Phoenix, AZ Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governs
- Parks & mountain preserve areas
- Trigger
- Posted no-smoking signs
- Covers
- Marijuana/cannabis, by definition
- Penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500
- Who posts signs
- Parks & Recreation Director
Summary
Phoenix prohibits smoking marijuana in any park or mountain preserve area once signs are posted banning it, under Sec. 24-42 of the City Code.
No person shall smoke or start a fire in a park or mountain preserve area where one or more signs are posted prohibiting such activity.
B. The Director of the Parks and Recreation Department is authorized to post signs prohibiting smoking and fires in parks and mountain preserve areas when there is a risk of fire becoming uncontrolled due to dry vegetation or climatic conditions.
C. "Smoke" or "smoking" means inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette, pipe, hookah, or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation, whether natural or synthetic, including marijuana/cannabis, in any manner or in any form. "Smoking" includes the use of an electronic smoking device which creates an aerosol or vapor, in any manner or in any form, or the use of any oral smoking device. (Ord. No. G-2638, § 1; Ord. No. G-3919, § 1, 1996; Ord. No. G-4320, § 1, 2001; Ord. No. G-4419, § 5, 2002; Ord. No. G-5220, § 1, 2008; Ord. No. G-7466, § 4, 2025) Cross reference—Fire prevention, ch. 15; smoking regulations, § 23-101 et seq.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 24-42 bars smoking or starting a fire in a park or mountain preserve area wherever the Parks and Recreation Director has posted no-smoking signs, and its definition of "smoking" expressly names marijuana/cannabis alongside tobacco and vaping devices. Because Arizona's adult-use law (A.R.S. § 36-2852) does not protect public consumption, this City Code layer gives Phoenix a real, sign-triggered mechanism to shut down marijuana smoking across its park and preserve system, including popular hiking areas like South Mountain and Camelback.
Violations & Fines
Violating a posted no-smoking area in a park or mountain preserve is a Class 1 misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty section, punishable by a fine up to $2,500, up to 6 months in jail, or up to 3 years probation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke marijuana in a Phoenix park?
What happens if I'm caught?
Does Arizona's legal marijuana law override this?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
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Public Marijuana Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle public marijuana use.