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Monday, Jan. 5, 2026

Fact brief: Is it illegal to smoke inside of Fort Worth bars?

Ismael M. Belkoura, Fort Worth Report
yes

It is illegal in Fort Worth for people to smoke in bars.

In December 2017, City Council approved a smoking ban for bars and bingo parlors. That ban went into effect in March 2018 and was an addition to the city’s smoking ordinance.

Fort Worth was the last major city in Texas to ban smoking in bars. 

Other additions to the ordinance included a ban on smoke shops being within 300 feet of schools, universities and hospitals. The city also limits smoking on patios, requiring the outdoor space to be more than 20 feet from a door or window of an enclosed area.

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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network.

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