Montana committee hears hours of testimony on bill to classify e-cigarettes as tobacco and restore local control

Representative Frank Smith, R‑District 31, opened the hearing on House Bill 177 by describing why he filed the measure, saying, “I’m getting tired of walking into school districts and seeing about 5 or 6 young students standing out across the road, smoking these things.”

HB 177 would expand Montana’s definition of “tobacco” and related statutes to include alternative nicotine and vapor products, and repeal a current preemption provision (mentioned in testimony as “section 1, sub 25”) so local governments could adopt their own rules on sales and venues.

Why it matters: public‑health groups urged the committee to pass the bill to limit youth access and give local governments authority to adopt tailored policies. Kalli Wicks of the American Heart Association said the measure “updates tobacco laws to include alternative nicotine and vapor products in the definition of tobacco” and argued the change would better control sale and distribution and “keep them out of the hands of kids.” Amanda Cahill of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network added, “We would also like to see the rights restored of local…