Bloomfield, NJ Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 478 of the Bloomfield Township Code, amended in its entirety 8-23-2021 by Ord. No. 21-33, is the Township of Bloomfield's smoking law. Section 478-3 sets four restrictions. Smoking is prohibited throughout all municipal buildings, within 25 feet of outside entrances, exits or wheelchair ramps serving any entrance or exit of those buildings, and in any vehicle registered to the Township. Subsection D then bans smoking within the outdoor parks and recreational facilities operated by the Township and listed in the section: Bloomfield Morris Canal Greenway, Brookside Park, Civic Center, Clark's Pond South, Collins House, Felton Field, Halcyon Park, Lionsgate Park, Memorial Park, Milbank Park, Morris Canal Park at Oak Tree Lane, Oakeside Mansion, Pulaski Park, Town Green, Vassar Field and Wright's Field.

The definition in § 478-1 is wide. Smoking means burning, inhaling from or exhaling smoke, or possessing a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, e-cigarette, hookah, or electronic smoking device that can deliver nicotine or other substances, or any other matter that contains tobacco, cannabis or anything else that can be smoked. Section 478-2 records the Township Council's finding that smoking is a substantial health hazard to the nonsmoking majority and that the public interest is especially concerned with preventing Bloomfield's youth from experimenting with tobacco, cannabis and nicotine products. Section 478-4(A) requires NO SMOKING signs to be conspicuously posted at every location covered by § 478-3.

The section reaches municipal buildings, Township vehicles and the parks named in the list; no private restaurant patio appears in it. A park not on the list, including any county or state park in Essex County, falls outside this chapter.