‘Town Crier’ – Briefs From the Region (2) – 10/22/19

State judge blocks vaping ban

On Oct. 18, Ravalli County District Judge Jennifer Lint honored a lawsuit seeking to reverse Gov. Steve Bullock’s 120-day ban on vaping device sales. The plaintiffs, comprised by the Montana Smoke Free Association, Freedom Vapes, Liberty Smoke and UBlaze vapor, represented more than 20 Montana businesses that could be forced to shutter their doors as a result of the ban. The lawsuit decried the governor’s actions, alleging that state health officials did not provide ample time to react along with unfairly failing to lump tobacco cigarettes into the ban, and sought an injunction blocking the ban. Lint delivered the block and scheduled an Oct. 30 hearing to consider arguments about the tentative, looming ban.