Gulfport, MS Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Section 7-189 lists six specific outdoor smoking prohibitions: within 20 feet of entrances, exits and ventilation systems serving enclosed no-smoking areas; in outdoor restaurant seating that cannot accommodate at least 20 patrons indoors; in covered outdoor areas that are 50 percent or more enclosed by walls; in sports and recreation venues including bleachers, concession areas and connected sidewalks; on all outdoor property controlled or leased by the city, explicitly including parks, sports fields, tennis courts, walkways, wharfs, piers and transit platforms; and on the grounds of any school, from preschool through 12th grade, or any childcare facility or summer camp.

Section 7-190 sets the 20-foot buffer as a straight-line measurement from the nearest entrance, exit, window or ventilation system. Limited exemptions exist under Section 7-191, including up to 20 percent of hotel rooms designated as contiguous smoking rooms, private clubs not open to the public, private residences except those used as childcare or health facilities, casino gaming floors in the Entertainment-Gaming zoning district, and bars that exclude anyone under 21. Section 7-197 sets penalties: a smoker in a prohibited area faces a fine up to $100, while an owner or manager who fails to comply faces $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second within a year, and up to $500 for a third or later violation within that year, plus possible business license suspension after a hearing. The article was adopted by Ordinance No. 2579 on March 18, 2008, and each day of violation counts as a separate offense.