{"id":127323,"date":"2025-10-03T20:14:58","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T20:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/2025\/10\/03\/what-to-do-when-your-neighbors-weed-smells-like-a-skunks-behind-block-talk\/"},"modified":"2025-10-05T11:48:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T11:48:05","slug":"what-to-do-when-your-neighbors-weed-smells-like-a-skunks-behind-block-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/2025\/10\/03\/what-to-do-when-your-neighbors-weed-smells-like-a-skunks-behind-block-talk\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Do When Your Neighbor\u2019s Weed \u2018Smells Like A Skunk\u2019s Behind\u2019: Block Talk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8864793242727901\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/connecticut\/across-ct\">Connecticut Patch<\/a> reader Diane looks at \u201cneighborhood weed wars\u201d this way: \u201cHonestly, a whiff of pot is much less distressing to me than 100 hours of leaf blowing and lawnmowers every week.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>Diane was commenting on questions for <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/us\/across-america\/topics\/block-talk\">Block Talk<\/a>, Patch\u2019s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column, about the balance between the personal freedom to sit outside and smoke a joint in states where it\u2019s legal and the rights of neighbors to enjoy the outdoors without being exposed to its skunk-like pungency.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have actual skunks where I live, so we don\u2019t get upset when we get whiffs,\u201d Diane said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ContentBlocks_CardDetail__SubscribeBlock__4zBcQ ContentBlocks_CardDetail__SubscribeBlock--mobile__18tT_\">\n<section class=\"styles_SubscribeForm__0dj5n\">\n<h2 class=\"styles_SubscribeForm__title__F_olP\">Find out what&#8217;s happening in Across America<span class=\"styles_SubscribeForm__title--nextLine__FTO3K\">for free with the latest updates from Patch.<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cSeems to me, it\u2019s like anything we live with \u2014 noise pollution, air pollution, traffic problems. It seems to be something we, who live in suburbia or cities, have to accept as part of life in crowded communities,\u201d she continued. \u201cI think we all have the right to smoke whatever we want, in our own homes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Diane doesn\u2019t think that freedom is absolute, though. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ContentBlocks_CardDetail__SubscribeBlock__4zBcQ ContentBlocks_CardDetail__SubscribeBlock--desktop__oN6vv\">\n<section class=\"styles_SubscribeForm__0dj5n\">\n<h2 class=\"styles_SubscribeForm__title__F_olP\">Find out what&#8217;s happening in Across America<span class=\"styles_SubscribeForm__title--nextLine__FTO3K\">for free with the latest updates from Patch.<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cTry to be a good neighbor, just use common courtesy, have regard for neighbors, and don\u2019t be disturbing your neighbors\u2019 peace and comfort with excessive smells or noise,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<h3>\u2018Have At It\u2019 \u2014 In An Unventilated Closet<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-jersey\/cranford\">Cranford (New Jersey) Patch<\/a> reader Brainy Smurf said smoking pot is \u201ca disgusting habit.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cIf people want to do it inside their well-sealed homes in an unventilated closet, have at it. But I should not be subjected to pot smokers\u2019 pulmonary backwash that smells like a skunk\u2019s rear end!\u201d Brainy Smurf said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPart of living in a community is following not just explicit laws, but also social norms,\u201d the reader continued. \u201cOne of those is not polluting your neighbor\u2019s property, whether it is the water, ground, or air.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s disgusting, and I have not been able to enjoy a night outside with my four young kids because of our neighbors smoking weed every single weekend, every night of the weekend,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/pennsylvania\/haverford\">Haverford-Havertown (Pennsylvania) Patch<\/a> reader Amanda. \u201cJust have some respect for your neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t have any issue with people smoking it, but I should be able to have my windows open and not have the smoke coming into my apartment,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-hampshire\/concord-nh\">Concord (New Hampshire) Patch<\/a> reader Tootone said. \u201cSmoke it if you want, but be respectful to others that are around.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can smoke it in your own home. Or vape. Same as with tobacco,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/massachusetts\/salem\">Salem (Massachusetts) Patch<\/a> reader Pat. \u201cFor every freedom is a responsibility. You can smoke what you like in your own home. But you have a responsibility to give your neighbor freedom to breathe clean air.