Venting about inconsiderate ppl SMOKING!

pamela

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I am sooooooooo angry right now and need to vent so I hope u don't mine me venting here!

I am allegric to smoking and I live in an apt building where in the past some ppl would smoke in the hallways. I have posted signs asking them NOT to smoke in the hallways since I can smell it in my apt and I have to go thru the halls to get in/out. I have even complained to the maintence department and they sent a letter to everyone in the complex asking them NOT to smoke in the hallways. I even had them install foam (dunno what it's called) in my doorway so it'll be harder for cig smoke to get through my door! Things had improved then.....

WELLLLLL about 15 min ago, I started smelling smoke real STRONG in my apt and started having a hard time breathing. It was so strong I actually thought it was from a FIRE and checked all over my apt to make sure nothing was burning! Then I decided to open my door to look out in the hallway and WHOA, the hallway REEKED of smoke!
I immediately shut the door but started wheezing.

I had to open a window to get some fresh air and its COLD outside (just snowed yesterday)!

I've called maintence twice already asking for someone to come NOW and clear the hallways (I can't go out to open a window at risk to my health) and to inform the ppl in other apts to NOT smoke in the hallways but haven't seen any maintence people YET.
If people are STUPID enough to smoke risking getting cancer then do it in their OWN APARTMENT or go OUTSIDE but do not make other people SUFFER!!
I don't want to go confront whoever is doing this because I live in a "not safe" area. PLUS I'm deaf so my speech is not too great.

Where is their RESPECT for others??????? Don't they REALIZE that the smoke gets into apartments and could bother people???

ARGGGGGGG... How can I clear my apt out of smoke without freezing and be able to BREATH???


Any suggestions/advice is welcome!
 

lunasmom

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Originally Posted by Pamela

ARGGGGGGG... How can I clear my apt out of smoke without freezing and be able to BREATH???


Any suggestions/advice is welcome!
Ah-ha! You said the key word: freezing.

I still think its very rude when a smoker lights up in an enclosed, communal hallway, however their cigarette will light easier for them inside rather than lighting outside.

If it were that much smoke, I would've called the fire department
That would've taught them from lighting inside
 
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pamela

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Originally Posted by lunasmom

Ah-ha! You said the key word: freezing.

I still think its very rude when a smoker lights up in an enclosed, communal hallway, however their cigarette will light easier for them inside rather than lighting outside.

If it were that much smoke, I would've called the fire department
That would've taught them from lighting inside
I DID think about calling the fire department but didn't want to because it was not a true emergency if you know what I mean?

If their cigarette lights easier inside that's fine then GO OUTSIDE to finish it. It's obvious whoever smoked recently puffed A LOT for a while since I could smell it all the way into my apt and when I opened the door, WHOA, the hallway was covered with SMOKE.

I am thinking of maybe asking maintence dept to see if they can install a smoke alarm in the hallway.. Would that work with cigarettes or only with fires??
 

lunasmom

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Oh yes...since B smokes we take down all the smoke detectors that his cigerettes reach.

Basically the way they work is based on the amount of light...so if this indoor puffer comes back and decides to have his smoke fest in the hall again, it'll go off.
 

stacyd1987

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Our apartment complex has rules about smoking inside. I've smelled it a few times from the bathroom vents and called the building manager. She was able to track down who was doing it and we haven't had a problem since.
 

natalie_ca

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I can certainly relate! Last year there were people living across the hall from me that smoked marijuana and the hallway stunk of smoke. Then to try and hide the smell they would burn smelly incense and/or spray a can of air freshener in the all to try and hide the smell. At times there was a haze of smoke in the hallway from them smoking their weed. To top it off I think they were also dealing because there loud parties there almost every single night, and there were people coming and going from there at all hours of the day and night.

The smoke used to seep under my door. I started to jam a rolled up towel under the door and that helped quite a bit. However when they were smoking heavily and their door was opening and closing frequently, the smoke in the hall got worse and even with the towel jammed under the door I could still smell it.

I started to write letters to the rental agency almost on a daily basis about their parties, their noise, and their smoking weed that stunk up the whole hallway. Nothing got done.

