HMP Inverness is joining other prisons across Scotland in banning smoking in all buildings and grounds from November.
The smoke-free policy means that tobacco products will no longer be sold to prisoners.
The move towards smoke-free prisons is in keeping with the Scottish Government’s aim of creating a “tobacco-free generation” by 2034.
Mr Stephen Coyle, Governor, HMP Inverness, said: “This is a significant shift in policy for the Scottish Prison Service and will be implemented across all of our establishments from November 30 this year.
“It is vital that we ensure that we have support in place for those who will be in our care and that we have communicated this widely in advance to reduce any anxieties or misunderstandings about what being in a smoke free prison will be like.
“With a high turnover of prisoners and numerous transfers to other sites the unique nature of HMP Inverness does bring its own set of challenges.”
He added: “Our relationship with NHS Highland is key to delivering smoking cessation interventions. We are also working with a number of external organisations, including police, pharmacies and criminal justice, ensuring that we have appropriate ways to ensure the news on smoke-free prisons is delivered with maximum effect.
“Prisoners may also be transferred to other establishments while on a smoking cessation programme so it is important that the receiving smoking cessation service is contacted or, if they are being released, the relevant community service.
“We also are working out the final detail on what we will present at prisoner induction and will continue to speak to prisoners about how this will work for them.”
