Step 1: Notice where your day already goes smoke-free
Start by looking at the places you already can't smoke or vape. Montana's Clean Indoor Air Act, passed in 2005 and described on the state health department page cited below, bars smoking, including marijuana and e-cigarettes, in enclosed public places. Vaping was added with an update signed on May 8, 2025, which took effect right away. Businesses post no-smoking signs at every public entrance.
In Helena, City Resolution 20147 from February 2015 makes every developed city park and recreational facility tobacco-free, from parking lots and playgrounds to trails and warming houses, with the Bill Roberts Golf Course set aside. And Section 5-1-4(B) of the city code bars smoking close enough to an indoor public place that smoke drifts in through doors, windows or vents.
Write down where those rules touch your routine: the office door, the rink, the trailhead, the ballfield bleachers.
Step 2: Track a typical week
For seven days, jot down when and where you smoke or vape, and what you were doing just before. You don't need to change anything yet. The pattern gives you something specific to talk about with a provider.
Step 3: Choose the kind of provider that suits you
Three common formats appear in these listings:
- A one-to-one coach. Sessions focus on your own routines and plans.
- A consulting hypnotist. Sessions follow the hypnotist's own approach; ask how many they usually plan.
- A group program. A set series of meetings with others making the same change.
Think about whether you'd rather talk privately or with a group, and whether you want to meet in person or by video.
Step 4: Check with your doctor or pharmacist
If you have a health condition or take any regular medicine, speak with your own doctor or pharmacist before starting. Providers in this directory are not a replacement for that advice.
Step 5: Shortlist two or three providers
Use the listings on this page to pick a few independent providers serving the Helena area. Note their formats, locations and the times they offer. If you live out in the valley, count the drive in winter conditions.
Step 6: Ask the same questions of each
1. What does a first session involve, and how long does it last? 2. How many sessions do you plan, over what span of time? 3. What is the full cost, and what is extra? 4. Do you offer video sessions? 5. What do you ask me to do between meetings? 6. What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?
Write the answers side by side. Look for clear statements about cost, length and format. If a provider makes big promises about how fast or how easily things will go, take that as a reason to keep comparing rather than a reason to sign up.
Step 7: Pick a start date you can protect
Choose a week without a major work deadline, a legislative crunch or a school event. Tell one or two people you trust about the date so they know what you're doing.
Step 8: Plan around the places you used to smoke
Look back at Step 1. If your old routine was a cigarette on a park bench or a vape outside the office door, decide in advance what you'll do in that moment instead: a walk, a call, a glass of water. Helena's tobacco-free trails are an easy place to start that walk.
Step 9: Keep notes as you go
Each week, note what was harder and what was easier. Bring the notes to your sessions so the provider can adjust the plan with you. Small details count: which days were busy at work, whether cold weather changed your routine, whether a particular place or person made a moment harder. Those details are what make the next session more useful to you.
Step 10: Reassess if the fit isn't right
If a format doesn't suit you, it's fine to switch providers or try a different type. Go back to Step 3.
A note on this directory
This directory introduces you to independent providers. It doesn't run programs or check credentials. The state law and Helena rules cited below are public; confirm everything else directly with each provider.