As many celebrate the legalization of marijuana, not everyone wants to smell it. There have been so many complaints, Times Square is now reminding weed lovers that all smoking is banned from the public plaza, and there are new signs posted to alert everyone. NBC New York’s Myles Miller reports.
Anywhere you look in Times Square, you'll see a wide variety of things going on. One of the most common: people smoking.
But look a bit closer and you'll see the new signs that put it bluntly: Smoking is prohibited here.
"We received a lot of complaints about people smoking in the public realm, both cigarettes and marijuana," said President of the Times Square Alliance, Tom Harris. "We wanted to make sure that people knew that the plazas and parks weren't going to pot and that there were rules in place."
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The rule he's referring to is the city's Smoke Free Air Act, which prohibits smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes in most public spaces which includes parks and pedestrian plazas.
Father Duffy Square is a park, with the pedestrian plazas clearly marked. That means no smoking — whether it's cigarettes, cigars, joints, vapes, or more — is allowed.
Smoking is permitted on the side streets, and people can smoke in the confines of their home (legally speaking, that is, as different buildings have different rules that may prohibit smoking). But vices shouldn't interfere with other people's enjoyment of the public realm.
Weed smoking in Times Square is so prevalent that the smell interrupted a press conference the mayor was hosting with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the city's top lawyer.
"One law that was passed is clearly being practiced right now cause I smell some weed. Someone is smoking," Adams said.
Tourists smell it, too.
"Well, there's a lot of weed smokers in this city. Smells a lot," one visitor said.
he state legalized recreational marijuana use in 2021, but smoking in a prohibited area can trigger a $50 fine.
The education campaign in Times Square comes as the state this week rolled out its second recreational marijuana dispensary in city. Just remember: You can buy it there, but that doesn't mean you can smoke it anywhere.