The last letter I wrote to the agency I pointed out the dates of all of the other letters that I had written, the fact that the caretaker was aware of the problem but had no control to do anything except to encourage me to write to the agency and complain.

Finally they were evicted last year in December.

Unfortunately they were friends with some people who lived at the far end of the hallway on the same floor, and they came here every night to party with them and the behaviour continued in that apartment instead of the one across from me.

I got tired of smelling the smell of pot and being woken up at 2am by loud music and yelling in the hallways that I resumed my complaints to the agency. Not sure why the rest of the people on this floor put up with it. I guess they are afraid to make waves. But the way I look at it is that I don't pay $719.00 per month to live in a slum/drug house and I have a right to some peace and quiet.

Those people were finally evicted a few months ago.

My advice to you is to find out which apartment and their guests are causing the problem and to start to write letters to your rental agency, not the maintenance department. Write direct to the property manager. Keep a copy of it so you can refer to it in subsequent letters.

Also, check the smoking laws where you are. Many places have laws now about smoking in public areas, and apartment hallways/lobbies are considered "public". So if there are laws in your town about no smoking in public areas, you can file a complaint with the police.

In the meantime try the damp towel jammed under your door. Also try replacing the sponge weather strip that surrounds most doors in order to make a more sealed connection between the door and the door jam.
 

rachelh1018

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Originally Posted by Pamela

I am thinking of maybe asking maintence dept to see if they can install a smoke alarm in the hallway.. Would that work with cigarettes or only with fires??
I'd ask them to install sprinklers...
 

lunasmom

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I thought about this last night: I'm really surprised that your apartments don't have smoke detectors in their halls.

When I lived in apartments they had to be there by law.
 

margecat

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I can certainly relate! Last year there were people living across the hall from me that smoked marijuana and the hallway stunk of smoke. Then to try and hide the smell they would burn smelly incense and/or spray a can of air freshener in the all to try and hide the smell. At times there was a haze of smoke in the hallway from them smoking their weed. To top it off I think they were also dealing because there loud parties there almost every single night, and there were people coming and going from there at all hours of the day and night.

The smoke used to seep under my door. I started to jam a rolled up towel under the door and that helped quite a bit. However when they were smoking heavily and their door was opening and closing frequently, the smoke in the hall got worse and even with the towel jammed under the door I could still smell it.

I started to write letters to the rental agency almost on a daily basis about their parties, their noise, and their smoking weed that stunk up the whole hallway. Nothing got done.

The last letter I wrote to the agency I pointed out the dates of all of the other letters that I had written, the fact that the caretaker was aware of the problem but had no control to do anything except to encourage me to write to the agency and complain.

Finally they were evicted last year in December.

Unfortunately they were friends with some people who lived at the far end of the hallway on the same floor, and they came here every night to party with them and the behaviour continued in that apartment instead of the one across from me.

I got tired of smelling the smell of pot and being woken up at 2am by loud music and yelling in the hallways that I resumed my complaints to the agency. Not sure why the rest of the people on this floor put up with it. I guess they are afraid to make waves. But the way I look at it is that I don't pay $719.00 per month to live in a slum/drug house and I have a right to some peace and quiet.

Those people were finally evicted a few months ago.

My advice to you is to find out which apartment and their guests are causing the problem and to start to write letters to your rental agency, not the maintenance department. Write direct to the property manager. Keep a copy of it so you can refer to it in subsequent letters.

Also, check the smoking laws where you are. Many places have laws now about smoking in public areas, and apartment hallways/lobbies are considered "public". So if there are laws in your town about no smoking in public areas, you can file a complaint with the police.

In the meantime try the damp towel jammed under your door. Also try replacing the sponge weather strip that surrounds most doors in order to make a more sealed connection between the door and the door jam.
Natalie,

This may be a dumb question, but: isn't pot illegal in Canada? Just wondered, as couldn't the management have called the police on those tenants? They weren't only being very inconsiderate and annoying, but doing something illegal, in addition to the noise factor--I once called the police on some distant neighbors, who were having a very loud party, after midnight. (About 10 minutes after I called, I heard a police car, then silence!
).
 

yosemite

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Yes, pot is illegal, but if folks are just having a quiet personal pot party, the police have better things to do than "visit" them. I've been at parties (when I was younger) where there was pot smoking happening and the police were called. They came, asked a few questions, asked us to keep the noise down and left. No biggie.

