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Colorado Springs, CO Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
City Code § 9.7.207
Covered locations
Streets, alleys, avenues, parks, stairways, halls, public places
Vehicle consumption
Separately banned under § 9.7.208
Maximum penalty
$2,500 fine and/or 189 days jail (§1.1.201)
Enacted by
Ordinance 13-19
Enforcing agency
Colorado Springs Police Department, Municipal Court

Summary

Colorado Springs City Code § 9.7.207 makes it unlawful to consume marijuana on any street, alley, avenue, or park, or upon any public stairway, hall, or other public place within the city. The Colorado Springs Police Department enforces the ban, and Municipal Court can impose the Code's general penalty of up to $2,500 and 189 days in jail.

It shall be unlawful for any person to consume marijuana in or upon any street, alley, avenue, or park, or upon any public stairway or hall, or in any other public place within the City. (Ord. 13-19)

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).

Full Breakdown

' The ban applies regardless of the amount involved and covers smoking, vaping, or otherwise ingesting marijuana anywhere the public has access: it does not distinguish medical from recreational use. 209's ban on residential concentrate manufacturing. 208, separately bars consuming marijuana inside a vehicle on any street, roadway, or public place, and makes a driver, owner, or person in control liable for knowingly permitting a passenger to consume. 201: a fine of up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination, at the Municipal Court's discretion.

Colorado Springs Police Department officers cite on-scene violations in parks, downtown streets, and other public rights-of-way; the ordinance traces to Ordinance 13-19 and keeps consumption confined to private property inside the city limits.

Violations & Fines

A first offense is a municipal misdemeanor charged in Colorado Springs Municipal Court under the Code's general penalty, Section 1.1.201: a fine of up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or any combination, since Section 9.7.207 sets no separate fine schedule. Police may cite on the spot in parks, sidewalks, or streets; the same conduct in a vehicle is separately charged under Section 9.7.208.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to smoke marijuana on a Colorado Springs sidewalk?
No. City Code § 9.7.207 makes it unlawful to consume marijuana on any street, alley, avenue, park, public stairway, hall, or other public place in Colorado Springs, regardless of the person's age or whether the marijuana was purchased legally. Consuming it in a public place anywhere within city limits can result in a citation.
Does Colorado's recreational marijuana law override this ban?
No. Colorado's constitutional marijuana amendment legalized possession and private use for adults 21 and older but never authorized public consumption anywhere in the state, so Colorado Springs' local ban under § 9.7.207 remains fully enforceable inside the city limits.
What happens if I consume marijuana inside my parked car?
It is still illegal. Section 9.7.208 separately prohibits consuming marijuana in any vehicle on a street, roadway, or public place in Colorado Springs, and it also makes a driver or owner liable for knowingly allowing a passenger to consume marijuana while the vehicle is in a public place.
What's the maximum fine for public marijuana consumption?
Section 9.7.207 has no fine schedule of its own, so a conviction falls under the Code's general penalty, Section 1.1.201: a fine of up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination, imposed by the Colorado Springs Municipal Court.

Sources & Official References

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