Property owners should already be aware of the need to post signs if they want people not to smoke on their property. Property owners are supposed to post conspicuous signs at the entrances and at prominent locations notifying people that smoking is prohibited.

Effective August 30, 2019, Oklahoma law was amended to clarify that property owners who want to also prohibit marijuana smoking or vaping are to post such notices. The law now expressly discusses “tobacco or marijuana smoking or marijuana vaping.”

This law applies to employers. In places where employers want to prohibit tobacco or marijuana smoking or marijuana vaping on its property, employers must post conspicuous signs at entrances and in other prominent locations notifying all employees and visitors of such restrictions. Anyone seen violating the restrictions must be asked to refrain or leave the premises.

Employers should revisit their written policies to make sure they clearly prohibit not just traditional tobacco smoking on the premises, but also marijuana smoking or vaping, and make sure their signage is up to date about the same.

By Rebecca D. Bullard, rbullard@dsda.com