Legal Definitions - noxious

Definition: Harmful or injurious, usually to human health or the environment. It is against the law to use or possess noxious substances or materials.

For example, in New York, it is illegal to have noxious material, which is defined as any drug or substance that can create offensive, noxious, or suffocating fumes, gases, or vapors. If a person has this material with the intention of using it to harm someone, damage property, or disturb the peace, they can be charged with a crime.

In California, it is against the law to knowingly allow noxious weeds to grow on your property. A noxious weed is any plant species that is troublesome, aggressive, intrusive, detrimental, or destructive to agriculture, silviculture, or important native species, and difficult to control or eradicate.

These examples illustrate how noxious substances or materials can cause harm to people, property, and the environment. Laws are in place to prevent the use or possession of these harmful substances and to protect the public from their negative effects.