It is illegal to spit on the sidewalks or floors of public buildings.

The Law Explained

Driven by the tuberculosis outbreaks of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this public health ordinance aimed to stop the spread of disease. Spitting tobacco juice or phlegm onto the pavement was a common, unsanitary habit that cities like Ocean Springs aggressively targeted. While rarely enforced today, anti-spitting signs were once a staple of local storefronts.