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Chandler, AZ Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)

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

Key Facts

Covered property
any city-owned/occupied/controlled site
Covered substances
marijuana plant, resin, concentrate, products
Violation type
civil infraction, not misdemeanor
Enforcement chapter
Code Chapter 26
Adopted
Ord. No. 4949, Dec. 10, 2020
Distinct from
state Prop 207 possession law

Summary

Consuming marijuana or marijuana products anywhere occupied, owned, controlled or operated by the City of Chandler is unlawful under City Code § 11-17.2, covering city parks, sidewalks, government buildings and other public property. A violation is a civil infraction enforced under Chapter 26 of the Code, not a criminal charge.

Consume, Consuming, and Consumption mean the act of ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing marijuana into the human body. ... 11-17.2. Marijuana possession and consumption prohibited on public property. It is unlawful to consume marijuana or marijuana products on property that is occupied, owned, controlled, or operated by the City of Chandler.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79).

Full Breakdown

1 defines "marijuana" broadly to include all parts of the cannabis plant, its resin, and every compound, derivative or preparation made from it, plus marijuana concentrate and marijuana products such as edibles, ointments, tinctures and vapor solutions, while expressly excluding industrial hemp. "Consume" is defined as ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing marijuana into the body. 2 then bars that conduct on any property the City occupies, owns, controls or operates, which sweeps in parks, libraries, municipal buildings, sidewalks within city rights-of-way and similar public spaces.

2 targets. Chandler adopted the whole marijuana-regulation section, including the public-consumption ban, by Ordinance No. 4949 on December 10, 2020, shortly after Proposition 207 took effect statewide, pairing the public-use restriction with separate citywide prohibitions on recreational retail stores and marijuana testing facilities.

Violations & Fines

A violation of § 11-17.2 is a civil infraction under Chapter 26 of the Code per § 11-17.5, meaning code enforcement or police issue a civil citation carrying a fine rather than pursuing a criminal misdemeanor charge; the case is handled through Chandler Municipal Court's civil infraction docket rather than the criminal track used for most other Chapter 11 offenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this ban apply to city parks?
Yes. "Public property" isn't defined narrowly in § 11-17, but the ban text covers any property "occupied, owned, controlled, or operated by the City of Chandler," which includes city parks, sidewalks in city rights-of-way, libraries and municipal buildings.
Can I be arrested for smoking marijuana at a Chandler park?
No. Section 11-17.5 makes a violation a civil infraction handled under Chapter 26 of the Code, similar to a code-enforcement ticket, rather than a criminal misdemeanor charge that could lead to arrest.
Does Arizona's Proposition 207 protect public consumption?
No. Proposition 207 (A.R.S. § 36-2852) legalized possession and private use for adults 21 and over, but it doesn't require cities to allow consumption on public property, which is exactly what Chandler's § 11-17.2 prohibits city-wide.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Chandler

All Chandler rules

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