Riverside, CA Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- RMC § 9.07.040
- Prohibited
- Minors consuming cannabis/alcohol in public places
- Private-place exception
- Alcohol only, with parent/guardian supervision
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor: up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
- Chapter
- 9.07 – Social Host of Minors Accountability
- Last amended
- Ord. 7629 § 4, 2023
Summary
Riverside Municipal Code § 9.07.040 makes it unlawful for anyone under 18 to consume cannabis, alcohol, or any other controlled substance in a public place or place open to the public. The rule sits inside the city's Social Host of Minors Accountability chapter, adopted to curb underage gatherings.
Except as permitted by state law, it is unlawful for any minor to: A.Consume at any public place or any place open to the public any alcoholic beverage, cannabis, or other controlled substance; or B.Consume at any place that is not open to the public any alcoholic beverage, unless in connection with the consumption of the alcoholic beverage that minor is being supervised by his or her parent or legal guardian.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
" A narrower exception exists only for alcohol consumed at a private location while the minor is directly supervised by a parent or legal guardian: cannabis and other controlled substances get no such carve-out anywhere in the section. 010) explain the City Council's rationale: gatherings where minors consume alcohol, cannabis, or controlled substances are declared a public nuisance because they foster excessive noise, obstruction of streets, assault, harassment, disorderly conduct, littering, and vandalism that disturb neighborhoods and reduce property values. 040 was retitled by Ord.
7629 § 4 in 2023, swapping the word "marijuana" for "cannabis" throughout, but the underlying prohibition traces back to Ord. 6090 in 1993. 110: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in County jail, or both, unless the City Attorney elects to charge it as an infraction (capped at a $250 fine). 110(D).
Violations & Fines
A minor caught consuming cannabis in a public place, or at a private gathering without qualifying parental supervision, is subject to prosecution under RMC § 1.01.110 as a misdemeanor (up to $1,000 fine and/or six months in County jail) or, at the City Attorney's discretion, as an infraction (up to $250). Related host-accountability provisions in the same chapter (§§ 9.07.050–9.07.090) let the City pursue abatement costs and attorney's fees against anyone who knowingly hosts a gathering where a minor consumes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal for a minor to smoke cannabis in a Riverside park?
Can a minor drink alcohol at home in Riverside?
What happens if a minor is cited under this section?
Does this rule also cover adults who host the gathering?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California public conduct overview
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Public Marijuana Use in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle public marijuana use.