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>How Can It Not Affect Others?<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/florida\/dunedin\">Dunedin (Florida) Patch<\/a> reader Rissab isn\u2019t sure how a person can smoke weed and not affect others around them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCigarette smokers have to go outside to smoke. Cannabis has a much stronger smell,\u201d Rissab said. \u201cWhen our neighbor smokes cannabis in their back yard and we have our windows open, the smell literally fills our whole house.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the same as cigarette smoke,\u201d said Kim, who reads <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-jersey\/barnegat-manahawkin\">Barnegat-Manahawkin Patch<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-jersey\/galloway\">Galloway Patch<\/a>, both in New Jersey. \u201cIt\u2019s disgusting, and the rest of the world shouldn\u2019t have to suffer because you have a nasty habit. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy should I not be able to go outside and read a book or play with my kids in my own yard because it smells like pot coming from someone else\u2019s yard?\u201d Kim said. \u201cDo not allow your negative behaviors to affect others. Keep them to yourself in your own space.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSmoke inside your home or in some designated area of your premises. Use air filters if you don\u2019t want the smell clinging to things,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-york\/westhampton-hamptonbays\">Westhampton-Hampton Bays (New York) Patch<\/a> reader Llailu said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI cannot stand the smell and have a neighbor that smokes every day at 10 a.m. The smell wafts its way into my home and makes me sick,\u201d Llailu continued. \u201cI don&#8217;t care that you want to smoke pot, but I don\u2019t. Please take the stench somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>\u2018Talk! Talk To Your Neighbors\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re on your own grounds, zero discussion,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/pennsylvania\/warminster\">Warminster (Pennsylvania) Patch<\/a> Nunya. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>However, common sense should prevail, Nunya said: \u201cIf young children are outside or around, the user should wait or go inside or in your car (parked on home property).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf they can have their dogs barking at all hours to keep me awake for the past six years, I can smoke my J to sleep through it,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/illinois\/joliet\">Joliet (Illinois) Patch<\/a> reader Bri. <\/p>\n<p>That said, \u201cTalk! Talk to your neighbors if you have a problem,\u201d Bri said. \u201cJust speak up and say, \u2018Hey, do you mind being a bit more mindful about it? The smell bothers us.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In neighborhood etiquette, that\u2019s a cue for the smoker to say, \u201cYeah! No problem. I\u2019ll be more mindful going forward. Thanks for letting me know,\u201d Bri said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMuch like any smoking, whether it\u2019s pot, cigarettes or a fine cigar, neighbors need to be considered the same as if you had a compost pile, chicken coop or anything else that may affect their backyard enjoyment,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-york\/islip-terrace-ny\">Islip Terrace Patch<\/a> reader Brady said. \u201cUnfortunately, we have a neighbor who smokes weed two to three times a day out on his deck with no consideration for anyone downwind.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<h3>Weed And Cigs An Unfair Comparison<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cIf someone is allowed to stand in their back yard and smoke a cigarette \u2014 despite there being many years of scientific study to prove it is harmful \u2014 then weed should be treated the same way,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/california\/san-francisco\">San Francisco Patch<\/a> reader Emily said. \u201cAnd if I&#8217;m not allowed to smoke outside in my own back yard, where else exactly should I go to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily said common sense and courtesy guide her use.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I\u2019m in my backyard smoking and I see or hear one of my close neighbors come outside, I will stop until they go back inside unless I know they don\u2019t mind,\u201d she said. \u201cOtherwise, it\u2019s just me out here, and you can close your window for 20 minutes if you don\u2019t like it, just like I do when my next-door neighbor smokes his cigarettes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-jersey\/across-nj\">New Jersey Patch<\/a> reader Kelly said the comparison of secondhand tobacco and cannabis is unfair.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy should the freedom to smoke marijuana end when it may actually be used medicinally in some circumstances?\u201d Kelly said. \u201cCigarettes have no benefit to anyone, cause severe secondhand smoke damage, and ultimately are a huge burden on the healthcare system.