Neighbours smoking marijuana in garden

[Mercibuckets]

We have new neighbours who appear to be very heavy marijuana users. They were outside smoking with umbrellas when it snowed and this is the third time they’ve been out today. I’ve had enough because the smell comes into our house even with the windows closed, principally my 7 year olds room and the kitchen. They also had a very loud party until 3 am at the weekend.

It is a normal residential street with mainly school age families and elderly people. The neighbour on the other side of them is in her 80s and has dementia. They must be working as the cost of housing is very high, but I’ve no idea how they can sustain a job given the amount of drugs?

I thought about popping over, but I’m nervous if it goes wrong they might be unpleasant. Would a community police officer come out to speak to them? I’ve never experienced something like this so grateful for advice on what to do.

"I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it does, but not everyone who smokes weed buys from a sketchy dealer. Most people buy it online or from someone they know who grows it"

No they don't. If everyone was buying it from their kindly elderly neighbour who has a couple of pots in his greenhouse, then grow houses producing commercial quantities of cannabis would not exist. And why do you assume that online supplies are somehow ethical?

I understand why people take drugs. They are addicted and smoking relieves stress and anxiety and pain symptoms. I get that. But stop pretending that it's ethically grown and that you are not supporting an illegal industry where people are trafficked and killed.

@THisbackwithavengeance We need to support legalisation in the UK like many, many other countries then.

@theemmadilemma I don't disagree. I don't use cannabis personally so whether it's legal or illegal doesn't affect me in particular.

But that doesn't help the poor OP who has to put up with her neighbours smoking weed and stinking the place out.

Perhaps those who take cannabis for medicinal purposes can obtain their fix through non smelly CBD oil etc that is now legal and those who cannot get through the day without the crutch of smoking joints need to ask themselves if they have an addiction problem and if so, what can they do about it.

And I would say the same to someone who can't get through the day without drinking alcohol.

Despite my anti drug posts - i actually agree with you.

Legalisation would reduce the criminal element at all levels and ultimately generate tax to contribute to assist paying for the harm it does create, just as other vices are. Individuals who get hooked on it would have more scruitiny over them and perhaps assisted before they hit the gateway to the serious stuff. Finally, im pretty damn well sure the manufacturers would make it stink a lot less to increase sales, and that really is the nub, it stops being anti social at that point. Medicinally, it would be far more accessible too and there are great causes.

By keeping it criminalised, we can easily lump all users together whther it’s a little puff a week or heavy always stoned user, as they are all committing a crime to a greater or lesser degree. Someone with chronic pain shouldn’t have to interact with criminals for their pain killer.

@Greenfairydust I agree but technically not enough grounds for an eviction - I would need to have evidence. A neighbours word is not enough, I've checked.

Oh no, I feel for you. Not sure what you can do, though. Luckily I don't have this problem where I live, but walking around other residential areas in London the smell of weed smoking is so ubiquitous and has become so normalised that a lot of kids under 10 are able to identify what it is.

Sorry not to be able to offer any practical advice.

Vile!!!!

I wouldn't worry about them being stoned when you go over, that's when they're least likely to kick off. Just say them smoking doesn't bother you but could they move to a different part of the garden as it's coming in the kids rooms. I had this issue with neighbours before and they were lovely (apart from the smoking of the weed) and horrified it was coming in the house and we're much more thoughtful after.

Sorry I’m a little late to the party here but I saw this comment and just had to point out the absurdity of what you are saying.

do you know how little effort it takes to grow this stuff? It’s not bloody opium or coca leaves, it doesn’t need refinement or processing to make it viable. The reason most cannabis growers aren’t caught is because once the set up you can leave it alone and it requires very little maintenance. Christ it probably requires more hassle to grow most other planets in greenhouses… ever noticed how one retired OAP can grow a whole allotment of vegetables without shipping in black market child labour from Asia?!?! It’s a bloody plant, it’s needs light, water and if you’re gonna be growing that amount maybe some basic hydroponics but child labour from Vietnam? That’s a little bit of an exaggeration wouldn’t you say?

you can say ‘but the gangs also do other stuff! And make money from weed!!!’ Of course they do, but they’ve probably got a section for selling stolen goods on eBay, should be make eBay illegal too? If it wasn’t weed it would just be something else.

im sorry but educate yourself? I hate to break it too you YouTube and bias news reports is not educating yourself

I am the other side of this post. I am the person who smokes weed and my neighbours object.

After thirty years of excruciating headaches caused by hyperglycemia - think the worst headache youve ever had - double it and have it last for a minimum of 24 hours- with little or no relief from conventional painkillers - i took a pull from a joint at a party for the first time and i noticed that for about 3 days later i didnt have a headache - after another year of my usual struggles i remembered back to that time and wondered if it was a coincidence - it took me ages to pluck up the courage to ask my friends to ask around for me if they could get me some so i could try it again. After a few strange silences - I am a VERY straight laced person - i found one who got me some and indeed to my absolute delight i found that it was a complete and final cure to an illness that effectively been trying to ruin my life for decades. As a side effect it also helped me lose weight, cured my sleep apnoea and basically changed my life around completely.

