The New South Wales Corrective Services Commissioner has asked Victorian prison authorities for an urgent briefing on the Melbourne jail riot, ahead of the NSW smoking ban coming in next month.

But prison advocate groups have warned tensions are already high in prisons across the state and that the smoking ban is a denial of prisoners' rights.

The smoking ban in New South Wales' jails comes into effect on August 10.

NSW Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Severin said he emailed his Victorian counterpart to take lessons from the riot at the Metropolitan Remand Centre that will influence policy change in NSW.

"I need to know a lot more about what actually happened in Victoria and what lead to the incident," he said.

"I want to ask what were the issues that caused it to be so extensive as it seems to have been.

"If it's a matter of controlling inmates better or if it's a matter of applying some other strategies in the lead up to the smoking ban, we will consider it.

"This is a very significant change in our policy and this is one that you don't take lightly, it's very critical for the system and has to be managed well."

Mr Severin said prison authorities had spent the past year working on a solid plan to help prevent fallout when the ban comes in.

But he said in the wake of the Melbourne riot, staff and prison officials will be gathering intelligence and talking to inmates to try and avoid any copycat effect.

"We have six weeks to go, it's not a very long time but it is enough time to address any concerns," he said.

"We will use our intelligence and direct communication with the inmates and staff alike to detect any potential copycat situation.

"There's no indication at this point in time that will happen but we're not going to just sit there and watch it, we're going to be proactive in pursuing issues and if need be we will react to it."

About 200 staff were evacuated from Melbourne Remand Centre after riots erupted in the wake of a smoking ban. ( AAP: Seven News Melbourne )

Smoking ban is 'denial of their rights'

But former prisoner and Justice Action spokesman Brett Collins said trouble was already brewing in other jails around the nation with the bans either already introduced or imminent.

"There's no doubt in New South Wales, there will be all sorts of trauma," he said.

"We've got a flashpoint at the moment in Goulburn jail, we've just been told ... but there's tensions in jails statewide."

He said 85 per cent of inmates smoke and said it was "bullying" and "a denial of their rights" to implement such a drastic ban.

"People are just totally outraged ... they have very little to lose," he said.

"It's as though their wages have been taken away because they've been spending all their money on their tobacco so it's as though there's nothing that they control any more ... they've got nothing to lose and they're outraged by the disrespect it shows for them.

"It's out of kilter with the rest of the community and shows a lack of concern for these people as human beings and a lack of appreciation that jail is their home."

He said the Inspector of Custodial Services warned in his recent report that there was already tensions in the prison system and that bringing in a smoking ban would only cause more problems.