title: The challenges of reducing tobacco use among prisoners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of smoking among prisoners is exceptionally high and is often comorbid with alcohol and drug problems, mental illness and other health problems. This review paper summarises the literature and available research related to smoking prevalence and smoking cessation initiatives among prisoners and identifies areas of need for further research and intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper highlights three studies conducted in the New South Wales prison system which attempt to address these high rates of smoking including a feasibility study, a focus group study and a randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The challenges of making systems-level changes to address these high rates of smoking are discussed including a recent National Summit on Tobacco Smoking in Prisons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dissemination of research findings has assisted in highlighting the importance of tobacco smoking among prisoners and the need to develop culturally and setting appropriate smoking cessation initiatives for prisoners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As one of the most marginalised and socially disadvantaged populations in Australia, prisoners represent an important population to target for smoking cessation programs and interventions. This paper highlights a number of initiatives undertaken to address this problem and suggests directions for the future.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. r.richmond@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Robyn L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Richmond
authors.forename: Tony G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: Devon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Indig
authors.forename: Kay A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Vicki A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Archer
authors.forename: Alex D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Wodak
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention