Yakima, WA Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- YMC § 6.08.015
- Mechanism
- Adopts RCW 69.50.445 by reference
- Prohibited
- Opening/consuming marijuana in public view
- Also adopted
- RCW 69.50.4013, .4014, .412, .4121, .475
- Update rule
- Automatic with state amendments
- Severability clause
- YMC § 6.08.040
Summary
Yakima has no standalone public-marijuana ordinance. Instead, YMC § 6.08.015 adopts a list of Revised Code of Washington sections by reference, including RCW 69.50.445, which bars opening a package of, or consuming, marijuana, usable marijuana or a marijuana-infused product in view of the general public. The adopted statute carries the same force as if the city had written it into the municipal code itself.
§ 6.08.015. Statutes adopted. The following Revised Code of Washington (RCW) sections, as currently enacted or as hereafter amended or recodified from time to time, are hereby adopted by reference and shall be given the same force and effect as if set forth herein in full: ... RCW 69.50.4013 Possession of Controlled Substances—Penalty—Possession of Usable Cannabis, Cannabis Concentrate, or Cannabis Infused Product—Delivery. RCW 69.50.4014 Possession of forty grams or less of marijuana—Penalty. RCW 69.50.412 Prohibited acts. RCW 69.50.4121 Drug paraphernalia—Selling or giving—Penalty. RCW 69.50.445 Opening package of or consuming marijuana, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused product in view of general public—Penalty. RCW 69.50.475 Cannabis retail outlets—Sale to persons under the age of twenty-one—Penalty. RCW 69.51A.060 Use or Display of Medical Marijuana.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4980636; v1 updated 2026-08-03; through 08-03-2026).
Full Breakdown
445, titled in the ordinance itself 'Opening package of or consuming marijuana, useable marijuana, or marijuana-infused product in view of general public,' which is the operative public-consumption ban Yakima enforces. 445 becomes Yakima law automatically, without a new city ordinance. 060 (medical marijuana use and display), so a person cited for consuming marijuana in public view can face related charges under those adopted sections if paraphernalia, an open package, or an underage sale is also involved. 040: if any adopted provision is struck down, the remaining adopted statutes and their local application stay in force.
Violations & Fines
A person who opens a package of marijuana or consumes it in view of the general public within Yakima city limits is cited under the state penalty RCW 69.50.445 sets, enforced locally because YMC § 6.08.015 gives it 'the same force and effect as if set forth herein in full.' Related adopted sections allow separate paraphernalia or possession charges if those are also present.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yakima have its own public marijuana consumption ordinance?
What exactly does the adopted statute prohibit?
Can Yakima police also charge paraphernalia or possession along with public use?
Does amending the state marijuana statute change Yakima's rule automatically?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yakima
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