The Use of Tobacco as Gambling Currency by Federal Offenders in Canada Before and After a Tobacco Ban

Abstract

In 2008 tobacco was banned in federal correctional institutions in Canada. In this paper we compare the use of tobacco as currency for gambling in two studies that we conducted, one before and one after the tobacco ban. The data from two studies were compared. The questionnaires were administered to offenders in federal and provincial institutions in Ontario. Study 1 included 254 male offenders and study 2 included 395 male offenders. The focus in this paper is on one questionnaire about the type of wager made while incarcerated. It was found that the use of tobacco as a currency in gambling went from 28.6% of those offenders who gamble to 2.3% of those offenders who gamble. In addition, there was an overall decrease in the number of federal offenders who reported gambling while incarcerated. However, information gained from the questionnaire and from interviews with incarcerated offenders suggests that there has been a shift to money wagers and that gambling inside has become more serious since the tobacco ban. The results suggest that the ban on smoking has resulted in a change in the type of currency used for gambling inside correctional institutions in Ontario Canada.

Systematic review of health and behavioural outcomes of smoking cessation interventions in prisons

“…The mean self-reported number of cigarettes smoked per day far exceeded these limits, suggesting a cigarette black market 46. The third study found a significant decrease in the number of prisoners who gambled following the introduction of a complete smoking ban in a federal prison 40. This was due to the inability to use tobacco as a form of currency.…”

“…Two of these studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of smoking cessation programmes,33 38 while the third was an RCT of a prerelease smoking abstinence programme in a prison with a complete smoking ban 44. With the exception of one cross-sectional survey,32 all other studies (n=15) were pre–post designs, with three of these involving different samples for pre and post measures 40 45 47. Five studies were of moderate methodological quality,24 30 34 37 39 and the remaining 12 studies (60% of all studies) were rated methodologically weak 8 32 35 36 40–43 45 46 48.…”

“…Three studies reported on a change in currency or the development of black markets following the introduction of a smoking cessation programme35 or indoor ban,46 or complete ban 40. The first study reported the development of a black market for nicotine patches as an unintended consequence 35.…”

Maintaining relevance: an evaluation of health message sponsorship at Australian community sport and arts events

“…Greater commercial sponsorship spending is, in part, related to more governments around the world legislating restrictions on the advertising of tobacco associated with sport to minimise the negative effect on the community [ 6 , 13 – 16 ], particularly on children [ 6 ]. As a result of tobacco advertising restrictions, opportunities were created for other corporations to shift their marketing budgets into the sponsorship space to build attention, support and loyalty for their brands [ 3 , 17 ].…”