It emerged last week that a number of inmates at the correctional facility were smoking nicotine patches mixed with tea leaves after smoking was banned in January.

Briefing media on Tuesday, Prison Director Brian Edwards said non-compliance of the Nicotine Replacement Therapy among some prisoners was largely unavoidable.

"We've got to remember the clientèle that we're dealing with - they don't actually follow rules all of the time," he said.

"It's a balance for us of helping a person withdraw from addiction yet dealing with inappropriate behaviour as it occurs."

More than 100 of the prison's 501 prisoners are using nicotine patches.

Mr Edwards could not say how many were abusing the patches, but said it was not a uniquely Tasmanian problem.

"Tea leaves, plant leaves and trying to boil NRT patches is unbelievable in many of our challenges facing staff, but it's not the only challenge and it's not the major challenge," he said.

Mr Edwards disputed claims 20 microwaves had been destroyed since cigarette lighters and matches were outlawed at the prison.

"There have been five," he said.

Mr Edwards said there were bound to be heightened tensions after the smoking ban.

"My view is there will be tensions - that's our job to deal with them, but I don't feel they're any different to other projects we've put in there," he said.

Mr Edwards said the prison had no plans to move to wax-based toilet paper to combat inmates rolling cigarettes.

He said that he was not aware of anyone attempting to flout the smoking ban being hospitalised.

Mr Edwards said $180,000 had been allocated to the smoke-free program, with the prison on track to come in well under budget.