Hartford, CT Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 25 feet from playgrounds/splash pads
- Covered substances
- tobacco and cannabis smoking/vaping
- Signage
- Required at each restricted area
- Fine
- $99 per infraction
- Enacted
- Ord. of 4-17-24
Summary
Hartford bans smoking or vaping tobacco and cannabis within 25 feet of any playground or splash pad citywide, with signs required to mark the no-smoking zone.
Smoking of tobacco and cannabis products is hereby explicitly prohibited within all splash pads and playgrounds. Signage shall be displayed in the mentioned areas. The prohibition of this activity should be a twenty-five (25) feet proximity around the playgrounds and splash pads. This prohibition is enacted to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in areas commonly frequented by children and families.(2)"Smoking" shall be defined as the act of burning or vaporizing a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, e-cigarette, or any other matter or substance that contains tobacco, marijuana, or similar products. (Ord. No. 32-09, 9-14-09; Ord. of 4-17-24)
Full Breakdown
Sec. 17-76(1), added by ordinance in 2024, prohibits smoking or vaping tobacco and cannabis products within a 25-foot radius of any splash pad or playground in Hartford, regardless of who owns the site. The city must post signage in these areas to notify the public of the restriction. The provision sits inside the Article IV smokefree ordinance, which the Police Department and Health Department jointly enforce; a violation is an infraction carrying a flat fine, with each smoking incident treated as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Smoking within 25 feet of a playground or splash pad is an infraction with a $99 fine per occurrence, enforced by Hartford Police and Health Department designees (Sec. 17-80, 17-81).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke in a Hartford park near a playground?
What's the fine for smoking near a Hartford playground?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hartford
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