WWYD

[Justgettingbye]

Most days I walk my kids to school I end up walking near another family and the dad is always smoking a joint. Should I just mind my own business or report it to the school? The child of the dad is in my child’s class

Mind your own business, you report it to school then what? You don’t know his health history, since 2018 medical cannabis is legal in the UK, used to treat MS and other conditions.

If you are concerned then you could talk to school. You could report to social services online as it would be second hand info for the school and that does make things trickier. Or do both or neither.

He still shouldn't be smoking it in the presence of his children (and others). The effects of second hand cannabis smoke are still unknown, but unlikely good.

Medical needs or not, smoking any type of drug in front of children should never be excused. It's nothing to do with it being cannabis, nobody should be smoking anything in the presence of their young children.

School are likely already aware, as the children will come in smelling of it, but I would report anyway for the sake of the children. You can always do so anonymously, OP.

Even if the Dad does use it to medicate, the school's safeguarding team can advise on ways to do so which are safer for the children (eg away from their presence).

And the same should apply to drinking in front of children, anyone under 18 and eating junk food and UPF. All are harmful to health, no? So what’s the difference?

If someone was drinking on the way to school I’d be equally concerned.
Why can’t he do it when he’s dropped the kids and do it on the walk back ..

I reported someone to the school for drinking a can of lager on the school run every morning, so this is similar I guess?
Yes I’d report. As a PP said, I’m sure they probably know, but still worth having it on record.

The difference is you don't get drunk or fat by someone standing next to you drinking or eating.

Is it that difficult to understand?

I thought official medical cannabis was just oils, vape or pastilles. So they wouldn't be smoking it with an official prescription. I may be wrong though as I cant stand the stuff, I just know we had this at work for a staff member with a private prescription.

Not smoked though. You don’t get a prescription for a joint. Medical marijuana for MS is a mouth spray, for example.

Give over no one has a medical need to smoke cannabis on the school run

You can report it, just don’t expect much to happen unless there are other concerns at play . At best he’ll be told he can’t do it on the premises/at the school gates , or a letter will go out to all parents to abstain from smoking weed on the school run, but they can’t actually make him stop if he doesn’t give a shit .

Are we seriously having this conversation? 🙄

Assuming you're not just on a wind up, the most obviously explanation for "what's the difference?" is that drinking alcohol or eating junk food in front of a child doesn't have any direct secondary affect on the child. Setting a bad example, perhaps, if either was in excess, but not directly damaging to the child's health. I've seen the effects on children who live in a home environment where they are constantly breathing in second hand smoke from recreational cannabis users, it's not good. Children who struggle to focused, and are 'spaced out' etc. God only knows what the long term effects are, but the short term are not positive.

For what it's worth though, I would report someone for drinking in the presence of a child too if I had evidence they were drinking to excess, ie drunk while responsible for a child (for obvious reasons which also shouldn't need explaining).

As a teacher I would report it to school. There may already be other concerns that you are not aware of.