‘Town Crier’ Newsletter – Briefs from the Region (1) – 12/24/19

Montana vape shop finds loophole to shirk ban

According to the Associated Press, Freedom Vapes has announced a countermeasure to the Dec. 18 temporary ban on the sale of flavored vaping products—do-it-yourself kits. With locations in Bozeman, Hamilton and Belgrade, Freedom Vapes’ latest pushback—the company unsuccessfully tried to sue Gov. Steve Bullock back in October—allows customers to purchase the components separately, exercising a loophole of sorts, and was announced just one day after the ban went into effect. According to a statement posted on the company’s Facebook page, “We are trying our best to keep your needs met while we work through this blatant witchhunt [sic] against our business, and products that have helped all of you break the deadly habit of tobacco use.” Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services spokesman Jon Ebelt told the AP that do-it-yourself kits may lack essential quality control measures. To date, vaping products have harmed over 2,500 and killed 54 people in 27 states, including one in Montana.