Neighbors lighting up

tarnok · January 2012

Here's my predicament; one or more of my neighbors likes to smoke marijuana. A lot of it it seems. And every time they do, my bedroom smells like Snoop Dogg is having a party in it. (I live in an apartment). On the one hand, I really don't care what people do in their free time and I think marijuana should be legal, but on the other hand I'm trying to get a job here and what happens if I have to take a drug test the day after I've slept in a cloud of smoke? Or worse, if my wife's company decides to start drug testing?

Difficulties: I don't really talk to any of my neighbors and have no idea which one (or ones) might be the source of the funk. I don't want to get anyone kicked out of the apartment or sent to jail. It's not easy to ventilate my bedroom because we have to keep the door closed to keep the cats from peeing on the bed and it's too cold to keep the window open.

My options as I see them:
1) Do nothing and just hope I don't have to take a drug test.
2) Knock on people's doors and have a long conversation with everyone who lives near me.
3) Put up a flyer attempting to explain the situation in the breeze way.
4) Talk to the apartment manager.

Frankly all of these sound a bit unrealistic except for number four, but that puts me back in the position of getting someone kicked out over something that shouldn't really be illegal anyway. Any suggestions?

bowen · January 2012

There's really no way to broach this conversation on a personal level. Yes you'll be seen as a dick, yes people will tell you you're a dick, but honestly, better you complain now than management finds out later and then kicks everyone out who have rooms that smell like hash.

This is a very real thing and just report it to the apartment manager. There's probably only one unit that connects to your room in such a way that the funk permeates into it. And unless you're like saturated in smoke, urine levels of THC will be too low to test for as far as I know, so, less worries about that, but that's not to say it won't cause a false positive.

seabass · January 2012

bowen wrote:

better you complain now than management finds out later and then kicks everyone out who have rooms that smell like hash.

That outcome is unlikely. A landlord tends to be in the business of making money, and they don't honestly care what their tenants do so long as they also pay the rent on time, at least in my experience. If you call the landlord, chances are the folks in question will get a visit or call with something along the lines of "there's been a complaint, if there is another, we'll involve the police." Which, you know, isn't a horrible outcome as far as anyone is concerned. You get to stop smelling people smoking, they don't get in any real trouble.

I'm a big fan of #2, but only if you can figure out which apartment it is. When I was in this position before, that's what I did. "Hey, I don't like it that my apartment constantly smells like smoke. Plus there are kids in the building. Can't you guys take it outside?" went over surprisingly well in my case. The folks weren't pissed at me, and I never had a problem with them again.

Maybe you'll luck out, and they've resolved to stop smoking in the new year?

Deebaser · January 2012

You aren't going to fail a pre-employment drug test unless your neighbors are literally filling your room with clouds that would show up on the local news' Doppler 5000.

Since you don't know who is doing this, either go with flyer or apartment manager. If you go with either the core message can just be "I don't smoke pot. I don't care if you smoke pot. I do not want my clothes/apartment smelling like pot. Towel the fucking door."

bowen · January 2012

seabass wrote:

bowen wrote:

better you complain now than management finds out later and then kicks everyone out who have rooms that smell like hash.

That outcome is unlikely. A landlord tends to be in the business of making money, and they don't honestly care what their tenants do so long as they also pay the rent on time, at least in my experience. If you call the landlord, chances are the folks in question will get a visit or call with something along the lines of "there's been a complaint, if there is another, we'll involve the police." Which, you know, isn't a horrible outcome as far as anyone is concerned. You get to stop smelling people smoking, they don't get in any real trouble.

I'm a big fan of #2, but only if you can figure out which apartment it is. When I was in this position before, that's what I did. "Hey, I don't like it that my apartment constantly smells like smoke. Plus there are kids in the building. Can't you guys take it outside?" went over surprisingly well in my case. The folks weren't pissed at me, and I never had a problem with them again.

Maybe you'll luck out, and they've resolved to stop smoking in the new year?

