State prisons are going to become non-smoking facilities over the next 6 months.
The Department of Corrections said they are taking the steps to ban smoking to reduce healthcare costs and to make prisons safer.
In the past year, inmates hospitalized for tobacco - related illnesses have cost Florida taxpayers nearly 9 million dollars.
Snuffing out cigarettes will also result in cleaner prisons and by removing lighters, reduce the chance of arson.
Smoking bans have long been in place in all of Florida's public buildings and offices, and over half of the state prisons in the US already have similar bans.
Since 2004, all of the prisons in the Federal Prison system have banned smoking on prison grounds.
The Department is giving 180 days notice to inmates and will offer smoking cessation assistance to inmates requesting help.
Designated smoking areas will be set up for employees outside the prison fence.
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