As for the folks smoking in your hallway, I think all you can do is complain, complain, complain. If the smoke is that serious a threat to your life, then you need to complain very loud. Perhaps you could get your doctor to do up a letter for you and give it to your landlord - that could put some extra pressure on them.
 

natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

Natalie,

This may be a dumb question, but: isn't pot illegal in Canada? Just wondered, as couldn't the management have called the police on those tenants? They weren't only being very inconsiderate and annoying, but doing something illegal, in addition to the noise factor--I once called the police on some distant neighbors, who were having a very loud party, after midnight. (About 10 minutes after I called, I heard a police car, then silence!
).
It is and it isn't. At one time possessing any amount of marijuana resulted in a criminal conviction and a record. Now they just give you a ticket or a warning if you are caught in possession of it under a certain amount. Also, it's used in the treatment of pain for many types of diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer and some others and is purchased by doctor prescription.

I don't like to bother the police with noise complaints. I know that's part of their job in enforcing the law, but there are so many other serious crimes that they need to deal with and they are short staffed. So I try not to bother with with stuff like party complaints. I'd rather them go and help that rape or robbery victim than come here and tell inconsiderate neighbours to shut up.
 

desu1

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air purifiers are pretty cheap. you could get a decent one for about 50 bucks
 

sadieandziggy

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I am a smoker. But I agree with you. Smoking in enclosed public places is now ilegal in most of the UK. If I am in the street, I won't even blow out the smoke if someone walks past me and wait for them to pass before I do. Or turn away.

I think it is out of respect that these people shouldn't smoke in a space that all the tenants use. I think smoke alarms should be installed in the hallway (they should be anyway).

I know that this is seems like a pain in the butt, but could you try and just air out one room at a time? And spend your time away from that room for an hour? I know it will take time, but you should be able to get rid of most of the smell, without you being in the freezing cold room. Also, try that thing that Natalie said about the towels.


(this is not an invitation for people to pick on my because I am a smoker)
 

crazyforinfo

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That is just rude. I wonder if they did it on purpose cause of the complaints.
Some people are just too rude or lazy. I am a smoker and never smoked outside our room. I might have lit at the front door but I always had it cracked and ready to go out.
 

clixpix

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Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

(this is not an invitation for people to pick on my because I am a smoker)
Yes, let's please be careful to not let this devolve into a "smokers are horrible people" thread. It's very easy to be judgemental and self-righteous, and smokers are currently the popular whipping boys. Let's remember that this is a rant about one person who smoked in a hallway, not about smokers in general.

And no, I'm not a smoker, I used to, so it still irritates me when all smokers get painted with the same brush, and are talked about like they are bad people.
 

calico2222

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I'm a smoker, and I'll be honest with you. If I was at someone's apartment and they didn't want me to smoke in their apartment, and didn't have a balcony to go on, I probably would smoke in the hallway. Not to be rude or inconsiderate, it just won't accure to me that it could get into the other apartments, so I'm glad you posted this. It does sound like the person had more than 1 smoke though.

Is you apartment building smoke free? Is there anyway way you could request a ventilation system for the hallways? I'm also surprised you don't have fire alarms in the hall, but we have fire alarms and both DH and I smoke and it doesn't set them off. They only time they go off is when I cook!


Could you put a sign on your doors asking people not to smoke around your apartment because of health issues? Of course, if the building is smoke free, calling the owners/landlord should take care of it but it sounds like they are dropping the ball too.

A cheap air purifier might help you apartment too.
 

catkiki

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This reminds me of something funny that happened at work.

We have an outside patio area where people can smoke. They have 4 tables for the smokers out there..... ONE table for the non-smokers. I went out there one day and someone was actually sitting at the non-smoking table SMOKING!!!!!! I didn't say a word.. Just looked at them, the sign stating that there was no smoking beyond that point, at the line painted on the patio and then back at them. They told the person they were talking to on their phone to hold on and moved to one of the other tables. It was soooo funny!!

But my hubby smokes. He is very considerate of people who do not smoke and won't light up without asking if the person minds. But if he isn't smoking, he is using smokeless tobacco... ewwwwww
But I would have him do that instead of smoking in the car.
 
