Washington Smoking Laws: Advice for Enjoying a Smoke?

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Siefour

Lurker
Oct 21, 2022
13
31
Not sure this is the exact right place to put this, but I'm hoping to find some advice. I recently moved to the west side of Washington, fairly close to the Canadian border. My town has passed even more extensive "no smoking in public" laws than the normal state laws, and It has made it nearly impossible to think of places I can enjoy my pipe. I am in an apartment, and do not currently know anyone who owns a home. How do western Washingtonians enjoy a pipe? All advice is very much appreciated. Would also love to hear about any pipe clubs in this part of the state if you know of any.
 

Siefour

Lurker
Oct 21, 2022
13
31
Hello from Orcas... public smoking laws in WA:


what town are you in that is even more draconian?!
Hello! Haven't had a chance to get out to Orcas yet, but I hear it is beautiful. Currently in Bellingham. The laws as I have read them state that smoking anywhere in public that isn't a designated smoking area is prohibited.
 

Auxsender

Lifer
Jul 17, 2022
1,134
5,838
Nashville
I love Washington and Oregon and California but I don’t understand what their goals are with such strict, omnipresent smoking laws.

Are they hoping cancer rates will plummet? Not likely.
Are they trying to “stick it” to a certain group?

I suspect my views and their’s are very tightly aligned in almost every other way but this “no smoking anywhere, ever” nonsense seems unnecessary and absurd to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ThermionicScott
Apr 26, 2012
3,624
8,515
Washington State
In my neck of the woods, the neighboring town of Vancouver, WA passed some smoking laws about 10 years ago that prohibit all tobacco products in public parks. Mainly because cigarette smokers were leaving their butts everywhere instead of disposing of them properly. Not really anything to do with second-hand smoke, but just trying to keep the parks cleaner. Over the past 10 years I've not heard of anyone really enforcing the law as the local police have more important things to deal with than someone smoking a cigarette, cigar and/or pipe in a park.

In my town I have on many occasions taken a pipe or a cigar on a walk while out walking one of my dogs. Other times I'll take a pipe and visit the local lake and enjoy a walk on the trails or just sit and enjoy the view. No laws prohibiting smoking in our local parks. I've seen numerous people enjoying the seating in our downtown area with a cigarette, and never an issue.

If you're minding your own business and not generating complaints from other people, I highly doubt the local law enforcement will contact you about smoking a pipe while on a walk or sitting on a park bench etc. If they do, then they're really bored and will most likely just ask you to put it out.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,985
50,253
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
In my neck of the woods, the neighboring town of Vancouver, WA passed some smoking laws about 10 years ago that prohibit all tobacco products in public parks. Mainly because cigarette smokers were leaving their butts everywhere instead of disposing of them properly. Not really anything to do with second-hand smoke, but just trying to keep the parks cleaner. Over the past 10 years I've not heard of anyone really enforcing the law as the local police have more important things to deal with than someone smoking a cigarette, cigar and/or pipe in a park.

In my town I have on many occasions taken a pipe or a cigar on a walk while out walking one of my dogs. Other times I'll take a pipe and visit the local lake and enjoy a walk on the trails or just sit and enjoy the view. No laws prohibiting smoking in our local parks. I've seen numerous people enjoying the seating in our downtown area with a cigarette, and never an issue.

If you're minding your own business and not generating complaints from other people, I highly doubt the local law enforcement will contact you about smoking a pipe while on a walk or sitting on a park bench etc. If they do, then they're really bored and will most likely just ask you to put it out.
My experience in San Francisco. I smoked everywhere with no issues. I remember relaxing on a bench at a park in North Beach, enjoying a pipe when a policeman strolled past. He glanced at me, smiled, and walked on. They have more serious problems to focus on.
Walked all around downtown Portland enjoying a pipe and nobody cared.
 
Dec 9, 2023
1,088
12,083
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I live in Olympia. The cops don't enforce anything. Good luck even finding one. I say light up whenever and wherever you want. Most folks here won't care anyway.
Hey! I used to live there, glad I got back home to the Midwest lol. Anyways I smoked cig’s wherever and had no hassles. In my experience the cops have more important stuff to deal with like others have said.

Like when there were two parking lots full of homeless encampments. One mitigated one not. Always interesting to see a meth head sanding down a stolen bike by hand at 7am when I was walking by to work to see the same dude at 5 still working away at it.

I do miss the nature out there from time to time.