Representative Melody Cunningham, sponsor of House Bill 792, opened a Senate Business and Labor Committee hearing requesting standardized, clearer warnings on cannabis packaging and at the point of sale.

"The intent of this bill is to ensure that consumers have access to clear, visible, and effective health warnings at the point of sale," Representative Melody Cunningham said, telling senators she drafted the bill after reviewing current Cannabis Control Division materials and visiting dispensaries.

Supporters told the committee the bill targets gaps in consumer awareness. The bill would require point-of-sale posters, a yellow-triangle marijuana caution icon, minimum font size (sponsor text cites a minimum of one-sixteenth inch and use of lowercase "o" for readability), and a terser label in place of the clinical phrase "cannabinoid hyperemesis" — replacing it with the plain-language phrase "excessive vomiting." The draft also adds a required warning about driving: "Driving under the influence of marijuana is a crime," the sponsor said.

Addiction counselors, pediatricians and public-health advocates testified in favor. Liana Troesh of Safe Montana said pictorial warnings help reach nonreaders and children who encounter discarded packaging. Lauren Wilson, a pediatrician who identified herself as the immediate past president and advocacy chair of the Montana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said clinicians see pregnant and breastfeeding patients using cannabis and described clinical harms she and other physicians have observed, including "excessive vomiting" and psychiatric effects in vulnerable adolescents.

Colleen Smith, executive director of Youth Connections, cited survey and testing data she said show high rates of cannabis use and driving after use; she also provided non‑graphic poster drafts and suggested helpline information and citations be included on materials. Kristen Pendergrass, vice president for state policy at Shatterproof, supported clearer labeling to reduce youth risks and said early use increases the chance of later cannabis use disorder.

Industry witnesses and trade groups strongly opposed compulsory graphic imagery and some other proposed elements. Pepper Peterson, chair of the Montana Cannabis Guild and a Helena dispensary owner, said graphic images — including a poster he described as showing a sick baby — would harm customers and employees and risk legal challenges. "Do no harm," Peterson told the committee, arguing the images could retraumatize people with post-traumatic stress and drive customers away.

Kate Holeeva of the Montana Cannabis Industry Association asked for regulatory parity with alcohol and tobacco and urged a later implementation date so businesses could use existing label stock. Industry witnesses said they support warnings about driving and child safety but object to what they described as unusually graphic mandatory imagery and to creating the perception that cannabis is uniquely more dangerous than other legal substances.

Other opponents online and in the room disputed some of the evidence cited by proponents. Antoinette Leininger, founder of Sacred Sun Farms, cited DPHHS numbers she said show alcohol-related deaths and argued cannabis has not caused comparable fatalities; she proposed an interim committee to develop an education strategy instead of immediate graphic labeling.

Department/staff testimony: a staff member responding to committee questions said helplines and treatment resources exist in Montana but are not currently required by statute to appear on cannabis packaging. When pressed about tax revenue, the staff witness estimated roughly $60 million annually in tax receipts tied to marijuana sales.

Committee action and next steps: the committee opened HB 792 for testimony and took extensive proponent and opponent testimony but did not take a vote during the hearing. Several senators signaled interest in amendments and a phased implementation; Senator Curti said he planned to file amendments. No formal committee decision or final action was recorded in the transcript excerpt.

Ending: The bill will remain under consideration by the Senate Business and Labor Committee; committee members indicated they will weigh suggested language changes, implementation timelines and whether to link labeling changes to state-funded outreach or helpline resources.