About 30 minutes after taking off Friday, a United Airlines flight bound for Boston returned to Denver International Airport because a passenger smoking on board refused to snuff it out, officials said.

Denver Police met Flight 677 at the gate in response to the in-flight “disturbance” and the passenger was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, police spokeswoman Raquel Lopez said.

She said because no arrest was made, police would not release the passenger’s name.

The flight was cancelled and customers were re-booked on flights Saturday, United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson said.

Johnson said the passenger seated in the economy section refused flight attendants’ instructions to stop smoking.