Just skip over the first three paragraphs, trust me (which totally means you're going to read them now, but I promise you'll roll your eyes and wish you hadn't wasted your time)

Something's going on. I can't write anymore. Each time I think I have a brilliant idea, I start to write it out and after about ten painful paragraphs I quit, delete the whole thing and write something stupid about American Idol.

Ever since I returned from vacation, I've lost my writing mojo. I usually hate when people write about how they can't write and when they threaten to close down this blog everytime they hit a rough patch of writer's block. I'm not pitying myself enough to proclaim the end of Doahleigh, but I'm really peeved that I can't write these days. I've written and deleted posts so many times in the last couple weeks, not because the ideas are boring, but because nobody would get past the first paragraph without killing themselves. Or closing the browser.

I haven't decided if the solution is to walk away for awhile or if I should just write through the pain. Ha, look at that, it seems I'm writing through the pain today. Maybe I should just stop. I will, right after I pose this completely unrelated question:

Should inmates be allowed to smoke while incarcerated?*

I say yes, this is a ridiculous question and why is anyone worrying about it when there are genocides and wars and what did Hilary say about Obama to worry about? Brad says no because we are trying to rehabilitate these inmates and how are we doing that by allowing them to destroy their health with cigarettes?

I'm curious what everyone else thinks.

*We saw a news story on this subject recently, and even though we both agree smoking is vile, this particular question quickly turned into a major disagreement.

Comments

[Dori]

Interesting question. At first I thought that if the inmates pay for their own cigarettes, they should be able to smoke. But then I realized that tax dollars would pay for their eventual emphysema treatment, and thus their choice to smoke would put an undue burden on the public.

[Angela]

Ummm, honestly I find this a peculiar question... ummm, first I have to start by saying, I am probably one of the biggest strongest haters of smoking. I have watched an aunt die because of it. Watched family members struggle quitting. That being said, I am very much okay with them smoking behind bars. We choose our own destiny, we choose what we want to and what we don't want to do. They already made a lot of bad decisions to be placed where they are, I think of all the things we are rehabilitating them on, smoking is the least of our worries. If they want to possibly suffer one of the most horrific cancers and subjecting themselves to almost every illness under the sun, by destroying their cells, all the power to them.

[Jess]

Geez, you always make me think.

On one hand, I think that those incarcerated are incarcerated because they have done something that has caused them to lose their freedoms, rights and privileges. Isn't smoking a freedom, right and privilege?

I'm looking at it like this, take a child who gets into trouble and his parents ground him. What exactly does being grounded mean? The child has lost his privileges. Privileges to what? Possibilities include things like TV, game stations, toys, extra curricular activities, friends, phone calls, etc. (Just for instance, mind you.) If mom says, "Well, ok Tommy, I guess you can watch a little TV. But only for a half hour." Hasn't the whole "grounding" gone right out the window? Little Tommy is still getting to do whatever little Tommy wants just by pushing the envelope a little.

On the other hand, if they want to kill themselves by smoking and getting emphysema and lung cancer, more power to them. But, then again, who is footing the bill when they do get some life threatening disease? Now we’re paying to save them. It one big vicious cycle.

[daisies]

i'm tagging you to go read my new meme ~ its fun and will give you something to write about ... not that i think you're having any problems these days because i've been finding your posts (other than the idol 'cause i don't watch) really interesting lately ...

and this question .. too much for my brain today ...

my initial instinct is like you, yes, who cares when there are so many other important things going on ...

and after bouncing it back and forth in my head (like a bad tennis match), i'm sticking with yes. its legal and if regular folk walking the streets are allowed to slowly kill themselves than why shouldn't inmates?

[Chase]

I'm with ya, too. I 100% agree that people should be allowed to smoke if they want to...behind bars shouldn't have anything to do with that choice.

Have you seen anyone trying to stop smoking cold turkey? It ain't pretty most of the time. A jailhouse full of people doin' the cold turkey would be HELL for guards. Let 'em have their smokes. It's none of our business what they do with their bodies.

:)

[Amanda]

I think its ridiculous to say that they shouldnt be allowed to smoke. As far as prisons being rehabilitation centers, are they really? The impression that I get, and this has mostly been from a Wally Lamb book that was actually a series of short stories of women from prison, is that they are less and less that and more and more simply a place to put undesirables in our society. Which seems horribly counterproductive to me.

Also doesnt the higher 'sin tax' on ciggies now go towards health care for the ailments one is likely to get when one smokes?

[Jen]

I just tagged you for a meme, too. So now you have something to write about. Go!

(My doing a meme is indicative of my not having anything to write about, either, so don't feel bad. It happens to all of us. Ebbs and flows. You'll get your blog mojo back.)

[Jason]

Let them smoke. They just kill themselves faster. As far as inmates getting sick, and taxpayers having to foot the bill... we're making money. We provide them with only the most rudimentary of medical care, and it's not like they'll be getting on any lists to receive a new heart or something. They simply aren't even considered for organ transplants. The longer they live (well, for the lifers) the more money we have to pay to house and feed them. So screw it. Let them smoke. Let them smoke two. Faster is better.

[Shannon]

Smoke 'em if you got 'em! That's what I say.