The Scottsdale City Council has updated its city code to increase protections against secondhand smoke and vapor in public spaces. On September 30, the council unanimously passed Ordinance No. 4689, which repeals and replaces Section 19-16 of the Scottsdale Revised Code. This ordinance now aligns local law with Arizona’s Smoke Free Arizona Act and expands restrictions to include electronic smoking devices such as e-cigarettes and vape pens.
The last amendment to the city’s smoking ordinance occurred in 1992, when smoking was prohibited at Scottsdale Stadium. In 2006, Arizona voters approved the Smoke Free Arizona Act, which largely preempted local regulations. The new ordinance removes outdated provisions and sets updated rules that are consistent with state law.
This change follows a petition from May 2025 led by Desert Mountain High School junior Siddhanth (Sid) Gupta. Concerned about increased vaping among teens, Sid researched the issue, gathered community input, and presented his findings to the City Council.
“I realized that Scottsdale’s ordinance hadn’t kept up with the vaping epidemic that’s affecting my generation,” Sid said. “If you want to see change in the world, you have to go out and do it yourself, and I wanted to make sure my city was protecting people from secondhand vapor just like it does with smoke.”
Interim City Attorney Luis Santaella commented on the update: “This ordinance ensures Scottsdale is keeping pace with both state law and community expectations. By including electronic smoking devices in the city’s definition of smoking, we are closing gaps in the law and providing clear protections for residents and visitors.”
To inform this update, Scottsdale collected feedback through its Speak-Up Scottsdale platform. More than 200 residents participated; over 92% supported expanding the ordinance to cover city-owned outdoor facilities as well as adding electronic smoking devices to the definition of smoking.
The revised ordinance prohibits smoking—including electronic devices—in public places and places of employment throughout Scottsdale, except for limited exceptions. Areas where smoking is banned include enclosed public spaces such as restaurants, bars, shopping centers, theaters; all city-owned facilities whether enclosed or not; stadiums; playgrounds; bus stops; bleachers; ramadas; swimming pools; and within 50 feet of public schools.
Individuals who violate these rules face fines ranging from $100 to $300 for prohibited smoking activities. Other civil violations can result in fines up to $2,500.
