Establishes increased penalties for smoking cannabis or marijuana on public beaches.

S 246 increases fines for smoking cannabis or marijuana on New Jersey public beaches. It raises penalties to $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $1,500 for subsequent offenses - up from the current $250/$500/$1,000 for cannabis smoking on beaches. The bill also specifies that half of collected fines must fund state smoking cessation programs, while the other half goes to the local municipality. This bill targets individuals smoking cannabis on public beaches (not cigarettes, which retain existing penalties) and aims to address enforcement challenges following cannabis legalization. Note: The bill is pending (introduced January 2026) and not yet law.