You had far more liberal landlords than I. Most have clauses about illegal activity and drugs, and most mention casually that if they even smell it they'll move for eviction regardless. Best to complain to them just to let them know it's not you, or at least to the focus off you when and if it comes down to it.

seabass · January 2012

bowen wrote:

seabass wrote:

bowen wrote:

better you complain now than management finds out later and then kicks everyone out who have rooms that smell like hash.

That outcome is unlikely. A landlord tends to be in the business of making money, and they don't honestly care what their tenants do so long as they also pay the rent on time, at least in my experience. If you call the landlord, chances are the folks in question will get a visit or call with something along the lines of "there's been a complaint, if there is another, we'll involve the police." Which, you know, isn't a horrible outcome as far as anyone is concerned. You get to stop smelling people smoking, they don't get in any real trouble.

You had far more liberal landlords than I. Most have clauses about illegal activity and drugs, and most mention casually that if they even smell it they'll move for eviction regardless. Best to complain to them just to let them know it's not you, or at least to the focus off you when and if it comes down to it.

Huh, guess it takes all kinds. I've never even seen a clause like that in a tenant agreement, but it makes a lot of sense. It may also have something to do with my having lived in a college town for years and years, or that I always rent in the cheapest place I can find, which usually overlaps strongly with the wrong side of the tracks.

bowen · January 2012

Yeah that might be it. Come to think about it, it wasn't in my most recent lease (although "illegal activities" was).

But OP should rest assured, he probably has 0 to worry about with drug screenings at the least. Or start liking poppy seed bagels or something.

Walt · January 2012

Unless your apartment is literally so full of smoke that you are breathing it in and getting high you aren't going to fail a drug test and in the scenario where you neighbors are burning enough of it for that to happen (we're talking like a bonfire here) you have much bigger problems than failing a drug test, for example burning alive.

Here's what you should do: knock on your neighbors door, say that you smell smoke, and that if its them they need to hide their illegal habits better. Other solutions, like calling your landlord (they may do nothing) or calling the police (they may do nothing) are a way of passing the buck and avoiding confrontation and neither of those methods are guaranteed to get the result you want and carry a strong risk of ruining some harmless idiot's life.

bowen · January 2012

bowen wrote:

There's really no way to broach this conversation on a personal level. Yes you'll be seen as a dick, yes people will tell you you're a dick

Walt wrote:

Other solutions, like calling your landlord (they may do nothing) or calling the police (they may do nothing) are a way of passing the buck and avoiding confrontation and neither of those methods are guaranteed to get the result you want and carry a strong risk of ruining some harmless idiot's life.

You're not passing the buck, that's what those solutions are there for. Cops are extreme, telling the landlord is not. Don't get involved with your neighbors affairs, that's the quickest way to get your tires knifed when eventually someone finds out. Oops my neighbor knows I smoke pot, fuck it was probably him, what a douchebag.

Just anonymously inform the landlord and call it a day.

TL DR · January 2012

+1 for "you're not going to fail a drug test or get evicted". The landlord has no reason to kick out paying tenants unless you're known to be selling drugs or something else that could cause him liability.

I vote for #2, unless you live in a giant building. It's probably the neighbor directly above or below you, I imagine. In any case, they probably don't know that their hobby is being broadcast to the whole building and would appreciate a heads-up! A simple "Hey, I don't know if you know, but when you smoke pot it smells throughout the building" should suffice. My best friend literally had this exact conversation with his new downstairs neighbor, and the guy was apologetic and took care of the issue.

If for whatever reason (social anxiety; live next to Hell's Angels) you are unable to talk to your neighbors in a calm, adult manner, you can always do the 'passive aggressive note'

Contacting management is the logical next step if these resolutions are unsuccessful, and obviously the police would be your last resort.

frijolefrito · January 2012

Look go talk to the guy! If it doesn't work go talk to your manger. If THAT doesn't work go talk to the cops.

tarnok · January 2012

My apartment is directly bordered by three apartments, four if you count the one across the breeze way from me. I believe the smoke to be coming through the vents as I can't smell it in any other room except the washing machine closet which abuts my bedroom (the bedroom is on an outside wall). If I'm right about it coming through the vents then it could be anyone in the building as far as I know. That's about 8 apartments to talk to just on my side of the building.

