The “smoking shelter” calamity in Great Falls (MT) has been interesting to follow.

In case you were wondering about it, a law called “The Montana Clean Indoor Air Act” banned smoking in enclosed public places in 2009, so some bars/casinos built “smoking shelters” that, as the Great Falls Tribune reported in December 2013, “are intended to circumnavigate the law to create spaces where gamblers can smoke while they play.”

A local district judge ruled the shelters were OK, but the Montana Supreme Court overturned that ruling. Apparently the shelters were not open enough. Businesses have spent thousands of dollars on the shelters. Some shelters were pretty nice, which means they are not just a picnic table with an umbrella blowing in the wind and a five-gallon bucket for the butts.

The Great Falls Tribune had two sides submit their arguments about the shelters. You can read the pro-shelter column HERE and the con-shelter column HERE. Both sides make good arguments, but overall it’s kind of a silly mess they are in.

According to local television station KRTV, today (Wednesday, June 3) the Cascade City-County Health Department is holding a public hearing “to consider a proposed regulation governing smoking rooms.” The meeting is scheduled for 11:30 in the Great Falls City Commission Chambers.

I’ve lived in Montana about 25 years and checked out the casinos a few times. I found the casinos in Montana to be pretty boring compared to other casinos I’ve seen in other states and overseas. I’ve always felt if you’re going to allow gambling in a state, you might as well go big or go home. By the way, going big does not mean a mom and pop casino on almost every corner, like you’ll see if you drive down 10th Avenue South in Great Falls.

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