Hawthorne, CA Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 8.48.030(A); defined at § 8.48.020
- "Smoking" defined to include
- Lighted marijuana
- Banned areas
- Enclosed public places, dining/events/seating, transit stops
- Buffer zone
- 20 feet from prohibited areas/entrances (§ 8.48.040)
- Cannabis lounge exception
- Licensed retail ancillary lounges (§ 8.48.045)
- Civil fine
- $100-$1,000 per violation (§ 8.48.060(C))
Summary
Hawthorne's smoking ordinance defines "smoking" to include possessing a lighted marijuana product, so its public-place bans apply directly to smoking weed. Under Municipal Code Section 8.48.030, that means no smoking marijuana in any enclosed public place, service area, outdoor dining area, outdoor public event, outdoor seating area, transit stop, or shared area of an apartment complex.
A. Smoking is prohibited in the following areas: 1. City Property. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter or by state or federal law, no person shall smoke or otherwise permit, allow, or suffer smoking in any city building or structure, city park or recreational facility, city parking lot or structure, or city vehicle. 2. Public Areas. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter or by state or federal law, no person shall smoke or otherwise permit, allow, or suffer smoking within any of the following areas: a. Enclosed public place; b. Service area; c. Outdoor dining area; d. Outdoor public event; e. Outdoor seating area; f. Public transit station or stop. 3. Enclosed Common Areas of Multi-Unit Residential Housing Complex. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter or by state or federal law, no person shall smoke or otherwise permit, allow, or suffer smoking within any enclosed common area of any multi-unit residential housing complex.
Full Breakdown
020 defines "smoking" or "to smoke" to mean possessing a lighted tobacco product, lighted tobacco paraphernalia, lighted marijuana, or any other lighted weed or plant, as well as lighting, emitting, or exhaling smoke or vapor from any of those, so the chapter's bans reach cannabis exactly the same way they reach cigarettes. 030(A) then lists three tiers of prohibited locations: all city property, including city buildings, parks, recreational facilities, parking lots and structures, and city vehicles; a list of public areas covering any enclosed public place, service area, outdoor dining area, outdoor public event, outdoor seating area, and public transit station or stop; and enclosed common areas of multi-unit residential housing complexes, such as hallways, lobbies, laundry rooms, and enclosed parking areas.
040 extends the ban another twenty feet beyond those locations, covering entrances, windows, and air-intake vents, except for someone actively passing through on the way elsewhere. 90 for on-site cannabis consumption ancillary to a licensed retail dispensary.
Violations & Fines
Section 8.48.060 makes any violation prosecutable, at the city attorney's discretion, as a misdemeanor, an infraction, or a civil administrative action, and separately authorizes a civil fine of not less than one hundred dollars and not more than one thousand dollars per violation in a civil enforcement action. Section 8.48.060(D) also declares any violation a public nuisance, letting the city pursue nuisance-abatement remedies on top of the fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hawthorne's smoking ban apply to marijuana?
Can I smoke marijuana on an outdoor restaurant patio in Hawthorne?
What's the fine for smoking marijuana somewhere it's banned in Hawthorne?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawthorne
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