Things To Do |

Emily Post’s great granddaughter on how to tell your neighbor to stop smoking weed, even if it’s legal

Q: How should you tell your neighbor to stop smoking weed, even though its legal in some states?

A: Even if weed is legal in your state, you shouldn’t tell your neighbors to stop doing something in their own home if they can’t legally smoke in public. And before you point out someone else’s behavior, you have to look at yourself, because you don’t know which of your behaviors bothers them.

What you should do is come from an angle of consideration. Instead of asking them to stop altogether, try asking them to smoke in a different spot in their home, and then open the conversation to things you both can work on.

Those are the things you can ask and work around. Neighbor issues can either be really simple to fix or can lead to long-term grudges.

If confrontation isn’t your thing and you know your neighbors, try leaving an air filter, a candle and some snacks (for when they get the munchies) with a note saying something like, “Hey, I am really not the type of person to do this, but the smell of pot is getting into my apartment, and I thought I could help get you started with a way to diffuse the smell.”

Even though weed is legal in some states, smoking it can affect those who don’t partake. Try to make that interaction as good for both parties as possible.

— Lizzie Post, etiquette expert and author of “Higher Etiquette: A Guide to the World of Cannabis From Dispensaries to Dinner Parties”

A: If your neighbor is smoking weed, you can get high off the fumes. This is a concern, especially if you have a child. Even if weed is legal recreationally, you can still get kicked out of your apartment if you’re renting. So there are all sorts of reasons to be cautious and reread your lease.

Try suggesting these tips to your neighbors:

If they’re smoking inside, they can put a wet towel under the door right near the gap between the door and floor, so the fumes don’t leave their apartment. Another tip is to open a window and blow the smoke out. Or, they could go into their bathroom and consume with the ventilated fan on. Or they can vaporize, which causes less of a smell, or consume edibles.

If it escalates, let your landlord know. From a health perspective, you are being exposed to fumes you don’t want. And you are also at risk of a contact high.

Because it’s still new in Illinois, landlords are trying to figure out how to handle this in leases.

— Dr. Rachna Patel, medical marijuana, CBD expert and author of “The CBD Oil Solution: Treat Chronic Pain, Anxiety, Insomnia, and More — Without the High”

hgreenspan@chicagotribune.com