Neighbours smoking cannabis

[mena51]

Hi I would really appreciate some advice.

My neighbours have been smoking weed daily for the past few months. It comes into my flat and smells so pungent. Sometimes opening the window helps but sometimes it ends up letting the fumes in.

Initially I was willing to ignore it, thinking it was an occasional thing. Unfortunately they smoke it all day, every single day. Most mornings I wake up to it, one time it went on from 9pm to 2am. I am so affected by this to the point where I don't want to come home after work because I know it will stink.

I cannot move because I've recently bought this place. I've not spoken to them directly because a)I don't know who they are and b)I don't see them stopping at my request because they are such heavy users.

I've spoken to their landlord who doesn't seem that fussed. What can I realistically do here? I've thought about environmental health and calling 101, but will that actually help? Actually so depressed about this.

I'm lucky to live in a fully detached house that's quite isolated these days, but back as a young professional my partner and I lived in a flat and went through the same as you OP!

My advise would be to talk to your neighbours! The smell is very obvious to you because you don't smoke, whereas they probably can't tell that much. We spoke to ours very nicely, we said that we weren't trying to argue with them at all and just said that we could smell marijuana in our hallway, and if we could the other neighbours probably did as well. We said that we didn't want to speak to the LL or anyone, just calmly asked if they would mind going on an 'evening stroll' to smoke. They were very nice, apologetic and did as we asked. We actually became quite friendly over the years and at one point years after they'd stopped smoking they said it was so common where they'd lived before they hadn't really thought that neighbours might be concerned/offended by it.

I'm not saying your neighbours will necessarily be like this, but you catch more flies with honey you know? If they ignore and continue absolutely pursue other avenues but if you speak to them calmly and with respect, mentioning other neighbours as well they may well think of you in a positive light/ worry about potential repercussions from others and compromise! You don't lose anything from trying hey

Oh I am not going to buy a bong :-). I've been reading up and they are not safe to use, can still cause lung problems which I can do without at my age. It was just a passing thought. However it does seem that a bong does not cause the same smell nuisance to neighbours as a joint. Or joints.

As an ex smoker who always worried about bothering my neighbours, I can attest that a weed vape is by far the best option and much safer on the lungs. I'm not sure whether many studies have been done on vaping weed but the Royal College of Physicians believes that vaping nicotine is at most 5% as harmful as smoking (info on Gov.uk). No combustion so no tar etc.

Wait til they get in their car then the police
Just smoking they wont be bothered about, but smoking and driving...

^Wait til they get in their car then the police
Just smoking they wont be bothered about, but smoking and driving...^

Unless they swab test them (which only generally shows usage in last 24 hours) they will fail anytime they're tested. Takes several weeks to pass a urine test so you could theoretically report them anytime. I know this because my employer regularly sacks site employees who fail urine tests days after smoking.

Talk to them. You may as well try asking. They’re probably not on Mumsnet.

Also, we lived in a house where when the neighbours smoked in their room come through into our room, as if we’d been smoking. We wanted to use the room for baby so got a builder to look at the dividing wall. It had a big crack which had been plastered over but would have still been open under the floor boards, if that makes sense? So it might be worth thinking about how the smoke is getting in (not that you should have to).

Could always ask them to get a filter.

But since you went to their land lord as your first move I'm going to guess half of it is just revenge at this point

I had the same problem, one particular day I was out with the DC returned, opened the front door - bang! Sweet stench of skunk. I cried because it was so strong & I had a friend with me who said straight away- WTF?
We knocked on & said (words to the effect of) ‘sorry- what you do is your business etc but it’s really impacting as we can smell it/ affecting the DC, can you do anything to reduce the smell?’ Guy looked mortified & apologised that he was ‘keeping it for a mate’ ie full on fucking cannabis farm! Cue van arriving the next evening, and lots of black bags being shifted. Smell much better after that, so to whoever it was commenting on thin walls etc, the neon lights and irrigation systems set up in between floor boards and lofts cause a potent smell which is much worse than smoking a few joints.
OP- try asking nicely, it could be a farm