Weed - do I have a stick up my arse?

[LilouBlue]

My neighbour is a big weed smoker. Always outside smoking, presumably so his house doesn't get smoky but it's permeating into mine! On one hand, it doesn't make him the scum of the earth, there are far worse things he could be doing, and he's very friendly, we always exchange pleasantries whenever I go in or out, as he's always out there! But on the other hand, he has kids (maybe 6 and 9 ish?) and I can't help thinking it's not great for their dad to be constantly smoking drugs around them. I have children too and I'm not hugely happy about it being around them either.

I know plenty of people do it, and as I say it's not the worst crime in the world, but it makes me sort of uncomfortable. I'm not really sure I would do anything about it in any case as I'd be worried of the repurcussions. I know the police don't bother with personal use, but does children being involved change anything? He'd probably know it was me who reported him...

Tbh I don't really know what I'm asking. Would it bother you, I guess?

I might get flamed (because yeah I know I'm probably a bit strait laced about this stuff) but YANBU for judging his choice a bit. Weed is terribly damaging to children and can cause schizophrenia and other serious MH issues in developing brains. (Know this from family experience as well as research) Secondly, paying for illegal drugs funds criminal networks which go on to do worse crimes.
However, his parenting isnt really your business. Only the way it affects you(the awful smell which I also hate) does. I don't think you should report your neighbour. Just politely ask him to do it somewhere else, or maybe restrict to certain hours when you're out, if he's willing. Or just put up with it... a happy neighbour is a happy life

Everything designed to protect people is overstretched now. Mores the pity. It will have an poor effect on the ones who need it. It also allows neglecting adults to get away with it, so their children will suffer. Older generations of that type of parent weren't reported. Now even if they are, the consequences will most likely be indifferent. It's a shitty perpetual cycle.

Na wouldn’t stand for it.

Didn’t, in fact, my house was stinking of it, creeping through the floorboards.
Which led to DH getting a hold of the layabout stoner and showing him exactly what the problem was 😂

It’s never happened again 😂

I know you want to be neighbourly and all but what’s neighbourly about him making you endure Eau De Zombie ?

Easy to say just talk to him but if you're a woman on your own I can understand why you wouldn't want to raise the issue with someone who is as much of an arsehole as to openly do something that's illegal and blatantly has an impact on the peace and comfort of his neighbours.

It’s a child protection issue.

Contact your local social services and inform them.

Stoned parents often neglect their dcs, spend money on drugs instead of them, have other drug users coming in and out the house, are too consumed by their habit to give dcs attention, don’t supervise them sufficiently, leading to more accidents etc...

Please don’t leave the innocent child to suffer.

I've known Social Services take cannabis use very seriously where there are children in the home

SS took great interest in my neighbour who was reported to them by next door for smoking weed all day and night with four kids under the age of four in her flat. But...that was because when they visited, she was obviously stoned, the place stank and her babies were screaming. This is an extreme example, however, and I expect a report of a parent smoking it now and again would not even warrant a visit.

My neighbour is a big weed smoker. Always outside smoking...

OP doesn't say it is happening now and again

@doodoodoodoodoolittlelulu couldn't agree more!

He's not my direct neighbour, his house isn't attached to mine, but due to a slightly weird property layout he basically ends up right outside my kitchen door, which is my front door! The smell is STRONG.

True, it is strong (you can probably guess from my username that I'm used to the smell!). I'd probably have a friendly word and let him know that the smell hits your place directly. Maybe he can experiment with different spots in the garden, or a fan on his back patio or something, to lessen the impact. He sounds like a very easy-going neighbour so not too difficult to chat directly with I hope?

Stoned parents often neglect their dcs, spend money on drugs instead of them, have other drug users coming in and out the house, are too consumed by their habit to give dcs attention, don’t supervise them sufficiently, leading to more accidents etc...

This is pretty unfair. It's like comparing hard-core alcoholic parents to parents who share a bottle of wine at the end of the day.

There are plenty of people in the world who smoke and run a happy healthy home, it's not very constructive (or accurate) to make sweeping statements like this.

I’d report it, I’d not want drug use normalising to children nor for them to breathe in the second hand smoke etc.

Plenty are ok with drug use but I’m not and never will be. It’s illegal for a reason.