Queen Anne's County, MD Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

The tobacco ban is the second sentence of § 22-20 E(3) of the Queen Anne's County Code: the lighting and use of tobacco products are prohibited on County property. It appears under the fires subsection, and the heading to subsection E states that violation of the regulations below constitutes a Class e offense. Section 22-20 opens by applying its regulations to all property under the supervision or control of the Department of Parks and Recreation, so the ban reaches County parks, picnic areas, trails and facilities the Department runs. It is written as a flat prohibition with no designated smoking area, no distance limit and no permit route. This record covers that County property rule. It does not address smoking in private businesses, in unincorporated Queen Anne's County generally, or inside the incorporated towns of Centreville, Queenstown, Church Hill, Sudlersville, Barclay, Templeville and Millington.

The first sentence of E(3) is a separate fire-hazard rule: building of fires may be prohibited or limited by the Director when a fire hazard exists. Fires themselves are permitted only on public campgrounds and picnic areas, restricted to established fireplaces and privately owned grills or stoves in areas the Director designates, under E(1). Under E(2), people who have made fires must wet hot coals until they are thoroughly soaked and cold before leaving, and E(4) prohibits ground fires. So a smoker at a picnic area cannot rely on the grill exception, because the tobacco sentence stands apart from the fire rules.

Enforcement under § 22-24 belongs to any County employee designated by resolution of the County Commissioners, the Department of Natural Resources, the Queen Anne's County Sheriff, the Maryland State Police and other agencies the County Commissioners designate. Interfering with the designee in the performance of duties is a violation under § 22-24 B.