What should be done when neighboring tenant's marijuana use is befouling our apartment?

I wish I knew, but at least I can sympathize. It’s very hard to defend against either foul smell or foul sound; you can’t close off those senses (and it’s little comfort to recall that always-open ears and noses probably saved our ancestors’ lives).

Marijuana odor is especially pungent and permeating. I’ve been in an office building where there was a medical marijuana clinic in the basement, and I was swamped with the smell on an upper floor. When it reaches me from behind closed doors in my own house, it makes me feel sick and light-headed. That’s almost worse than having a close neighbor who plays loud music with a heavy bass line day and night.

It’s possible, although not very likely, that your neighbors might let up a little if you told them that a lot of their fumes were coming through to you and bothering you; but they don’t sound like considerate people, and you’re not the sort of person who wants to confront a neighbor with a complaint, no matter how justified or mildly put.

You could at least notify the management of your discomfort, and I think you should do that right away. Perhaps you could cite health concerns pertaining to inhaling second-hand smoke. If you can smell it, that means particles are reaching you. You’re paying to inhabit a livable space, and you don’t have that.

I hope someone else can offer a better solution, because sympathy is really all I’ve got.

Have you tried talking.

Past experience has taught me that rarely does talking provide a LASTING solution. May stop someone for a few days, but problem resumes along with denial and vehement hostility. No one wants to mess around or challenge an abuser. Who knows what else they could be involved in?

Marijuana users usually believe it makes them mild and mellow. Howbeit, I’ve found that it makes them irrational and stuck in the age they started using.

No one can expect anyone to give up a powerful addiction.

A simple “No, and I am not even going to try.” would have sufficed.

The marijuana part of it is irrelevant. A red herring, if you will.

Suppose the neighbor below as a big maker of smelly Indian food. Or pick the repellent smell of your choice; maybe a chemist who boils sulphur at home for fun. Or someone that makes homemade perfume?

What you need to concentrate on is the odious smell, not the fact that it’s marijuana.

And that you can take either to your landlord or to the city bureau of housing (or the equivalent in your area).

Well. I would try talking first. I have little faith in that working as well. Plus, if you end up resorting to law enforcement, they’ll surely suspect you.

You really only have two options. Tolerate it, or contact the police. You are on the right side of the law here.

Sorry about your troubles. Good luck.

Ragingloli: A simple ‘No, I’m not even going to try’ may have sufficed, but a better response from me is that gangstas have no reservations about knocking your teeth o ut if they don’t like yore face. Much moreso if you preach to them about curbing their drug habit because it is a nuisance to you..

Well, you never know until you talk about it first. Do you live in an area where there a lot of gangsters? Honestly, Marijuana isn’t even that bad of a drug so I don’t think they are super bad people.

Talk it out, and if they do fight, well then you’ll have something non-drug related to charge them with. I think you are being a bit over-dramatic over the marijuana aspect.

@elbanditoroso mentions this, it’s the smell that’s bothering you so approach them with that as the issue.

When I first moved in my apartment I would smoke on the porch of my apartment. Until my upstairs neighbor asked if I could move to a place where it would not waft in their windows. I understood and now smoke in a different place.

And if the smell is this bad I am pretty sure it isn’t from just smoking. I would bet good money they are growing.

My GF has made a strong effort at keeping a remarkably clean apartment—the carpet, the air, the towels and linins. The aromas of coffee and Christmas trees and fresh laundry and bed linins are prized things. Should this all be ruined by someone’s dope habit, regardless of the legality of it? Should our clothes and hair have to smell like we are users? And what about the health risk?
And to John Powell— I’m sure you would be polite and cooporative but these are not rational people. I think we will try seeing what management can do.

^Do what you have to do. I once called the cops daily, for a year about a barking dog.

You might be able to keep some noxious odor out if you put a fan in a window that is Not near their apartment, blowing into your apartment. The positive pressure in your apartment would reduce or eliminate flow from their apartment into yours.