I just want to clarify that there is not a guy to just go talk to. I have to talk to eight families, some of them with children, if I choose that route.

Peccavi · January 2012

Yeah, in that situation just go to the manager and tell them that pot smoke is coming in through the vent.

Gilbert0 · January 2012

To OP, i'm like you don't really mind it, but had the same situation as you. This was happening in our building in the summer. People were smoking on their balconies, but with it being summer, all the smoke blew into all the other apartments.

At least one person (not me but others) complained, and the management company wrote a general letter that basically said "Don't smoke pot, it's illegal, not on our property. If it continues, then we'll involve the police and you may get charges". It basically stopped.

big l · January 2012

Or, if there's a wall of mailboxes at the entrance like in my apartment building, you could put up your passive-aggressive note there and figure that everyone will see it as they come in. Some pot smokers are just going to be douches who don't care and then you can contact management, but I think many smokers know that what they're doing is illegal and irritating for others, and if they are told that they are bothering others, they'll honestly try to take steps to reduce the bother. If you want to find out which apartment it is to talk to them specifically, wait until the smell is coming in from the vents, then walk through the building and give each door a sniff - I bet you'll find one to be the source.

Peccavi · January 2012

The OP is under no obligation (moral, legal, or social) to track down the smokers and talk to them himself. That goes well beyond what should be expected of him. And management's response is probably going to be to send out a notice, as mentioned above, not to release the hounds or do an apartment by apartment search so they can evicted the offender.

Seriously, just talk to building management.

Kato · January 2012

Seriously...you are in NO danger whatsoever of EVER failing a drug test with the conditions you have stated.

Do people get all bent out of shape when a cigarette smoker lives in their apartment building and the smell creeps through? I mean...can we start tracking down management because you don't like the smell of a cigarette? I understand that pot is illegal...but this just seems incredibly anal to me that the OP is even worried about it. I find it very hard to believe that your clothes or items in your house are smelling of pot when you leave the house due to someone in your apartment complex toking it up and the smoke creeping through a few vents in to your washing machine closet that is next to your bedroom.

bowen · January 2012

People can be asthmatic of things like cigarette smoke or pot smoke, or allergic, or not like the smoke. Cigarette smoke is more foul than pot smoke though, way more.

Jaded · January 2012

I would think he has a right, however dickish, to complain to management without being labelled, expecially here.

I am not against toking, hell, I do it myself, but when I rented, or had renters no one did it inside the house.
You want to smoke, go stink up the outdoors... it's not fair to anyone in the building surronding whomever is smoking to have to deal with the smell, especially (and more so) if there are children around.

Kato · January 2012

bowen wrote:

People can be asthmatic of things like cigarette smoke or pot smoke, or allergic, or not like the smoke. Cigarette smoke is more foul than pot smoke though, way more.

Very true...but the OP lists none of this has a problem. He mainly lists his fear of smelling like pot and failing a drug test. As you said...cigarette smoke is WAY more foul than pot (in many ways). I just have to wonder how many cigarette smokers he may have living around him and why is he just targeting the pot smell?

My advice for the OP? Simply move along.

Mmmm... Cocks... · January 2012

Kato wrote:

bowen wrote:

People can be asthmatic of things like cigarette smoke or pot smoke, or allergic, or not like the smoke. Cigarette smoke is more foul than pot smoke though, way more.

Very true...but the OP lists none of this has a problem. He mainly lists his fear of smelling like pot and failing a drug test. As you said...cigarette smoke is WAY more foul than pot (in many ways). I just have to wonder how many cigarette smokers he may have living around him and why is he just targeting the pot smell?

My advice for the OP? Simply move along.

