Phillips County Celebrates 10 Years of Smokefree Indoor Air

Phillips County – In 2005, the Montana legislature passed the Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA), one of the most important public health policies in state history. The law was fully implemented on October 1, 2009.

The U.S. Surgeon General concluded in 2006 that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke and stated that the only way to protect public health is to eliminate exposure. Tobacco smoke carries at least 250 chemicals that are known to be toxic or carcinogenic, causing lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other fatal ailments. Commercial tobacco addiction is the number one cause of preventable death in the state, killing 1,600 citizens every year in Montana alone.

Designed to protect Montanans from the health dangers of secondhand smoke, the CIAA prohibits use of tobacco products in all enclosed public places and workplaces. Montana is among 17 other states in the nation that have 100% smokefree laws in non-hospitality workplaces, restaurants, bars and gambling venues.

The CIAA protects bystanders from exposure to deadly secondhand smoke, encourages adults to quit tobacco use and prevents youth from starting to use tobacco in the first place. Since the full implementation of the law, adult cigarette smoking declined from 22% in 2011 to 18% in 2018 and youth cigarette smoking declined from 17% in 2011 to 8% in 2019.

Compliance with the CIAA has strengthened over time. In 2010, there were 90 valid complaints and in 2018, there were only 24 statewide. Local Tobacco Prevention Specialist, Sonia Young states,

The work isn’t over yet. E-cigarettes were introduced to the U.S. market in 2007, two years after the Montana Legislature passed the CIAA. Since then, e-cigarettes have grown immensely in popularity, particularly among youth and young people. E-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth in Montana. According to the 2019 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey, more than half of Montana high school students have tried e-cigarettes and 30% of high school students currently use e-cigarettes. 48% of Phillips County high school students have tried vaping and 2.34% are current users, compared to only 4% of Montana adults.

The content of e-cigarettes is not yet regulated, resulting in uncertainty as to what is in the aerosol released from these products. However, the U.S. Surgeon General has stated that e-cigarette aerosol is not as safe as clean air. Studies have shown that e-cigarette aerosol can contain nicotine, metals, ultrafine particles and chemicals that have been known to cause respiratory disease and cancer.

Exposure to nicotine, in any form, is unsafe for youth, pregnant women and developing babies. Studies have found levels of nicotine in e-cigarette aerosol similar to levels found in cigarette smoke. Non-smokers who are exposed to conventional cigarette smoke and e-cigarette aerosol absorb similar levels of nicotine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health urge communities to take action to include e-cigarettes in local smokefree policies.

In 2019, the Montana Legislature passed House Bill 413 which prohibits the use of e-cigarettes in public school buildings or on public school property. Additionally, ten localities in Montana have added e-cigarettes into their local smokefree laws to protect workers and the public from exposure to these products.

“The more communities that include e-cigarettes in their local smokefree policies, the more Montanans will be protected from the potential dangers of e-cigarette aerosol,” said Tobacco Prevention Specialist, Sonia Young.

For more information on the CIAA, visit tobaccofree.mt.gov. For help quitting, call the Montana Tobacco Quit Line, a free service available to all Montanans who would like to quit using all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Calling the Quit Line is toll-free at 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit the website at QuitNowMontana.com to enroll.