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Cascade County tobacco specialist announces retirement as vaping bills stall
Summary
At a Cascade County Board of Health meeting, the county’s tobacco education specialist announced his retirement effective May 2 and gave an update on vaping policy activity, saying a state bill that would treat vaping like smoking was tabled while Great Falls may move locally to restrict vaping indoors.
Wade Subsler, the tobacco education specialist at Cascade County Public Health Department, announced he will retire May 2 and urged continued local efforts to curb youth vaping as the legislature tabled a bill to treat e-cigarettes the same as cigarettes.
Subsler told the Cascade County City-County Board of Health that Senate Bill 390, which would add vaping to the Clean Indoor Air Act, passed the state Senate but was tabled in the House and “it seems unlikely anything else will be done in this session.” He said the Great Falls City Commission is expected to adopt local rules to prohibit vaping where smoking is already banned.
The announcement came with local and statewide data the specialist cited while describing youth use trends. “When I talk to the faculty, the teachers, and the students at the middle and high schools here in Great Falls, they aren’t sensing the same national trends are happening here,” Subsler said. He summarized state figures he had: “Almost half of Montana high school students have tried e-cigarettes or vaping. Twenty-four percent currently use these products.”
Abigail (prevention services staff) confirmed the board had tracked the bill and noted the county and board’s prior resolutions and stakeholder outreach. “That bill was tabled,” she said, adding local governments can still act: “It potentially could be seen on a city commission meeting.”
Board members thanked Subsler for his work. Multiple members praised his advocacy and encouraged the board and staff to support the incoming tobacco specialist with local outreach and education.
The health department’s tobacco work links to other prevention programs; Subsler said prevention staff Lacey Gallagher and Penny Paul and communicable disease staff provided operational support. He encouraged board members to continue community education and partnership work after his departure.
Subsler’s full remarks included a request for feedback for his successor and a call to maintain youth-focused prevention efforts. “Vaping is a real problem…It’s a very big danger to our youth. Please, let’s never give up on the fight to educate our youth,” he said.
Members and staff said they will continue to track both state action on SB 390 and any local ordinances Great Falls may adopt that would treat vaping similarly to traditional smoking under indoor-air rules.
