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Bethlehem, PA Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing article
Codified Ordinances Article 744
Small amount threshold
30 grams marijuana or 8 grams hashish
First offense fine
$25
Fourth+ offense fine
$150 or community service
Adopted
Ordinance 2018-15, June 19, 2018

Summary

Bethlehem bans personal possession or use of a small amount of marijuana anywhere in the city, including public consumption, as a summary offense under Codified Ordinances section 744.02. Fines start at $25 and climb to $150 or community service for repeat violations within a calendar year.

744.02 POSSESSION. a. Personal Possession or Personal Use of Small Amounts of Marijuana. (1) So long as marijuana shall be listed as a controlled substance in the "Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act," 1972, April 14, P.L. 233, No. 64, § 1 et seq., 35 P.S. § 780-101 et seq., no person shall be in possession of a small amount of marijuana. (2) The following shall be summary offense violations of this section: a. Personal possession of a small amount of marijuana; or b. Personal use of a small amount of marijuana.

View official code

Full Breakdown

S. 780-113(a)(31). 02 separately makes personal use, meaning smoking, inhaling, vaporizing or burning marijuana in any device, a summary offense, and makes possession of marijuana paraphernalia a third, distinct summary offense. Because the ordinance is not limited to private property, an officer can cite someone for personal use anywhere in the city, including sidewalks, parks and other public spaces. 03 directs that any revenue collected under the Article be split between the Parks and Recreation Department's youth sports programs and the Police Department's community engagement projects, a local funding choice that is unique to Bethlehem's ordinance rather than boilerplate drug-law language. Article 744 was adopted by Ordinance 2018-15, passed June 19, 2018, and applies citywide across both Northampton and Lehigh Counties.

Violations & Fines

Fines escalate by calendar year and by category under section 744.99, since possession, use and paraphernalia are tracked separately. A first violation of any category draws a $25 fine, a second draws $50, a third draws $100, and a fourth or subsequent violation draws $150. On a fourth or later violation the court may instead suspend the fine if the person agrees to perform up to eight hours of community service. Each category (possession, use, paraphernalia) accumulates its own violation count within the same calendar year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is smoking marijuana in public illegal in Bethlehem, PA?
Yes. Codified Ordinances section 744.02 makes personal use of marijuana, defined as smoking, inhaling, vaporizing or burning it, a summary offense anywhere within the city, with no exception for public versus private property.
How much is the fine for a first marijuana possession offense in Bethlehem?
A first violation in a calendar year of personal possession of a small amount of marijuana draws a $25 fine under section 744.99(a)(1). The fine rises to $50 for a second violation and $100 for a third within the same year.
Can community service replace a marijuana fine in Bethlehem?
Only on a fourth or subsequent violation in the same calendar year. Section 744.99 lets the court suspend the $150 fine if the person agrees to perform up to eight hours of community service instead.

Sources & Official References

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All Bethlehem rules

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