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Deerfield Beach, FL Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
City Code § 18-241
Adopted
Ord. No. 2020/009, 2-18-20
Scope
Sale, use, distribution, cultivation, warehousing
Exemption
State-registered qualified patients only
Penalty basis
General penalty, City Code § 1-15
Extra remedy
City may seek injunctive relief

Summary

City Code section 18-241 prohibits the sale, use, distribution, cultivation or warehousing of non-medical marijuana anywhere in Deerfield Beach, including in public. Only marijuana dispensed from a state-licensed facility to a registered qualified patient for medical use is exempt from the ban.

Non-medical marijuana means all marijuana that is not medical marijuana. (b) Prohibition. The sale, use, distribution, cultivation, or warehousing of non-medical marijuana is hereby prohibited. This prohibition shall not be construed to prohibit or otherwise regulate medical marijuana. (c) Penalties. (1) Any violation of this section shall be punishable pursuant to section 1-15 of this Code. (2) The city is authorized to pursue any and all remedies set forth in this section and any other remedies permitted under applicable law. Nothing in this section shall prevent or restrict the city from taking any such other lawful action in any court of competent jurisdiction in order to prevent or remedy any violation or noncompliance, including but not limited to injunctive relief. (3) All remedies and penalties provided for in this section shall be cumulative and independently available to the city.

Full Breakdown

Article VII of Chapter 18, adopted by Ordinance No. 2020/009 on February 18, 2020, imposes a citywide prohibition on non-medical marijuana. " Because the ban reaches "use" without any carve-out for private versus public settings, it applies to consuming marijuana in public places in Deerfield Beach just as much as selling or growing it. 986(j). Any marijuana that does not meet that narrow medical definition is "non-medical marijuana" and is banned outright, with no exception carved out for possession or use on private property. Violations are punishable under the city's general penalty provision, section 1-15 of the Code, and the city commission reserved additional enforcement tools: the section authorizes the city to "pursue any and all remedies set forth in this section and any other remedies permitted under applicable law," including injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, and states that all remedies and penalties are cumulative rather than exclusive of one another.

Violations & Fines

Selling, using, distributing, cultivating or warehousing non-medical marijuana anywhere in Deerfield Beach, public or private, violates section 18-241 and is punishable under the general penalty schedule of section 1-15. The city may also seek injunctive relief and any other lawful remedy in court, and all remedies and penalties available under the section are cumulative rather than limited to one path of enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal to smoke marijuana in public in Deerfield Beach?
Yes. Section 18-241 prohibits the "use" of non-medical marijuana anywhere in the city, with no exception for private versus public locations. Unless the person is a Florida-registered qualified patient using marijuana dispensed from a state-licensed facility for a qualifying medical condition, consuming marijuana in a Deerfield Beach public place violates this section.
Does Deerfield Beach's marijuana ban apply to medical marijuana patients?
No. Section 18-241(b) expressly states the prohibition "shall not be construed to prohibit or otherwise regulate medical marijuana." The exemption is narrow: it only covers marijuana dispensed from a state-licensed facility to a qualified patient holding a valid Florida medical marijuana identification card, as defined under Florida Statutes section 381.986.
What can the city do to enforce the marijuana prohibition?
Beyond the general penalty in section 1-15, section 18-241 lets the city pursue any other lawful remedy, including injunctive relief in court. The section specifies that all remedies and penalties it authorizes are cumulative, meaning the city is not limited to a single enforcement path against a violator.

Sources & Official References

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