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>Sure, \u201cmarijuana smells bad,\u201d Kelly said, adding that <br \/>Considerate smokers observe others\u2019 physical and personal boundaries and try to minimize the effect of their use of cannabis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the personal freedom of anything should end, it should be the freedom to use substances \u2014 it should be the ones with direct links to cancer, not the one prescribed by a doctor to help you,\u201d Kelly said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI use marijuana for several chronic illnesses to manage symptoms and pain; I also have young children,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/maryland\/belair\">Bel Air (Maryland) Patch<\/a> reader Ashley said. \u201cI believe there\u2019s a difference between those just smoking anywhere and whenever, but for those who do use it for the betterment of our health, be conscious of whether windows are open or children are playing outside.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut it\u2019s no different than someone cooking on a grill and the smell, or a cigarette, or a loud car or motorcycle or big truck with smoke rolling out the back,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n<h3>\u2018Move Where They Can\u2019t Smell My House Smells\u2019<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/pennsylvania\/pottstown\">Pottstown (Pennsylvania) Patch<\/a> reader Kace draws the line at \u201cregulating personal freedoms on private property,\u201d calling it a \u201cslippery slope\u201d at a time when freedoms are already jeopardized.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cIf we start this, where does it end? Can\u2019t smoke pot outside? Can\u2019t smoke cigarettes outside? Can\u2019t have a fire pit? Can\u2019t have a BBQ?\u201d Kace wondered. \u201cI may not like the pot smell, but you may not like my TV program I\u2019m watching and listening to while I\u2019m sitting outside with my sliding door screen open, or the music I\u2019m listening to.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have the freedom of choice, too. Go back inside for 10 minutes until they are done. I\u2019m not going to regulate you, and please afford me the same courtesy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI paid for the property, so I have every right to smoke there. If they want to avoid smelling pot, they need to move to a more spread-out area where they can\u2019t smell my house smells,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/maryland\/belair\">Bel Air (Maryland) Patch<\/a> reader Kim.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you have a medical condition, let the smoker know so they can smoke when you aren\u2019t also outside. But besides that, if you don\u2019t like the smell, you need to move to somewhere else with more land between homes.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>\u2018Be A Decent Human Being\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>Although research shows secondhand tobacco and cannabis smoke both carry health risks, most complaints are probably centered around weed\u2019s smell, <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/connecticut\/southwindsor\">South Windsor (Connecticut) Patch<\/a> reader Eddy said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cSo unless it were proposed that tobacco use and outdoor fires are banned for health reasons, weed smoke should not be,\u201d Eddy said.<\/p>\n<p>The balance between individual freedoms and property rights can be found by \u201cbeing a decent human being and understanding there are two sides,\u201d Eddy said. \u201cIf you have a neighbor who [complains], work together to reduce their exposure. Give them a heads-up, pick a different area of your yard. It doesn\u2019t need to be \u2018one side is right and one is wrong.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>\u2018Why Are They Smoking It All Day Long?\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>Laws in the 24 states where recreational cannabis is legal generally place restrictions on its use in public places.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/massachusetts\/peabody\">Peabody (Massachusetts) Patch <\/a>reader Jen\u2019s complaint is with what seems to her an air of permissiveness regarding enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don&#8217;t care if people smoke marijuana, but why are they smoking it all day long? We cannot drink alcohol in public, so why is it OK to walk down the street and smoke marijuana?\u201d Jen said. \u201cI personally hate the smell of it, and worry about parents smoking and the effects of secondhand smoke on kids.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/maryland\/silverspring\">Silver Spring (Maryland) Patch<\/a> reader A. isn\u2019t sure of the best way to create a balance, but offered this: \u201cI am tired of the all-day outdoor smoking lounge my neighbors have. The smell permeates my home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe worst thing is, so many people are driving now smoking it, so now I can\u2019t drive with the windows down without smelling it,\u201d said Grumby, a <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/virginia\/fredericksburg\">Fredericksburg (Virginia) Patch<\/a> reader. \u201cMy kid, or any other child, shouldn\u2019t be smelling this.