Stafford Township, NJ Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Who is covered
- Anyone 21 years of age or older
- Where
- Any public place, including indoor public places
- Method covered
- Any consumption other than smoking, vaping or aerosolizing
- Penalty
- Civil penalty of up to $200
- Adopted
- 5-11-2021, Ordinance No. 2021-11
- Cannabis businesses
- Prohibited by § 211-4.1(B), except outside-based delivery
Summary
Stafford Township bars anyone 21 or older from consuming a cannabis item in a public place by any method other than smoking, vaping or aerosolizing, and that includes any indoor public place. The penalty under § 214-4(B) is a civil penalty of up to $200.
A. No person 21 years of age or older may consume, other than by smoking, vaping, or aerosolizing, any cannabis item in a public place, including any indoor public place as that term is defined in Section 3 of P.L. 2005, c. 383 (N.J.S.A. 26:3D-57), or portion thereof. B. Any person found to be in violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $200.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 214 of the Stafford Township Code was adopted by the Township Council on 5-11-2021 by Ordinance No. 2021-11, and it repealed the former Chapter 214, Recreational Marijuana. Section 214-1 states the purpose: the prohibition of the consumption of cannabis items within the Township of Stafford to the extent possible under P.L. 2021, c. 16, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act.
The public-place rule is § 214-4(A). No person 21 years of age or older can consume, other than by smoking, vaping, or aerosolizing, any cannabis item in a public place, including any indoor public place as defined in Section 3 of P.L. 2005, c. 383 (N.J.S.A. 26:3D-57), or a portion of one. The text reaches consumption by every method except smoking, vaping and aerosolizing. Section 214-2 defines a cannabis item as any usable cannabis, cannabis product, cannabis extract and any other cannabis resin, and it excludes medical cannabis dispensed to registered qualifying patients and hemp products sold under the New Jersey Hemp Farming Act.
Section 214-3 covers the other end of the age line. A person under the legal age cannot knowingly possess or knowingly consume, other than by smoking, vaping or aerosolizing, a cannabis item on private property. For an adult under the legal age holding a lawful amount, the penalty is a civil penalty of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second and a fine of $350 for a third or later. If the amount exceeds the lawful amount or the item is consumed, the fine is $250 for a first offense and $350 for a second or later offense.
Separately, § 211-4.1(B) of the Zoning chapter prohibits cannabis cultivators, delivery services, distributors, manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers from operating anywhere in Stafford Township, except for delivery by a licensed delivery service based and initiated from a licensed location outside the Township.
Violations & Fines
Under § 214-4(B), any person found in violation of the public-consumption rule is subject to a civil penalty of up to $200. The penalty is civil, not a criminal fine or jail term. The section sets no separate escalating schedule for repeat public-consumption offenses; the escalating $100, $200 and $350 penalties in § 214-3(B)(1) apply to underage possession on private property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to consume cannabis in public in Stafford Township?
How much is the fine for public cannabis use in Stafford?
Does Chapter 214 apply to medical cannabis patients?
Can I buy cannabis in Stafford Township?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stafford Township
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