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Bill to create limited cigar-bar endorsements draws strong public-health opposition
Summary
Senator Wiley Galt’s proposal to allow narrowly defined cigar bars (age 21+, premium cigars, ventilation, liquor license) prompted extensive testimony from medical and public-health groups warning it would weaken Montana’s Clean Indoor Air Act and expose employees to secondhand smoke; sponsors say amendments are pending to narrow scope.
Senator Wiley Galt introduced Senate Bill 150 to the Senate Business and Labor Committee as a narrowly tailored measure allowing "cigar bar" endorsements for establishments with an all-beverages liquor license, a specific definition of premium cigars, and enhanced ventilation or a freestanding building.
"We tried to keep it as narrow as we could to keep it as small as possible," Galt said, describing requirements for a 21-and-over policy and a humidor and emphasizing the bill was modeled on language from another state.
The hearing drew substantial opposition from public-health organizations, clinicians and youth speakers. Dr. Richard Sargent, a retired family physician, urged the committee to reject the bill because ventilation cannot reliably…
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