Is smoking right outside the front door of an office building illegal?
August 8, 2008

Q: Some of the other tenants in our office building smoke right outside the front door. It is unpleasant to walk through their smoke to get inside, and makes an overall unattractive appearance to our customers and visitors. Isn't this illegal?

A: The Maryland Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 does not cover smoking outside of a building, whether it is outside an entrance to a building or on a sidewalk in front of a building. If smoke from outside is getting into an area where smoking is prohibited, the State “hopes” that the building owner will attempt to minimize the possibility of exposure from outside sources. You should complain to your landlord. Generally, the landlord has the right to prohibit smoking outside of the front door of the building, and to limit smoking to an outside area designated by the landlord.

If you have questions, please contact:
John Wise, Esquire

JWise@tandllaw.com
(410) 752-2468