Washington, May 11 : A woman slapped a sheriff's deputy in the US state of California so that she could get arrested and be put in jail, where she would not be allowed to smoke cigarettes.

Deputy Matt Campoy said the 31-year-old woman, Etta Mae Lopez, blocked his way as he left his shift at the Sacramento County Jail, CBS 13 reported.

"All of a sudden, she stepped into me and slapped me in the face," he said.

Lopez was detained at once. She apparently wanted to use California's ban on tobacco in prisons to kick the habit.

"She told us that she needed to quit smoking," Campoy said.

Lopez reportedly admitted having waited in front of the jail for hours to hit an officer, get arrested and be put in jail, where she would not be allowed to smoke.

"She explained it with great detail as to why," Campoy said.

According to the Sacramento Bee, Lopez pleaded no contest to misdemeanour battery on a peace officer.

She was sentenced to 63 days in jail, said Shelly Orio, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office.(IANS)