Inmates getting paper straws in Canadian prisons for safer snorting of drugs

Canada is giving paper straws to jailbirds across federal prisons for “safer snorting” of drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin, according to a memo that went out to correctional officers.Federal officials in the Great White North were apparently worried inmates might nick themselves while shoving dope up their snouts.The document, posted by an unnamed corrections officer last week on social media, said the single-use biodegradable straws were intended for inhaling “substances in powdered form” or “vapor from heated substances.”“Using paper straws helps reduce harm by lowering the risk of cuts or tears inside the nose when compared to homemade or plastic straws,” reads the four-page memo from Correctional Service Canada, which oversees 43 federal prisons north of the border.The woke nation is also handing out foil that is “stronger and thicker” than household foil “for safer smoking.”“It is designed specifically for smoking substances,” the memo reads, noting that the junk might be in pill, rock or powder form.Prison nurses are being enlisted to hand out the gear — and even teach inmates how to use it.They began preparations Thursday, with the items set to be made available within the next two weeks.Inmates will be allowed to keep up to two paper straws and three strips of foil in their cells, which the feds cited as “reasonable limits based on anticipated use.”The controversial move comes “in response to increased inhalation, smoking and snorting substances among federal inmates,” the note said.

Nearly 20% of Canadian male inmates reported snorting drugs in prison, according to a 2025 report by Correctional Service Canada.Another 24% said they smoked dope, and 4% admitted to shooting up behind bars.“As methods of use evolve, harm reduction measures must also adapt,” it stated.But critics are already bashing the idea, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford vowing to put his foot down in his province.

“Under our gover...