e-cigarettes

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s order to temporarily halt the sale of flavored e-cigarettes will not go into effect next week after all. On Friday, a state district judge blocked the administration’s move until a hearing later this month.

Montana vape shop retailers last week vowed to challenge Bullock’s order to temporarily halt the sale of flavored e-cigs. They made good on that promise in a Thursday court filing, and State District Judge Jennifer Lint of Hamilton has backed them up, at least for now.

Gov. Steve Bullock’s order to temporarily ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes was heralded this week by state health officials. Montanans who rely on e-cig sales, however, say Bullock’s move will devastate their livelihoods, and they plan to sue.

Governor Steve Bullock on Tuesday ordered a temporary stop to sales of flavored e-cigarettes. The emergency rules take effect October 22. 

Bullock is directing the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to enforce a 120-day ban on flavored e-cigarette sales.

Montana health officials on both the statewide and local level are piecing together a puzzle. State epidemiologist Laura Williamson says "a handful" of patients have recently come forward with possible cases of severe lung disease. The case reports are coming from across the state. The one thread connecting them? All the patients have a history of vaping.

Montana high schoolers are using electronic cigarettes more than their peers across the country. The state health department highlighted e-cigarette risks today as the Bullock administration and health care advocates push for a new tax on e-cigarettes.

HELENA — Opponents are lining up against a proposed 50-percent tax on vaping products.

Twelve people testified against Senate Bill 96 on Tuesday. They argued e-cigarettes have nicotine, but they don’t have tobacco and shouldn’t be taxed like tobacco. Robert Story, executive director of the Montana Taxpayers Association, said taxing vapes is just putting a sales tax onto a specific retail item.

The nation’s most popular e-cigarette company has suspended sale of its flavored products at over 90,000 brick and mortar stores nationwide. This development underwhelms Montana health officials.

Nicole Aune describes JUUL Labs’ announcement as, “A little too late and it’s not quite enough.”