As counties restrict e-cigs, Flathead lets businesses decide

As evidence on the health risks associated with electronic cigarettes mounts, many Montana counties have taken steps to address rising concerns about second-hand vapor from the devices.

But while several counties have moved to include e-cigarettes in their smoke-free laws, Flathead County is taking a less-formalized approach.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, e-cigarettes — also known as e-cigs or vapes — create an aerosol by using a battery to heat up liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other additives. Users inhale this aerosol into their lungs. E-cigarettes can also be used to deliver cannabinoids such as marijuana.

As of March 1, eight counties in Montana — Lewis and Clark, Carbon, Sanders, Powell, Granite, Wibaux, Yellowstone and Lake — have officially included e-cigarettes in their local Clean Indoor Air Act protocols. The move reflects growing evidence on the dangers posed by e-cigarettes and pressure from state and national health organizations to respond to widespread use by adolescents.

Flathead County, meanwhile, has not joined the list of counties formalizing e-cigarette policies because there is no county Clean Indoor Air Act ordinance to add them to, said City-County Health Officer Hillary Hanson. Rather than “starting from scratch” to craft an ordinance that would take significant time and energy to pass, the city-county health department is focusing on helping local businesses shore up their smoke-free policies, which are legally allowed in Montana to include e-cigarettes.

The efforts have been “pretty successful so far,” said Hanson. “For the most part the businesses don’t want the e-cigarettes either. They’re going to get complaints anyways, so businesses have found it easier to just blanket say that there’s no use of e-cigarettes (on their premises).”

Hanson said that her department would support a local or state measure adding e-cigarettes to Clean Indoor Air ordinances.

“I think the information is coming out that e-cigarettes have health consequences to them, so it’s an important part for it to be part of our Indoor Air Act,” she said.

In the meantime, she said, city-county focus remains on those with the power to restrict e-cigarette use in the Flathead: local businesses.

According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, more than 22 percent of high schoolers in Montana currently use e-cigarettes and over half have tried them. Montana law prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to minors under the age of 18.

The U.S. Surgeon General states that e-cigarettes pose numerous health risks to teenagers and their developing brains, including nicotine addiction, lowered impulse control and mood disorders. E-cigarette use can also translate to addiction to other tobacco products, namely cigarettes. Their telltale aerosol contains nicotine and other ultrafine particles that are potentially toxic and linked to cancer or respiratory problems, according to the Surgeon General.

For more information on Montana’s smoke-free efforts or to report a violation of the Clean Indoor Air Act, visit http://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/mtupp.

Reporter Adrian Horton can be reached at ahorton@dailyinterlake.com or at 758-4439.