Where Nobody May Smoke
G.L. c. 270, § 22 — the employer provides a smoke free environment in an enclosed workplace
On the employer. It is the employer's responsibility to provide a smoke free environment for all employees working in an enclosed workplace.
- Workplaces, offices, meeting rooms, hallways, elevators, restrooms and employee lounges.
- Restaurants, cafes, bars, taverns, supermarkets, and places where food or drink is sold and consumed on the premises.
- Trains, airplanes, theatres, concert and exhibition halls, convention centers, arenas and stadiums open to the public.
- Schools, colleges, museums, libraries, health care facilities and child care centers.
- Public transportation, airports, train and bus stations, and enclosed outdoor platforms.
Government buildings and vehicles. No one smokes in the state house, in a public building, or in a vehicle or vessel operated by the Commonwealth or a political subdivision.
Cannabis smoking, local ordinances that go further, rules in rental leases, and how a complaint is made and enforced are outside this page. Whether a particular place falls inside an exception is a question for a licensed Massachusetts attorney or the agency that enforces the law.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.L. c. 270, § 22 — Smoking in public places
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Massachusetts attorney.