In the last few places I or friends have rented cigarette smoking was not allowed. But just about everyone smoked pot simply because they could get away with it (doesn't really stick around). In which case if he went to the landlord I'm sure he'd be a little upset (if smoking is banned, don't remember OP saying so)
Honestly I'd just knock on some doors. The guy might deny it, or might thank you for the heads up. But nobody is going to jump down your throat. Especially some stoner guy, they're generally very docile creatures.

Edit: and yea, there is no way you'll fail a drug test.

Inquisitor77 · January 2012

I can understand that many here are sympathetic to marijuana smoking and dislike seeing a "crackdown" on someone, but that doesn't preclude the OP from having a legitimate issue. Granted, it sounds like the main concern (failing a drug test) is not going to happen, there may be other reasons, including something as simple as not wanting to smell, or have everything in his apartment smell like, pot. If someone was blasting heavy metal music, you shouldn't be telling the OP to "suck it up" just because you are fan of heavy metal.

To the OP: If you still want to get rid of the pot smoke, just tell the management. It's their job to deal with stuff like that. If you really want to be super-sensitive, then tell them the same thing you're telling us - you don't really care that it's illegal, and you'd hate to see the cops come by, but you just don't want to deal with the smoke.

Gilbert0 · January 2012

Inquisitor77 wrote:

I can understand that many here are sympathetic to marijuana smoking and dislike seeing a "crackdown" on someone, but that doesn't preclude the OP from having a legitimate issue. Granted, it sounds like the main concern (failing a drug test) is not going to happen, there may be other reasons, including something as simple as not wanting to smell, or have everything in his apartment smell like, pot. If someone was blasting heavy metal music, you shouldn't be telling the OP to "suck it up" just because you are fan of heavy metal.
To the OP: If you still want to get rid of the pot smoke, just tell the management. It's their job to deal with stuff like that. If you really want to be super-sensitive, then tell them the same thing you're telling us - you don't really care that it's illegal, and you'd hate to see the cops come by, but you just don't want to deal with the smoke.

Exactly. Tell management and if they are human like you, they will just remind everyone that they shouldn't do it.

I got a reminder last week that alcohol consumption is not allowed in the game / weight room. Why? Because some people were getting TOO drunk and deciding it was a good idea to punch holes in the dry wall. For the buildings liability, the room had cameras and are fully persuing it. To me, that sounds like a "duh" but sometimes a reminder needs to be sent out to not be a goose.

edit - As well, the people doing it, might think they're getting away with it / not impacting anyone. This can make them realize this or change their habits.

naporeon · January 2012

Yeah. The vast majority of pot-smokers I know are pretty laid-back, decent people. If they found out they were impacting someone, they would try and change things.

I would recommend a note in a public place. I say this because, even as a non-smoker, I like to give folks a chance to take care of things on their own, before directly involving management.

The Ender · January 2012

Uh. Have any of the posters here actually tested what concentrations of cannabis smoke will or will not set off a false positive on a urine test? Or are they just relying on their non-existent expertise?

Urine tests are incredibly, stupidly sensitive (sensitive enough to show false positives on opium use if you eat poppy seeds), and I'm more than a little suspicious that inhaling cannabis smoke coming from your neighbor's apartment might lead to unwelcome 'drug test' results.

Daenris · January 2012

I routinely administer urine drug tests as part of my job. I've had people tell me in advance that they smoked a day or two before and the tests still don't usually come up positive. Now these were people who were very infrequent users -- heavy/frequent users can still test positive days or even weeks later.

Unless this is extremely heavy amounts of smoke every day for weeks it won't result in a positive drug test.

RoyceSraphim · January 2012

To help with the smoke in your apartment, leaving an onion cut in half is supposed to help absorb odors and a vodka solution is said to work well to get smells out.

I empathize with your situation as I have had similar experiences.

zepherin · January 2012

Yeah your unlikely to fail a drug test, now if the smell is something that is bothering you and for your own piece of mind if you want to avoid confrontation. You could buy an air filter for your room. I've seen some reasonably priced ones on amazon, bout 50 bucks, and you'll likely take something like that with you where-ever you go anyways. If your making good money, you may want to invest in a high end one, and have it do your whole apartment, with your cats it'll help get the stink out.

