" was a priority. Prisoners are not normal smokers. Faced with major stress factors, they consume very large quantities of tobacco. Some are smoking around 50 cigarettes a day, or even more! The transition to vape had to be a smooth one, and the nicotine level had to be adapted. So Xavier Guyou stepped in to suggest what was needed: Heisenberg and Red Astaire for the e-liquids and Vision Spinner 2 with Protank V2 for the hardware. But there's no question of giving the equipment to the inmate and leaving him to fend for himself. The real aim of this study is to provide workshops and follow-up for patients, so as not to let them down. They're already serving their sentences, so why should they be punished for their health too? The partnership between Dr Marie Van der Schueren and Xavier Guyou therefore covered every aspect and symptom the inmates had to deal with during their stop-smoking journey. Prison staff were properly trained, and workshops were organized once a month with the participants to provide the most qualitative follow-up possible and answer any questions. Beyond the health reasons, the very community aspect of vape also naturally emerged. This has enabled new links to be forged between inmates and supervisors around a common subject: vape.

After several months of trials, the results were very encouraging and promising: many patients had drastically reduced their tobacco consumption, or even stopped altogether! Following this kind of feedback, other Regional Health Agencies decided to follow the example of their colleagues in Normandy, and similar programs are already being set up in several establishments in the Paris region.

BAR à DIY's team