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pamela

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Originally Posted by StacyD1987

Our apartment complex has rules about smoking inside. I've smelled it a few times from the bathroom vents and called the building manager. She was able to track down who was doing it and we haven't had a problem since.
The problem is that this tend to happen at nighttime and the maintence/building management offices are closed at nighttime. I have called leaving msgs on their answering machine and they DID send out a letter to all residents asking them to NOT smoke in the hallways. The last time someone smoked in the hallway was about 6 months ago so it has been a WHILE.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I can certainly relate! Last year there were people living across the hall from me that smoked marijuana and the hallway stunk of smoke. Then to try and hide the smell they would burn smelly incense and/or spray a can of air freshener in the all to try and hide the smell.

The smoke used to seep under my door. I started to jam a rolled up towel under the door and that helped quite a bit. However when they were smoking heavily and their door was opening and closing frequently, the smoke in the hall got worse and even with the towel jammed under the door I could still smell it.

My advice to you is to find out which apartment and their guests are causing the problem and to start to write letters to your rental agency, not the maintenance department. Write direct to the property manager. Keep a copy of it so you can refer to it in subsequent letters.

Also, check the smoking laws where you are. Many places have laws now about smoking in public areas, and apartment hallways/lobbies are considered "public". So if there are laws in your town about no smoking in public areas, you can file a complaint with the police.

In the meantime try the damp towel jammed under your door. Also try replacing the sponge weather strip that surrounds most doors in order to make a more sealed connection between the door and the door jam.
They don't EVEN try to clear the hallway by opening a window or spraying an air fresher!
That WOULD have helped if they had opened a window in the hallway to air it out. I wanted to do that but that'd mean I'd have to go through the smoke in the hallway and that'd cause my allergies to worsen.

That is a good idea about writing a letter and I will do that. I will post a draft here to get everyone's feedback on it since I am not too great at expressing myself and I want to make sure it doesn't sound like a letter from a whiny troublemaker.


How can I find out exactly WHO are smoking?? That would mean having me go out in the hallway breathing in the smoke and trying to track them down. I peered through the peephole in my door to see if I could see anyone and couldn't see anyone. I opened the door for a min to look out and again couldn't see anyone. I live on the 2nd floor of a building that has 4 floors so it's a bit difficult...

I did try putting a damp towel under the door but it didn't seem to help- maybe it was too late by then? The weather strip was added to my door about 6 to 9 months ago.. Does it still need to be replaced?

Originally Posted by rachelh1018

I'd ask them to install sprinklers...
HEH! That would be hilarious! Could you imagine the look on their faces if they light up a cig and sprinkers goes off in the hallway!


Originally Posted by lunasmom

I thought about this last night: I'm really surprised that your apartments don't have smoke detectors in their halls.

When I lived in apartments they had to be there by law.
That's a good point. I didn't think about that. I need to check that out.

Originally Posted by desu1

air purifiers are pretty cheap. you could get a decent one for about 50 bucks
Why should I pay for other people actions??? It's not fair to me that I'd have to buy an air purifer to clear out MY apartment when someone is inconsiderate enough to smoke in the hallway! AND even if I do buy an air puifier, it'd take time to clear the air out and that means subjecting me to polluted air in MY OWN apartment. ESPECIALLY when research shows that secondhand smoke is very dangerous to health of non smokers.

Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

I am a smoker. But I agree with you. Smoking in enclosed public places is now ilegal in most of the UK. If I am in the street, I won't even blow out the smoke if someone walks past me and wait for them to pass before I do. Or turn away.

I think it is out of respect that these people shouldn't smoke in a space that all the tenants use. I think smoke alarms should be installed in the hallway (they should be anyway).

I know that this is seems like a pain in the butt, but could you try and just air out one room at a time? And spend your time away from that room for an hour? I know it will take time, but you should be able to get rid of most of the smell, without you being in the freezing cold room. Also, try that thing that Natalie said about the towels.


(this is not an invitation for people to pick on my because I am a smoker)
I live in a small one bedroom apartment so there's not a lot of space for me to get away from. Everything's in the living room (tv, phone, etc) and that's close to the entry door leading to the hallway. Even when I go into the bedroom, I could still smell the smoke..

