Bergen County, NJ Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)

" The ban covers every park in the system, from Van Saun County Park to Overpeck County Park to Ramapo Valley Reservation, and reaches vape pens and other electronic delivery devices, not just lit cigarettes or joints. There is no carve-out for a designated smoking area anywhere in the ordinance text. Designated Parks Department employees and the Bergen County Sheriff's Office are authorized under Article IX to enforce this rule and eject anyone who violates it from county park property; an ejection can escalate to a seasonal or lifetime ban from the entire park system.

Because the ordinance sets no specific penalty for a smoking or cannabis violation, it falls under the Article IX catch-all: a fine of $100 to $2,000, up to 90 days in the county jail or 90 days of community service, or both. A second violation of the same rule within one year draws an additional repeat-offender fine layered on top of the base penalty.