Arnie bans smoking in prisons

Cigar-smoking California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation banning tobacco in state prisons, despite complaints that the law would simply drive its use underground.

The bill’s author, Republican Tim Leslie, predicted the legislation would “drastically reduce” prison health care costs.

“The governor has put us on the road to saving taxpayer dollars and prisoners’ lives,” he said.

Jim Lindburg, of the Friends Committee on Legislation, said a more effective approach would be to encourage prisoners to stop smoking by providing them with nicotine patches and gum.