Unicoi County jail wants to sell nicotine vapes 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 bring in revenue and offset costs at the jail by selling electronic vaping devices. The sheriff’s office conducted a preliminary study and found that a pilot program at the Unicoi County Jail that sold vaping devices could generate an estimated $100,000 in revenue. The goal of the program would be to help offset costs and help taxpayers, versus making extra money. The Unicoi County Jail does not allow cigarettes, which jail officials said can put inmates addicted to nicotine on edge. Officials say the availability of vaping devices could help manage behavior and reduce fire hazards. The devices, if they are sold, are built to be used specifically in jails, with the vapes engineered in a way so that they can’t be fashioned into a weapon or some other nefarious use. Other jails in Northeast Tennessee have implemented similar programs.