Secondhand Weed Smoke: Chill Out, But Be Courteous, Too [Block Talk]

ACROSS AMERICA — Kathy’s lament was fairly common when we asked for Block Talk, Patch’s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column, where personal freedoms end and neighborhood etiquette begins when it comes to secondhand smoke from legal marijuana or tobacco.

Kathy asks her neighbors to not light up in places that allow the smoke to waft into her apartment but doesn’t think she should have to ask them to be respectful.

“But I had to,” the Across America Patch reader said in answer to our informal survey about how to handle a neighborhood issue that is coming up more often as more states allow recreational weed for adults. “My kids are afraid of repercussions, so they close their windows and suffer from the heat.”

In Illinois, where both recreational and medical marijuana are legal, Tinley Park Patch reader Barb said her neighbors don’t seem to care if their smoke bothers her.

“I never chose to smoke, so why do I have to smell this awful smoke?” she asked. “Where’s my freedom?

“It’s aggravating that I can’t open my window in my house, and my family, especially my kids are exposed to secondary smoke,” she said. “There is a bar by my house and people smoke outside when my kids play outside. We can’t spend quality time outside because of the smoke. I get headaches from this smoke. The bar patrons smoke cannabis and cigarettes outside, which is even more aggravating.”

‘We Wear Masks Indoors’

Kiki, a Skokie (Illinois) Patch reader, said she’s been putting up with her neighbor’s secondhand pot smoke for 10 years, starting long before 2019, when recreational weed was legalized. During that time, Kiki said, she complained to the condo board, talked to a lawyer and bought air purifiers.

“My bedroom and personal clothes closet reek of marijuana from my neighbors above me. Sometimes I can’t sleep because of the smell,” she said. “I choose not to smoke marijuana or cigarettes, but it is part of daily life. No one cares about my rights, freedom or health.”

Denise has similar issues. “The marijuana smoking is affecting my family’s health,” she said, adding her landlord “continues to send out nonsmoking notices that do not work.”

For Arnold, the line is clear between a good neighbor who smokes and a bad one with the same habits.

“Personal freedoms end when they negatively impact others’ well-being,” Arnold said. “In the case of secondhand smoke, whether from legal weed or tobacco, neighborhood etiquette begins when it disturbs or harms neighbors, and appropriate restrictions or compromises should be in place to balance personal freedoms and community well-being.”

Moe, an Algonquin-Lake in The Hills (Illinois) Patch reader, cited his state’s clean air standards when he asked his cigarette-smoking neighbor to move 15 feet away from Moe’s doors and windows.

That could be the answer for Liz. “What can be done? The smoke finds its way into my home, and we wear masks indoors most of the time at night,” Liz said, calling it “a very toxic situation.”

Tell It To A Judge

Liz and others may have more power than they realize.

James Repace, a biophysicist and secondhand smoke consultant based in Davidsonville, Maryland, told Patch in the survey that he has about 90 clients who live in multi-unit buildings and have experienced secondhand smoke infiltration problems. He thinks smoking should be banned in all multi-unit buildings. He doesn’t distinguish between secondhand pot and tobacco smoke. “Both are deadly,” he said

“Those who can afford it have sued the smokers, and most have prevailed in court,” Repace said. “In the past few years, pot smoke cases have come to the fore. Recently, one of my clients, serving as her own attorney, prevailed in DC court.”

East Haven (Connecticut) Patch reader Barbara called for more public service announcements about the harmful effects of marijuana. She kicked a 40-year cigarette smoking habit because of “an effective government campaign that made me feel ostracized, dirty and stupid,” she said.

But she said it’s not her business to tell her neighbors what to do.

Should You Call The Police?

“What I won’t do, is pretend cough, tell people how the smell of them is so offensive,” Barbara said. “It is their right, and it is a legal product. I can do nothing, until the worm turns and there’s nothing in it for the government.”

John, who said he reads Patch police blotter items, has another solution: “Get a big fan and blow it back their way.”

He added: “They obviously don’t care about their own body, so why would they care about anyone else’s? It’s pretty pathetic where our country has come with regard to marijuana use. Seems crazy you can call the police because someone’s music is too loud, but letting them blow smoke your way is no crime.”

Elliott, who reads Plainfield (Illinois) Patch, said he has to pass regular drug testing for his job. If his neighbor’s secondhand smoke compromised that, he’d call police.

