2005 North Carolina Code - General Statutes § 148-23.1. Smoking prohibited in State correctional facilities.

§ 148‑23.1.  Smoking prohibited in State correctional facilities.

(a)       The General Assembly finds that in order to protect the health, welfare, and comfort of inmates in the custody of the Department of Correction and to reduce the costs of inmate health care, it is necessary to prohibit inmates from using tobacco products inside State correctional facilities and to ensure that employees and visitors do not use tobacco products inside those facilities.

(b)       No person may use tobacco products inside of a State correctional facility, except for authorized religious purposes.

(c)       The Department of Correction may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section. Inmates in violation of this section are subject to disciplinary measures to be determined by the Department, including the potential loss of sentence credits earned prior to that violation. Employees in violation of this section are subject to disciplinary action by the Department. Visitors in violation of this section are subject to removal from the facility and loss of visitation privileges.

(d)       As used in this section, the following terms mean:

(1)       State correctional facility. – All buildings of a State correctional institution operated by the Department of Correction.

(2)       Tobacco products. – Cigars, cigarettes, snuff, loose tobacco, or similar goods made with any part of the tobacco plant that are prepared or used for smoking, chewing, dipping, or other personal use. (2005‑372, s. 2.)