Calling cops on pot smoking roommates?

[DWarrior]

I'm two years into sharing a house with people. At first it was just one dude and he was pretty cool, then his brother moved in, but it was alright.

Over the course of last semester, they've both become heavy pot smokers. They basically blaze all day, and when they're not blazing, they're smoking cigarettes. Not to the point where the living room's filled with smoke, but the smell lingers in the house, including my room.

I've talked to them about it several times, but they just sort of blow it off. I've just sent a complaint to my landlord and hopefully something will be done. If he does nothing, I'm wondering what'll happen if I call 911 on a bunch of people smoking pot? Will the operator just hang up on me? Will they be let off with a warning, or will they get fines and get expelled from school for it? They're exchange students.

I don't really want to ruin their lives, but at this point their behavior is just passively obnoxious.

[Loki74]

Originally Posted by DWarrior

I'm two years into sharing a house with people. At first it was just one dude and he was pretty cool, then his brother moved in, but it was alright.

Over the course of last semester, they've both become heavy pot smokers. They basically blaze all day, and when they're not blazing, they're smoking cigarettes. Not to the point where the living room's filled with smoke, but the smell lingers in the house, including my room.

I've talked to them about it several times, but they just sort of blow it off. I've just sent a complaint to my landlord and hopefully something will be done. If he does nothing, I'm wondering what'll happen if I call 911 on a bunch of people smoking pot? Will the operator just hang up on me? Will they be let off with a warning, or will they get fines and get expelled from school for it? They're exchange students.

I don't really want to ruin their lives, but at this point their behavior is just passively obnoxious.

My first thought reading this was "why is he being such a bitch?" Roommates suck and I bet you are no piece of cake to live with either given some of your forums posts.

All personal criticisms aside, a few things for you to consider:
1) If you turn them in to the landlord 50-50 chance of anything happening to only them… landlord might just break the lease and toss you all out.
2) If you call the cops there is a good chance that they get a verbal warning (most cops don’t care about weed behind closed doors unless they are dealing from the place)

If you do either of the above, you better be prepared to move because they are going to fuck with you… don’t leave any food out or it will get spit/pissed/jazzed on, your stuff will get broken/lost and you will have wished you had done nothing.

[FletchLives]

all you people are giving advice when there's really not enough info here to advise on.

[Loki74]

Originally Posted by FletchLives

all you people are giving advice when there's really not enough info here to advise on.

How much more do we really need to know?

You can replace the weed smoking with anything: Roommate not cleaning, snoring too much, playing music too loud, his pet shits in your laundry basket…

It's the age old “what do I do about a dick roommate”... the answer is always: suck it up if you can or move the fuck out if you can’t… very few people can talk through these kinds of problems successfully.

[FletchLives]

the roommates are obviously disrespectful, were they like that at the beginning? did D used to smoke?
"they just sort of blow it off" is a cop out. people can only disregard you if you let them. so what exactly did you tell the roommates D?
is the 2nd roommate also paying rent? who's name is on the lease?

honestly D, my guess is that you have been way too passive. you probably let this boil up inside and only made some passing comments about it bothering you.
quit being a little bitch, sit your roommates down and tell them what's up. if you had already done this, you wouldn't be asking for advice on here.
(but this is a guess)

[DWarrior]

I've never smoked anything. And yes, I probably have been too passive.

We have separate leases, and the 2nd roommate is the guy's brother who just transferred to this school. They're going to take the place next year since I'm graduating. btw, no I don't want to suck it up for the rest of the semester+summer.

The crucial difference between just having roommates who aren't cleaning or playing loud music (or even just cigarette smoking) is that what they're doing is illegal, giving me much greater leverage to make it stop.

But then shouldn't you have called the cops immediately? You said they've been at it for awhile.

I obviously wouldn't mention that to the cops, and if they ask I'd say I only noticed it now.

[DWarrior]

Originally Posted by RoundAbout

How did you "discuss" this with them in the first place? Did you just outright tell them to stop smoking? Did you try to compromise with them? Maybe tell them to spray around when they're done smoking or maybe for them to smoke outside?