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>\u2018No Personal Freedom To Smoke Pot\u2019<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/connecticut\/avon\">Avon (Connecticut) Patch<\/a> reader Jim said the question \u2014 \u201cDoes the personal freedom to smoke pot end when it negatively impacts neighbors?\u201d \u2014 is moot<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no personal freedom to smoke pot,\u201d Jim said, despite both medical and recreational cannabis being legal in Connecticut, He defers to the federal code, which makes it illegal. <\/p>\n<p>He said politicians in his state \u201cchoose to ignore the federal law because (1) they disagree with it, and (2) they are addicted to the cash they collect from the sale of cannabis.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>\u201cImagine the chaos that would take place if we all just ignored the laws we didn&#8217;t likes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, he believes \u201cpersonal freedoms always outweigh community well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe moment we place the well-being of the collective above the rights of the individual, we lose our free society, but that is not the issue here,\u201d Jim said. \u201cThe issue is that drug use, possession, manufacture or sale is not a personal freedom. Governments have always controlled the sale and possession of goods, be they drugs, weapons, or foods.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>And Then There\u2019s This \u2026<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cLook, non-smokers have won nearly all bottles regarding smoking,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/new-york\/longbeach\">Long Beach (California) Patch<\/a> reader Nikki, \u201cSmokers are usually the coolest, most casual, down-to-earth folks, and they truly have earned all rights to enjoy their smoke, Nikki said, drawing a comparison to the pressure some nursing mothers feel to retreat from public to feed their babies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf it\u2019s offensive to have to feed your baby in the toilet, I think it\u2019s equally offensive to have to squander your joint or bong to the confines of a bathroom,\u201d Nikki said. \u201cEww.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<p>She wrote an essay on the medicinal uses of cannabis to treat a \u201clitany of conditions.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>And, because somebody had to say it, Nikki pointed out the lawmakers setting the rules \u201cprobably need a doobie more than anyone.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Circling back to the breastfeeding metaphor, Nikki offered this:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWouldn\u2019t it be fine if they could enjoy the benefits of a bit of grass on a porch in the evening at sundown, instead of hiding in the bathroom? I say if you don\u2019t smoke, just breathe it in when it passes you. You\u2019ll feel infinitely better instantly, and you\u2019ll forget what war you were waging so vehemently just moments before. Smoke \u2019em if you got \u2019em, and do it out loud, so the rest can enjoy without being hypocrites.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s more, but you get the drift \u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k\">\n<h3>About Block Talk<\/h3>\n<p>Block Talk is a regular Patch feature offering real-world advice from readers on how to resolve everyday neighborhood problems. If you have a neighborhood etiquette question or problem you&#8217;d like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com, with Block Talk as the subject line.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/us\/across-america\/topics\/block-talk\">Catch up on Block Talk<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"styles_HTMLContent__LDG2k SubscribeCTABlurb_SubscribeCTABlurb__M_Azu\">Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox.<!-- --> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/patch.com\/subscribe\" class=\"\">Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><time datetime=\"2025-10-03T20:14:58Z\">Posted <!-- -->Fri, Oct  3, 2025 at 4:14 pm ET<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/patch.com\/us\/across-america\/what-do-when-your-neighbor-s-weed-smells-skunk-s-behind-block-talk?utm_source=article-mostrecent&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_term=community%20corner&#038;utm_campaign=recirc&#038;utm_content=aol\">Source link <\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Connecticut Patch reader Diane looks at \u201cneighborhood weed wars\u201d this way: \u201cHonestly, a whiff of pot is much less distressing to me than 100 hours of leaf blowing and lawnmowers&hellip;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":127324,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127323"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":127325,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127323\/revisions\/127325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}