Ga. To Ban Smoking At Mental Hospitals And Prisons

ATLANTA (AP) Beginning next year, patients at Georgia's mental hospitals and inmates in the state's prisons will no longer be able to light up.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a plan to ban smoking at the seven hospitals is set to take effect Jan. 5, while the ban in prisons will be phased in over the next year.

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities said the move is designed to make the patients and facilities healthier.

The Department of Corrections told the Journal-Constitution its aim was to save taxpayers money in inmate health costs and will protect other inmates from second-hand smoke.

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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com