West New York, NJ Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 345 of the Code of the Town of West New York was adopted by the Board of Commissioners on 6-19-2013 by Ord. No. 12/13. It replaced an older chapter that covered only Miller Stadium and certain playgrounds. The preamble cites N.J.S.A. 26:3D-63 and N.J.S.A. 2C:33-13b as the basis for local rules stricter than the state standard, and it names two goals: keeping the youth of West New York away from tobacco experimentation and cutting the cigarette litter that falls to the Department of Public Works.

Section 345-1 defines smoking as the burning of, inhaling from, exhaling the smoke from, or possession of a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or any other matter that can be smoked, and it adds inhaling or exhaling smoke or vapor from an electronic smoking device. Vaping is therefore covered. Municipal buildings means every structure the Town owns, leases, rents or operates, plus structures occupied by Town employees and used for official business.

The park rule reaches past the park itself. Parks and recreational facilities means public parks, playgrounds, ball fields, swimming pools and plazas that the Town owns or leases, along with other Town property where the public is invited and gathers for recreation, and the definition pulls in adjacent sidewalks, parking areas, driveways and drive aisles. Under § 345-2(C) the ban applies where the area has been designated with no-smoking signs.

Signs are part of the rule. Section 345-2(A) and (B) require no-smoking signs or the international no-smoking symbol, a burning cigarette inside a red circle with a diagonal red line, at each municipal building entrance, inside closed areas where smoking is prohibited, and at the thirty-five-foot perimeter. Every sign must be clearly visible, contrast in color, and say that violators are subject to a fine. Section 345-2(D) bans smoking in any municipal vehicle registered to the Town.