Medford, MA Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Medford's smoking ordinance treats outdoor parks the same as indoor municipal buildings. Section 58-43(a)(3) prohibits smoking by any individual in parks, commons, playgrounds and outdoor recreational areas, effective 24 hours a day, seven days a week, unless the board of park commissioners has designated a specific area within the park where smoking is permitted. A parallel provision in the same subsection, Section 58-43(a)(4), applies the identical around-the-clock ban to Hormel Stadium and its grounds, again subject only to areas the Hormel Stadium Commission designates for smoking.

Because Section 58-42 defines 'smoking' to include lighting or carrying any lighted 'non-tobacco product designed to be combusted or inhaled,' the outdoor park ban reaches marijuana and vaping as well as tobacco. Section 58-43(a)(5) sets an escalating fine schedule specific to this subsection: not less than $100.00 for a first violation, not less than $150.00 for a second, not less than $200.00 for a third, and, for a fourth or later violation, the citywide general penalty of Section 1-13 but not less than $250.00. Every area where smoking is barred must post conspicuous 'no smoking' signage under Section 58-43(d), and Wright's Pond specifically bars dogs from its grounds and water at all times under the separate parks ordinance in Section 62-95, though that section addresses animals rather than smoking.

Enforcement of the smoking ban runs through the police department, board of health and tobacco control department named in Section 58-46, and a person cited can appeal to the board of health under Section 58-47 before pursuing further court appeal.