A smoking ban is set to come into effect at WA prisons in 2026, making WA the last Australian state to prohibit prisoners from smoking within the prison system.

Click PLAY to hear more about the ban.

Andy Smith, WAPOU Secretary, informed Perth Today host Simon Beaumont that while the union has supported the ban since 2009, concerns persist regarding its implementation.

Smith stated, “The department and government are worried, of course, with the overcrowding that we are currently experiencing; if there was any reaction to the removal of cigarettes and smoking in prisons, they may lose infrastructure and don’t have anywhere to put prisoners.”

Hear more highlights from Perth Today below and download the 6PR app on i0S or Android to ensure you don’t miss a thing!

Image: iStock