Tobacco Prevention News

Montana’s Clean Indoor Act was upgraded to expand the Clean Indoor Air Act to include e-cigarettes, vapes and similar devices.

May 2025, the Montana Legislature passed a bill that added e-cigarettes (vapes) to our states long-standing smokefree law. That means vaping is now banned in the same public spaces where traditional smoking is already prohibited — like restaurants, workplaces and public transportation.

This update couldn’t have come at a better time. Montana has one of the highest youth vaping rates in the country. By treating e-cigarettes like traditional tobacco products, this law sends a clear message: vaping is not a harmless habit.

This law protects people from second-hand exposure to e-cigarette aerosol, which can include cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals and ultrafine particles that can lodge deep in the lungs. It also sends a clear message to our kids that no type of smoking is healthy.

The update also provides consistency and clarity. Now, in addition to cigarettes, cigars, and marijuana, vaping is also prohibited in all indoor public spaces and workplace. This change simplifies understanding and compliance for both the public and business owners. As stated in law, the intent of Montana’s Clean Indoor Air Act is to “protect the public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment; recognize the right of nonsmokers to breathe smoke-free air; and recognize that the need to breathe smoke-free air has priority over the desire to smoke.”

This law is a strong step forward for public health. The Clean Indoor Air Act works well because businesses and residents understand that most people want to breathe clean, healthy air in our public indoor spaces. It’s become the norm. To report a possible violation of the Clean Indoor Air Act or to obtain smoke-free signage for your business, visit tobaccofree.mt.gov. You may also contact the county tobacco education specialist, A.J. Allen, at 406-6536212.