Let’s be honest: You can’t smoke marijuana in Times Square, even if it’s legal.

Wherever you look in Times Square, you will see all sorts of things. One of the most common: people smoke.

But take a closer look, and you will see new signs that directly say: smoking is prohibited here.

“We have received many complaints about people smoking in public places, both cigarettes and marijuana,” said Times Square Alliance President Tom Harris. “We wanted to make sure people know that squares and parks don’t go broke and that there are rules.”

The rule he refers to is the city’s Smokeless Air Act, which bans smoking and e-cigarette use in most public places, including parks and pedestrian plazas.

Father Duffy Square is a park with clearly marked pedestrian areas. This means that smoking – be it cigarettes, cigars, joints, vapes, etc. – is prohibited.

Smoking is is allowed in side streets and people can smoke within their home (as far as the law is concerned, i.e. since different buildings have different rules that may prohibit smoking). But vices should not prevent other people from enjoying the public sphere.

Smoking weed is so common in Times Square 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 has been passed is clearly being enforced right now because I can smell weed. Someone is smoking,” Adams said.

Licensed growers in New York City have $500 million worth of legal marijuana ready to sell, but due to state delays in deployment, there are no buyers yet. NBC New York correspondent Adam Kuperstein reports.

Tourists smell too.

“Well, there are a lot of weed smokers in this town. It smells strongly,” said one visitor.

The state legalized recreational marijuana use in 2021, but smoking in prohibited areas can result in a $50 fine.

The Times Square outreach campaign kicked off when the state opened its second recreational marijuana store in the city this week. Just remember: you can buy it there, but that doesn’t mean you can smoke it anywhere.