Eat it You Nasty Pig. · January 2012

I faced this situation a couple times. It was resolved easily once, and with difficulty the other time.

I knocked on both my immediate neighbors' doors and said something to the effect of 'hey look, I dunno if it's you, but the smoke/smell from somebody's apartment is coming into mine and it really sucks. If it's you guys, would you mind getting it under control a little better? Cool, thanks." As long as you aren't confrontational or accusatory about it, people won't react poorly. Don't leave some passive-aggressive note, just knock on their door and talk to them. If you are worried about talking to them, leaving a note will certainly yield worse results.

If you talk to a nonsmoking neighbor they aren't gonna care, aside from maybe to sympathize with you. A smoking neighbor who is smart will think 'oh crap, better get on that before the landlord gets involved' and will fix their shit by smoking somewhere else or switching to a water chamber or whatever. It will probably become really obvious during your short conversation which type you are talking to, and how smart they are willing to be about it.

The first time I was ever in this situation the problem resolved itself immediately. The second time it didn't, and a couple days later I called the landlord. Eventually he solved it for me.

I don't think you're obligated to talk to them in person first or anything, but I'd rather give people common courtesy before bringing it to the landlord.

Esh · January 2012

Eat it You Nasty Pig. wrote:

I faced this situation a couple times. It was resolved easily once, and with difficulty the other time.

I knocked on both my immediate neighbors' doors and said something to the effect of 'hey look, I dunno if it's you, but the smoke/smell from somebody's apartment is coming into mine and it really sucks. If it's you guys, would you mind getting it under control a little better? Cool, thanks." As long as you aren't confrontational or accusatory about it, people won't react poorly. Don't leave some passive-aggressive note, just knock on their door and talk to them. If you are worried about talking to them, leaving a note will certainly yield worse results.

If you talk to a nonsmoking neighbor they aren't gonna care, aside from maybe to sympathize with you. A smoking neighbor who is smart will think 'oh crap, better get on that before the landlord gets involved' and will fix their shit by smoking somewhere else or switching to a water chamber or whatever. It will probably become really obvious during your short conversation which type you are talking to, and how smart they are willing to be about it.

The first time I was ever in this situation the problem resolved itself immediately. The second time it didn't, and a couple days later I called the landlord. Eventually he solved it for me.

I don't think you're obligated to talk to them in person first or anything, but I'd rather give people common courtesy before bringing it to the landlord.

Yeah, but this isn't just 2 or 3 possibles. It's up to 8. At that number, I'd just call the landlord and let him send a notice out. Not worth the time or bother.

Lindsay Lohan · January 2012

I'd have the landlord take care of it too. We had the same situation where one of us was asked if we smoked weed because a neighbor smoked so much it permeated the small apartment building and hallways - I didn't worry about false positives but in cubicle land for me and teacher world for the wife the last thing we wanted was people thinking we liked to smoke it up before coming to work.

With it possibly coming through the vent I would simply tell management you have odors coming into the vent system from neighboring apartments that smells like smoke and ask them to either check the vent system or talk to the neighbors to take care of it.

WildEEP · January 2012

Well...first thing would be to find out WHOM is causing the smoke....and there is a simple way:

Once you've got the idea of who it is - a friendly non-confrontational chat usually takes care of the problem.
Especially if you do it while they're bombed. I've never met an angry pot smoker.

Turkey · January 2012

I've had the displeasure of knowing pot-smoking people who would gladly key the OP's car if they suspect he "tattled" on them.

Just go straight to the manager and nip it in the bud.

Edit - Oh yeah, do the note first if possible. So many posts (and pictures!) mentioning that and I missed them all.

Feral · January 2012

+1 to "you won't fail a drug test for second-hand smoke"
+1 to "you won't get evicted because somebody else is smoking pot"
+1 to "leave a note in a public place asking people to be conscientious of their neighbors"
+1 to "if the note doesn't work in a reasonable timeframe (like a week) then complain to the landlord"

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