Legalized Marijuana - Is it a problem?

Question

Marijuana Ignites Skirmishes Between Users, Neighbors

The article above is from REALTOR Magazine and describes some of the problems caused by legalized marijuana. If you're in a state with legal doobie, ganga, reefer, pot, Mary Jane, dope, stinkweed, or otherwise 420-friendly, what's your experience?

Steve K. · Answer

@Nathan G. Here is what a grow looks like in a legal state:I don't know about everywhere else, but here in Colorado legalization did away with people growing in houses (not entirely, but growing inside residential property became extremely rare). Here’s why: the introduction of large-scale professional-grade grow operations through legalization lowered the price point so much that small-scale operators soon became obsolete. Before legalization, grow houses were common as growers didn’t typically have access to warehouse space, and weren’t on the level of sophistication that modern legal growers are. Now almost all marijuana is grown in very large warehouses on an industrial scale ($10 Million is entry-level minimum capital for starting a grow operation here now, and many are $100M+ operations). Small grows simply can’t compete with the larger grows who benefit from having a purpose-built, dedicated facility with full climate control, large growing spaces to capitalize on economies of scale, etc. So not many "grow houses" exist here anymore except for the hobby/personal use ones which is basically a few plants in a grow tent in the garage or closet. Even those are less common now because it's so much easier to go to the store and buy it as needed. Areas where pot is illegal will definitely have more sketchy “grow houses” and people growing in kitchens like your photo than areas where it is legally grown because growers in legal states have access to professional spaces designed and built specifically for growing.

Russell Brazil · Answer

It's only a problem if they dont share

Joe Splitrock · Answer

@Nathan G. personal use is different than renting a house for a grow operation. Even in states that have legalized marijuana you cannot grow beyond personal use without proper permission.It is not legal in my state, but if it was, I would view it no different than cigarettes or vaping. None of it is allowed in my properties because it can leave residue and odor damage. In multifamily it damages air quality for neighboring tenants. I don't care what people put in their lungs, but they can't do it inside my property.

Elbin Collado · Answer

With that kind of set up, I bet they never miss a rent payment.

Theresa Harris · Answer

The place I am familiar with, you are limited on how many plants you can have in the house, so you'd never legally get to the second photo which is a grow op. We are still allowed to restrict where they smoke it. The smell is horrible.

Steven Ko · Answer

@Steve K. Strongly agree. Economies of scale play a huge role. I don’t think indoor grows can compete cost wise with huge warehouse grows. I imagine that there are less houses like the picture above now than before legalization. I’ve know a bunch of people who smoked weed in college (San Francisco) and I never heard of or had a problem myself with any smoke remediation when moving. Putting college kids aside, SF is known to be a place where lots of people smoke, even professionals, and it doesn’t seem to be an issue. I moved across the country to Pennsylvania, where it is still illegal) and my neighbors smoke weed, people across the street at the advanced auto parts store more weed, handymen working on the house next to mine smoke weed. I don’t notice when they smoke. The smell does not seep into my home. Besides smell (for others), I don’t think there really any problem. In my experience, it never seems to linger long. If you’re in a condo, which the article states, i can see how it can be a little more problematic. Would more so suck for immediate neighbors or if the unit upstairs needs to close a window. And as with any story, there are always two sides.

Account Closed · Answer

Where i am it is essentially decriminalized, and I probably smell it about once a day while out and about. Indoor smoking of any kind is banned in my rentals, but nobody really seems to care much about outdoor smoking. I do smoke weed recreationally, much less now than when I was young, and I honestly do not believe it causes anywhere near the wall/cieling residue that tobacco use does. I would actually think almost none sticks to the walls and cieling but it might be a difference in the quantity being consumed tobacco vs weed. The real problem is when people tap out or blow out their pipes, it gets little balls of resin (tar) in the carpet and has to be removed with rubbing alcohol. Also ash just gets everywhere. As for that grow op pic, its essentially a manufacturing operation forced into secret by the fact that it is illegal. Legalize it and they can go rent a warehouse or whatever and do it legitimately. Also the normal screening and routine inspections would have probably prevented that, or at least kept damage to a minimum.

Brian H. · Answer

That picture is over the top lolThat's a grow op. Please. This isn't D. A. R. E. class. People using marijuana in legal states aren't going to demolish your properties. If he more worried about someone with a drinking problem than a couple of stoners. Any day of the week. Pot smoke doesn't stick like cigarette smoke either. Remidiation is minimal if anything when compared to that. Plus many people eat or vaporize their THC.I have zero issue with this. I feel like those that do are just refusing to read facts. But that's how it goes sometimes.

Brian H. · Answer

@Russell Brazil Like how you slid that in there 😂😂

Dawn P. · Answer

Oh, that poor kitchen. Why didn't those clowns just grow their plants outside in the sun if it's legal?It's most definitely NOT legal here in South Carolina, we'll probably be one of the very last states to legalize (if ever).