Where smoking is banned
New York City prohibits smoking in a notably broad range of public spaces: all indoor workplaces, restaurants and bars (since 2003), parks, beaches, pedestrian plazas (including Times Square), outdoor dining areas, sports stadiums, and public transit vehicles and stations. The list has been expanding consistently for two decades.
Cannabis
Cannabis was legalised for recreational use in New York State in 2021. However, the rules around where you can consume it largely mirror tobacco rules — smoking cannabis in the same places tobacco is banned (parks, beaches, outdoor dining areas, building entrances) is also prohibited. Consumption in licensed cannabis lounges is permitted where those businesses exist. Do not smoke cannabis in hotel rooms — the cleaning fees are substantial and the hotel rules are independent of state law.
Vaping
E-cigarettes and vaping devices are subject to the same public space restrictions as tobacco in New York City. Vaping in a park, on a beach, or in a restaurant is not permitted.
Enforcement
Enforcement is real but uneven — in tourist-heavy areas you'll frequently see people smoking in prohibited spaces without consequence, and in others the rules are actively enforced. The existence of regulations should be taken at face value; the likelihood of being fined depends heavily on context.
Outdoor rules that surprise visitors
Beyond the indoor prohibition, New York bans smoking within 15 feet of entrances, exits, and windows of any building — which in practice means most sidewalk areas directly outside a bar or restaurant entrance are also off-limits. Smoking is prohibited in all city parks, on all beaches, in pedestrian plazas (including Times Square), and on outdoor dining areas. These rules are enforced unevenly in practice — you'll see people smoking in technical violation regularly — but fines are real when enforced, and the outdoor rules are stricter than most visitors expect compared to their home cities.
Vaping and e-cigarettes
E-cigarettes and vaping devices are subject to the same restrictions as traditional cigarettes in New York City — prohibited everywhere smoking is prohibited, including parks, beaches, and indoor public spaces. The city has also banned flavoured e-cigarette cartridges. In practice, enforcement of vaping rules in parks is more sporadic than cigarette enforcement, but the legal position is the same.
Cannabis
Cannabis is legal for adults in New York State (21+), but public consumption rules are similar to smoking — permitted in the same locations where smoking is permitted, prohibited in most public places. Consumption is not permitted in parks, on beaches, in vehicles, or near schools. Dispensaries are operating across the city following a delayed licensing rollout; they vary considerably in product range and pricing.