Scranton, PA Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- 5-5-2016, Ord. No. 23-2016
- Covers
- City parks/playgrounds with children present
- Fine
- $25 per violation
- Includes
- Cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes
- Excludes
- FDA-approved cessation products
Summary
Scranton designates every city park and playground where children are present as tobacco-free, banning cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes outright under City Code § 332-24. Violators must leave the park immediately and can be fined $25 under § 332-27, the only public outdoor smoking ban in the city's code.
All City, parks and playgrounds within the City of Scranton where children are present shall be designated as tobacco-free and the use of any tobacco product or electronic cigarette, in any form, shall be prohibited hereafter; a list of all City parks and playgrounds is attached hereto as Exhibit A ... Any person in violation of this article shall be: forced to leave the park or playground and may be fined for violation of this section in the amount of $25; and
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4719898; v25 updated 2025-12-16; through 12-16-2025).
Full Breakdown
Adopted in 2016 by Ordinance No. § 332-29 defines 'tobacco product' broadly to include cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and snuff, plus any electronic device that delivers nicotine or other substances by inhalation, such as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe or hookah, while expressly excluding FDA-approved cessation products. The city must post appropriate signage marking tobacco-free areas under § 332-25 and notify residents of the designated zones under § 332-26. § 332-28 lets Council's elected and appointed officials make periodic observations of tobacco-free areas to monitor compliance and promote awareness, rather than relying only on complaint-driven enforcement.
Because the ban is tied to areas where children are present rather than to every outdoor public space citywide, it covers designated parks and playgrounds specifically and does not by its terms reach sidewalks, restaurant patios or other outdoor areas outside those listed sites.
Violations & Fines
A person smoking or vaping in a designated tobacco-free park or playground must leave the area and can be fined $25 under § 332-27. Elected and appointed city officials are authorized under § 332-28 to conduct periodic observations of tobacco-free zones to check compliance rather than waiting solely for complaints.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ban cover e-cigarettes and vapes?
Which parks are covered?
What is the penalty for smoking in a tobacco-free park?
Does Scranton ban smoking on sidewalks or restaurant patios too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scranton
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