First off, the place was advertised as non-smoking. I do not believe the landlord is aware that any smoking goes on. I didn't compromise with them, but I just told them to smoke outside. I also let it go during the winter when it's obvious they've been smoking because I realize going outside in -10 weather for a cigarette must be a bitch. But now it's just happening constantly.

Originally Posted by Loki74

My first thought reading this was "why is he being such a bitch?" Roommates suck and I bet you are no piece of cake to live with either given some of your forums posts.

All personal criticisms aside, a few things for you to consider:
1) If you turn them in to the landlord 50-50 chance of anything happening to only them… landlord might just break the lease and toss you all out.
2) If you call the cops there is a good chance that they get a verbal warning (most cops don’t care about weed behind closed doors unless they are dealing from the place)

If you do either of the above, you better be prepared to move because they are going to fuck with you… don’t leave any food out or it will get spit/pissed/jazzed on, your stuff will get broken/lost and you will have wished you had done nothing.

We're not on the same lease, so kicking me out won't be as easy as "the lease has been violated, bye".

Aside from not washing dishes for up to a week, I'm otherwise the best non-buddy roommate anybody can hope for. I'm not really sure what posts you're alluding to, but I don't just go around telling them what to do. I do let a lot of things go.

If the landlord does nothing and I call the cops, I'm at a pretty big advantage. They have a 50" plasma and an Xbox in the living room, and they share the same fridge. Given that all the stuff I own I keep in my room, while half their stuff occupies the living room, I'll gladly go to war. And I better never smell weed smoke again or the cops come back. They won't just be giving out warnings forever.

[Feelz Good]

First off, go ahead and call 911. Sure, it's not an emergency really, but they're not going to care. It's not like you're calling because taco bell short changed you $3, this is a crime, they won't fault you for calling 911. Even if they do, they'll just direct you to the proper number to call.

Next I'd check your lease, some people aren't allowed to smoke at all indoors according to that. Even though I smoke cigarettes I find it strange that this is really an issue. I've never expected to be able to smoke indoors when I've had roommates, though weed was regularly smoked indoors.

Part of me is saying you're being a bit of a prude, but that's how you feel, so it is what it is. You should be comfortable where you live, you kinda have a right to that. Fuck 'em.

[fluxquanta]

When I was in grad school I was lucky enough to have a very considerate roommate as far as these things go. He came up to me one day, I think during midterms, and said, "Hey, I hope it's not a big deal, but I've been smoking weed in my room lately, is that okay?" Now it's pretty well known on the forums that I hate weed, and my roommate and I had talked about that before, but at least he had the decency to come and ask about it. I didn't even notice before he brought it up. I just told him that as long as he did it so it didn't bother me (as in, not in my face and preferably out of my sight in his own room) and didn't attract the wrong attention to our apartment I didn't care. We went on living together for another 6 months after that with no problems until I left school.

So basically, I would sack up and really put your foot down. I hate it as much as you do, probably more, but if these were decent enough people that you found you could live with them before, you can probably come to some sort of compromise about it if you show a little forcefulness. Don't threaten them with calling the cops unless you're certain you can follow through with it.

Or, if it's a viable option, start looking for a new place. Maybe you can stick it out at least until May when school ends and you can probably find a cheap place to sublet while you look for new roommates/apartments. Talk to your landlord again and tell him, if you have a lease, that you're not going to continue paying/living there in those "unsafe" conditions or some bullshit like that. Or sublet your room there to a stoner.

[MonsteroftheId]

If you're sharing a house you don't have the right to make the rules on your own authority. You threatening to turn the cops on your roommates is way beyond the pale. It sounds like they're getting baked in the privacy of their own rooms, and while you find it annoying, crying to the law and getting these guys kicked out of school/the country is a cowardly shitbag move (I hope you're not really serious about it.) Odds are that you're the douche in the situation and should either negotiate them into regulated smoking hours, an air purifier for your room, or move on. Living with other people sucks and, unless you have some horror story to tell, your roomies sound par for the course.