Unicoi County Prison plans to sell nicotine vaporizers to inmates with new program

The Unicoi County Sheriff's Office wants to sell vaping products to inmates at the county jail. Sheriff Mike Hensley and Chief Deputy Frank Rogers told county commissioners about a program that would generate revenue and cover costs at the jail through the sale of electronic vaping devices. The sheriff's office conducted a preliminary study and found that a pilot program at the Unicoi County Jail selling vaping devices could generate an estimated $100,000 in revenue. The goal of the program would be to cover costs and help taxpayers, rather than bring in extra money. Cigarettes are not allowed at the Unicoi County Jail because they can make nicotine-addicted inmates nervous, according to jail officials. Officials say the availability of vaping devices could help control behavior and reduce fire hazards. The devices, if sold, are designed specifically for prison use, with the vapes engineered so they cannot be converted into weapons or used for other nefarious purposes. Other prisons in northeast Tennessee have implemented similar programs.