Only problem was that i had aroused the ire of my neighbours. I live in a small but poshish east london block of flats. I didnt think the smell could be too bad behind my door but it was too much for my neighbours. They called the police - when i looked through the spyhole there were three burly male Met Police at my door - i was naked - i was scared - i didnt answer obviously. Over the next few months they revisisted occasionally once at 3 in the morning. I resorted to everything hide the smell - doing it out the window - smoking outside - getting an extractor fan - none of it worked . Later i found out that they had contacted the building management company who has installed a THC detector directly outside my flat - it was very sensitive and would alert just on the opening of the weed bag. Worse several fellow apartment dwellers - all men i would add- would have the alerts sent to their phones and would stand outside my room coughing at all hours of the day - some have resorted to following me when i go outside.

I did try to quit but the headaches returned and were unbearable - i decided my health was more important than the inconvenience of neighbours who likely could no longer even smell anything.

I write this as a cautionary tale - the moral of this story is i believe - stay out of other peoples lives as much as you possibly can.

@Margeejames try getting THC e-liquid. Some of them smell more fruity like regular vapes than they do of weed. I'm not sure how they'd work with a THC detector but it might go at least some way to pacifying your neighbours.

Interesting people saying police won't bother, my ex bonkers neighbour called the police because she said I had been talking about her when in my garden 😮...police came out and questioned me ( obviously left quite happy that all was fine and my neighbour was indeed bonkers) Still can't believe it...

As someone with chronic health issues and disabilities I do have sympathy with those in these types of situations.

And yet - I am someone whose neighbours smoke weed and the stench pours into our garden and house and I absolutely hate it. It ruins the house for us. Yesterday we had to sit in with the sweltering heat with the windows shut because the smell was so awful and was blowing directly into my disabled sons bedroom.

I smoked weed for 15 years, gave it up 4 years ago because I wanted to give up tobacco. Now I can smell it a mile away. Had to ask nicely if my poor neighbour who uses it for pain could smoke away from my windows. He's lovely and moved it up to the end of his garden. You can mask the smell with wax burners or the like. I really would just have a word with your neighbours and let them know what is happening at this point though.

@Margeejames can you switch to a vaporiser? They don't smell nearly as much. Your neighbours sound unhinged. I'm also surprised the police even turned up especially if you're in East London it's hardly a good use of their time.

Yes there are big commercial farms, but most of my friends that smoke weed either grow their own or buy from a mate that does. None of them wish to support slavery or the poor working conditions that these people are subjected to. Please don't assume that all weed smokers don't care.

I escaped an abusive relationship with an alcoholic and have seent he harm that alcohol does. It does effect other people. Weed is by far the better alternative.

I complained about someone's flat smelling really bad the other day and it turned out it wasn't weed at all, it was the sickly smell of a vape (non-cannabis) - now that really did stink.

But she's probably not doing that is she ?🙄
Most nurses,midwives ect wouldn't have a glass of wine before their shift so why would you assume somebody would have a joint before their shift?

I had a similar issue. I was in a flat with people smoking it beneath us all day. Smoke was coming into children’s bedroom. I approached them but they were rude about it and continued. I reported it to the police and they came over to visit them the next day. After that it reduced significantly. They knew who it was who had reported them as I had approached them before and they became quite aggressive. I would recommend going straight to the police instead of speaking to them so that they don’t know it was you.

Ah ffs,zombie thread🙄

Op we had this but with smokers. It was ironic that they were saving their house from smoke whilst filling ours.

Be really kind about it, say you don't want to spoil their enjoyment but is there a different spot they could smoke in or slightly change position so it doesn't come into the house. If they are friendly and receptive hope that's the end of it. However if they are shirty say kindly but firmly that you don't want to spoil thier fun but it's really strong for child and you would like to resolve it between yourself without... Getting police involved.

Ugh we have this problem. Family next door with two parents and two young adult sons, but I know for sure at least one of the adults also smokes it. It absolutely stinks and carries into the house, bedrooms. Very frustrating. I don’t feel I can say anything as other than this, they are very nice neighbours and they’ve certainly put up with a lot of noise from our house with two young, loud DC (one ADHD so extra loud!). What concerns me is I can’t be sure one of the adults doesn’t drive soon after smoking. I’m not sure enough to report it, as if I smell it shortly before I see them driving, it could well be one of the others smoking it in the garden (can’t see into their garden, just smell).

I wish i had thought of things like vaporisers beforehand but then i didnt realise how pervasive the smell of marijuana really is - now any thc sets off the alarm - i can hear it clicking - and the barking behemoths come out of their lairs regardless of the time of day. The main guy is one who used to proposition me when i first moved in and was incredibly hard to discourage - i think he sees this as some kind of revenge . I may also add some things - there is a certain "Reefer Madness" feel to some of the posts on this thread - the idea that people couldnt function and hold down a job and also have an occasional toke is patent lunacy - also those who want to report people to their employers seems to be unnecessarily malevolent - and those who complain about others selfishness when they appear to be quite happy to turn other peoples lives upside down because they dont like a certain smell seem incredibly hypocritical.

@Margeejames thc sensor? I've only ever heard of detectors capable of picking up tobacco and weed; never weed alone though.

^Yeah. I’m from a country where it’s legal and I wish the U.K. would smoke a bit of ganja instead of drinking themselves into oblivion. Weed smokers are chilled. They don’t start fights and last I checked smoking a joint outside isn’t anti-social behaviour. It’s the equivalent of having a beer in your garden.

I’d mention to them casually if you’re on friendly terms that you’d appreciate it if they smoked away from the house. Maybe bottom of garden? Light a candle, burn some incense, etc. But it’s definitely not a police matter.^

Exactly!

Bet all these people complaining all drive cars, which give out fumes too. And much worse than some weed blowing in the wind.