The following information was provided in a press release sent out by the office of Governor Steve Bullock:

Governor Steve Bullock today directed the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) to implement emergency administrative rules to temporarily prohibit the sale of flavored e-cigarettes.

The ban on e-cigarettes will be effective on October 22, and will be in effect for 120 days, the maximum time allowed by law. The ban will remain in effect through February 13, 2020.

The ban includes the sale of all flavored e-cigarette products, including flavored nicotine, THC, and CBD vaping products, in-store and online. The ban does not require retailers to destroy their existing inventory.

The ban on flavored e-cigarettes, which are widely marketed to and used by young people, will seek to curb e-cigarette use while authorities investigate what product or chemical is causing critical illness across the country and develop an evidence-based response.

Two cases were recently confirmed in Montana, including an individual in their 20s from Gallatin County and an individual in their 30s from Yellowstone County. Nationwide, 1,080 confirmed and probable cases and 21 deaths linked to e-cigarette use have been identified in 48 states and one U.S. territory. More than half the cases involve patients under 25 years of age.

Montana joins six other states who have taken similar action including Washington, Oregon, Michigan, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts. In addition, Utah has passed emergency rules limiting where e-cigarettes can be sold and California’s governor has issued an executive order to increase public awareness and develop warning labels. The Trump administration said last month it would ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes, but has yet to release specifics or commit to a timeline.

For more information, and to read the entire press release, click here.

 

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