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

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

Key Facts

Legal possession limit
2 oz for adults 21+
Banned
Consuming marijuana openly and publicly
Also banned
Displaying marijuana on city property
Definition carve-out
Excludes private residential use
Max fine
$2,650 (§9.24.070)

Summary

Adults 21 and older may possess up to two ounces of marijuana in Manitou Springs, but consuming it openly and publicly, or in a way that endangers others, is unlawful under Section 9.24.030(A)(2). Displaying marijuana on city property is separately banned, and violations carry fines up to $2,650.

A.It is unlawful for any person twenty-one years of age or older to knowingly:1.Possess, use, display, purchase, or transport more than two ounces of marijuana, except as allowed by a valid medical marijuana registration card;2.Consume marijuana openly and publicly, or in a manner that endangers others;

Full Breakdown

030, but subsection A(2) carves out a specific ban: it is unlawful to knowingly consume marijuana openly and publicly, or in a manner that endangers others. 010 defines 'openly and publicly' as activity observable by the public or a substantial number of the public in a place the public can access without restriction, including streets, highways, transportation facilities, parks, playgrounds and the common areas of buildings, but the definition excludes activity on private residential property by the occupant or guests. 010 to include City Hall, city parks, city buildings, the pool and recreation facility, and city sidewalks and streets, is unlawful regardless of the two-ounce possession limit. 040, a much harsher offense than open public consumption.

Violations & Fines

A public-consumption or public-display charge under Section 9.24.030 is punished under Section 9.24.070, which sets a fine of up to $2,650 for the chapter generally. That section carves out a stiffer one-thousand-dollar minimum only for the separate offense of procuring marijuana for, or selling to, a minor under Section 9.24.040; ordinary public consumption does not carry that minimum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I smoke marijuana on my apartment balcony in Manitou Springs?
The public-consumption ban under Section 9.24.030(A)(2) turns on whether the activity is "openly and publicly" observable to a substantial number of the public; the city's definition of that phrase specifically excludes activity on private residential property by the occupant or guests.
Is it legal to walk down Manitou Avenue holding a joint I'm not smoking?
Possessing up to two ounces is lawful for anyone 21 or older, but Section 9.24.030(A)(5) separately bans displaying marijuana on city property, which includes city sidewalks and streets, so openly displaying it there can still be a violation.
What's the fine for smoking in public?
Up to $2,650 under Section 9.24.070, the general penalty for Chapter 9.24; that section's harsher $1,000 minimum applies only to procuring or selling marijuana to a minor, not to ordinary public consumption.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Manitou Springs

All Manitou Springs rules

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