“Legalizing marijuana is a huge mistake,” Elliott said. “There will soon be two classes of citizenry, those who use and those who don’t.”

Another reader, Ta, agrees. “Call the police,” Ta said. “Offensive sounds or smells can be stopped.”

Ta wants strict enforcement of smoke-free policies and tenants evicted if they can’t follow the terms of their lease.

“If one chooses to smoke where it is allowed, do it in a closed box and shower afterward,” Ta said. “You may choose to poison yourself. I do not care to breathe in your secondhand smoke, touch a handle or retail item you touched or poison myself with your drug.”

‘Be A Good Neighbor!’ Eat Edibles

North Fork (New York) Patch reader Jim, a veteran, said he uses medically prescribed marijuana to cope with the symptoms of PTSD. “I try to be courteous to my neighbors and note wind direction and how close they are,” he said. “I do my best … not to infringe on my neighbors.”

Highland Park (Illinois) Patch reader Mia said considerate neighbors use edibles.

“Edible cannabis avoids damaging the lungs of the user and being a bad neighbor emitting dangerous smoke with that awful odor,” Mia said. “Be a good neighbor! Make sure your kids are, too, including adult kids visiting you.”

Peter said if his neighbors’ pot smoke wafted his way, he’d ask them to share, but only after determining if the weed was any good.

“I’m not so concerned about responsible marijuana use as I am about the use of marijuana on the road,” said Joliet (Illinois) Patch reader John. “I smell it whenever I’m on my motorcycle or stopped at a red light. One time, the interior of my car caught a big cloud while I jumped in it after stopping at a gas station. It smelled like burnt marijuana the rest of the afternoon.”

Angie, a cigarette smoker, defended her rights and said taxpayers in her state would miss her if she quit.

Any attempt to restrict outdoor smoking “is just plain stupid,” she said.

“No way can it bother someone else to the extent that it needs to be stopped,” Angie said. “And all you whining non-smokers need to realize we pay big bucks in taxes that you’ll be responsible for in other ways if you keep pushing your no-tobacco smoke agenda. Smokers have rights, too! If you lose your $3 a pack tax, your beers should go up $3 a case. If you don’t want that, find something else to whine about.”

‘Relaxed If They Are Smoking Ganja’

Several readers said it’s no big deal.

“There are seriously way more important reasons to get your undies in a bundle,” a Wauwatosa (Wisconsin) Patch reader said.

“You could ask them to refrain from smoking around you, or you could stay away from them while they are smoking,” said Waukesha (Wisconsin) Patch reader Jean. “Mind your own business and don’t worry about it. You most likely have other things to worry about. Worry about them.”

“Stop being a complainer,” said Teaneck (New Jersey) Patch reader George.

Plainfield (Illinois) Patch reader Renee said a simple request of the neighbor to blow the smoke out a different window might work.

“Or,” she said, “just deal with it like you would a neighbor who smokes cigarettes. Or a person who drives a car and lets out exhaust fumes. Or a person who is having a bonfire. Or a person who is burning leaves. Or a skunk who is passing by. Or a person who is cooking with yummy spices. Or a garbage can in an alley. If you do not like the smells around you, you can also move to a location with less people around.”

She added: “It is nice to have a neighbor who smokes cannabis — better that than an angry, stressed-out jerk who doesn’t smoke cannabis.”

Joyce, who reads Downers Grove Patch, Darien Patch and Woodridge Patch, all in Illinois, wishes old-school pot was still around.

“Make weed smell the way it did in 1970. It was a pleasant, sweet smell,” said Joyce, conceding there’s not much she can do about neighbors who smoke, which she finds offensive. “They are smoking inside their apartments and with the window open, you can smell the skunk,” she said.

Lisa, another Wauwatosa Patch reader, said she doesn’t mind the odor of weed, and would rather smell it than cigarettes or cigars.

“When I walk the dog, there are several houses I walk by that smell like cheap cigarettes in a moldy basement. Gag. I just keep walking by and hold my breath if I need to,” she said. “But, not my house and not my business.”

That’s a good neighborhood policy, she said.

“I am sure there are other things that neighbors do that are actually more annoying than smoking weed,” she said. “At least I know my neighbors will be chill and relaxed if they are smoking ganja.”

About Block Talk

Block Talk is a regular Patch feature offering real-world advice from readers on how to resolve everyday neighborhood problems. If you have a neighborhood etiquette question or problem you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com, with Block Talk as the subject line.

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