# Interesting dialogue with a patient today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 21, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120 "2008-05-21T16:05:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/1 "2008-05-21T16:05:20Z")
Scenario: Me quizzing a patient complaining of chest pain Me: Do you smoke? Him: No, I’m a vegetarian. Me: So you don’t smoke animals then? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/2 "2008-05-21T16:10:13Z")
**Qadgop** - Prisoners still get cigarettes? I’d think that government facilities would’ve stopped that years ago. StG ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/3 "2008-05-21T16:12:44Z")
Maybe he thought you meant brisket. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/4 "2008-05-21T16:15:27Z")
Prisoners say the darnedest things. I was at a hearing Monday. The defense? “I confessed. So I don’t understand how you can find me guilty.” What did he want me to do? Call him a liar? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/5 "2008-05-21T16:17:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Prisoners still get cigarettes? I’d think that government facilities would’ve stopped that years ago. It’s restricted but not entirely banned. In New York, prisoners can own cigarettes and smoke outdoors. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/6 "2008-05-21T17:02:21Z")
In Wisconsin, no prisons allow any tobacco products on the grounds, for either inmates or staff. But we’re an intake facility, so I’m constantly seeing guys who may have been smoking up to a day or two before I might see them. So it’s still a pertinent question. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/7 "2008-05-21T17:03:30Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Prisoners say the darnedest things. I was at a hearing Monday. The defense? “I confessed. So I don’t understand how you can find me guilty.” What did he want me to do? Call him a liar? [/QUOTE] Bwa ha ha ha! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/8 "2008-05-21T19:35:34Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Prisoners say the darnedest things. I was at a hearing Monday. The defense? “I confessed. So I don’t understand how you can find me guilty.” What did he want me to do? Call him a liar? [/QUOTE] First you bargin, then you plea! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/9 "2008-05-21T19:46:16Z")
Maybe he smoked the healthy cigarettes, those from free-range tobacco. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/10 "2008-05-21T19:53:35Z")
Is the prison system set up to allow him to maintain his vegetarianism? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/11 "2008-05-21T19:56:44Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] In Wisconsin, no prisons allow any tobacco products on the grounds, for either inmates or staff. But we’re an intake facility, so I’m constantly seeing guys who may have been smoking up to a day or two before I might see them. So it’s still a pertinent question. [/QUOTE] This might be a question for new thread, but what kind of reactions do you normally see from new prisoners who are informed that they have just quit smoking cold-turkey? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/12 "2008-05-21T20:01:41Z")
[QUOTE=UncleRojelio] This might be a question for new thread, but what kind of reactions do you normally see from new prisoners who are informed that they have just quit smoking cold-turkey? [/QUOTE] I’ve overseen the initial intake of over 7200 inmates a year for six years now, and I have had exactly one encounter with one patient who was significantly cranked out over not getting tobacco. Getting funnelled into the maximum security system is overwhelming enough for most folks that their nicotine withdrawal cravings tend to take a back seat to other adjustment reactions. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/13 "2008-05-21T20:08:42Z")
I guess having a post coital cigarette is right out the window. ---
**Author:** ![MovingTarget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@MovingTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovingTarget)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/14 "2008-05-21T20:30:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally poster by **plnnr** > > I guess having a post coital cigarette is right out the window. _snork\*\*snicker, snicker_ Oh the coke..it burns… ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/15 "2008-05-21T20:56:14Z")
[QUOTE=plnnr] I guess having a post coital cigarette is right out the window. [/QUOTE] I don’t guess you’re supposed to coital in prison anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/16 "2008-05-21T21:11:30Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] It’s restricted but not entirely banned. In New York, prisoners can own cigarettes and smoke outdoors. [/QUOTE] Are they bought in the commisary like other products or do they get sent in from relatives or what not. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/17 "2008-05-21T21:59:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Are they bought in the commisary like other products or do they get sent in from relatives or what not. All of the above. They can buy them in the commissary, receive them in a package, or buy them from mail-order catalogs (which is the “what not”). ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/18 "2008-05-21T22:02:14Z")
[QUOTE=MovingTarget] Oh the coke..it burns… [/QUOTE] That’s not allowed in prisons either as I understand it. Unless you’re Richard Speck. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/19 "2008-05-21T23:26:22Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Is the prison system set up to allow him to maintain his vegetarianism? [/QUOTE] Not real well. He can decline to eat the non-vegetarian items, or swap them out for veggies with other inmates. He can try to convince the chaplain that it’s a religious issue (but that’s not often successful). But mostly there’s no vegetarian option. And since it’s not a medical issue, I don’t get involved in it. The standard food fare gives our inmates 3300 calories a day, more than enough to sustain a large man. And there’s a lot of soy substituting for meat as it is. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120/20 "2008-05-21T23:30:09Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] I’ve overseen the initial intake of over 7200 inmates a year for six years now, and I have had exactly one encounter with one patient who was significantly cranked out over not getting tobacco. [/QUOTE] Speaking of ‘cranked out’ - how much withdrawal from harder stuff do you have to help them cope with? Or is the hope that they’ve already had some detox time in county jail before they land at Reception / Intake, so the other facilities have dealt with the worst of it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-dialogue-with-a-patient-today/450120.md?page=2)