I don't want to pick on smokers either. It just upsets me when some smokers do things like this and risks the health of others especially if it affects my own home.

Originally Posted by Crazyforinfo

That is just rude. I wonder if they did it on purpose cause of the complaints.
Some people are just too rude or lazy. I am a smoker and never smoked outside our room. I might have lit at the front door but I always had it cracked and ready to go out.
I highly doubt they did it on purpose because of the complaints because no one in the apt bldg was singled out for this and the last time I lodged a complaint was over 6 months ago...


Originally Posted by calico2222

I'm a smoker, and I'll be honest with you. If I was at someone's apartment and they didn't want me to smoke in their apartment, and didn't have a balcony to go on, I probably would smoke in the hallway. Not to be rude or inconsiderate, it just won't accure to me that it could get into the other apartments, so I'm glad you posted this. It does sound like the person had more than 1 smoke though.

Is you apartment building smoke free? Is there anyway way you could request a ventilation system for the hallways? I'm also surprised you don't have fire alarms in the hall, but we have fire alarms and both DH and I smoke and it doesn't set them off. They only time they go off is when I cook!


Could you put a sign on your doors asking people not to smoke around your apartment because of health issues? Of course, if the building is smoke free, calling the owners/landlord should take care of it but it sounds like they are dropping the ball too.

A cheap air purifier might help you apartment too.
Now you know it can get into other apartments if you smoke in the hallways.


I don't know if my apartment building is smoke free. I do know that it's illegal to smoke in enclosured public areas. I think it's okay for them to smoke in their own apartments- not sure though. I don't know a lot about laws relating to smoking since I don't smoke.


I do plan to request a smoke alarm be installed in the hallway. I doubt there's a way for them to install a ventilation system in the hallways.

I HAVE posted signs near my door asking people NOT to smoke in the halls since some people are allergic to it. The signs tend to disappear within a day or two.
I posted another sign last night but it was after the fact you know?

I am tryimg to be careful because I do not want the people in my apt bldg to know who is complaining. I may be paranoid but this is not a safe area for a single woman to live in and I want to take all the precautions I can.

Originally Posted by Catkiki

This reminds me of something funny that happened at work.

We have an outside patio area where people can smoke. They have 4 tables for the smokers out there..... ONE table for the non-smokers. I went out there one day and someone was actually sitting at the non-smoking table SMOKING!!!!!! I didn't say a word.. Just looked at them, the sign stating that there was no smoking beyond that point, at the line painted on the patio and then back at them. They told the person they were talking to on their phone to hold on and moved to one of the other tables. It was soooo funny!!

But my hubby smokes. He is very considerate of people who do not smoke and won't light up without asking if the person minds. But if he isn't smoking, he is using smokeless tobacco... ewwwwww
But I would have him do that instead of smoking in the car.
That's a funny story.
Thanks for sharing! I needed the laugh.

I will work on a letter to the management office and will post it here for feedback before I submit it to them on Monday.

THANKS for listening and for all the advice/suggestions/support!!


I hope that the smokers who read my msg knows that this is NOT a PERSONAL attack on smokers- it's due to people who doesn't respect others by smoking in the hallways knowing that others will have to go through the hallways to get in/out of apartments.
 

sadieandziggy

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(my coment on the end of my post was to stop this ending up as something that should be in IMO
)

I do think all smokers should be more considerate though. I hate it when a smoker blows smoke in my face - How rude!! And I'm a smoker!

Anyway, do post the letter. We'll all give you advise on it. Good Luck!!
 

catsallover

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I know how you feel- I have lung issues too, and smoke is horrible for me. I have purchased a couple of these for emergencies :

http://www.breathehealthy.net/Mercha...ore_Code=masks

because I also need one if I am in a room with someone who is coughing up a storm and I can't leave, and sometimes for clinic visits (cross contamination issues). They are so much better than the paper masks (more comfortable and easier to breathe through), and are good in a pinch (like if the hallway is smokey, and you need to leave, or to go and open that window
) . They also come in cute patterns or plain colors, whichever you prefer
. It's a cheap way to save yourself some pain because of someone else's insensitivity/cluelessness.
 
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