I ain't gonna knock a possible tenant for legally being ripped off.Interestingly enough I know a few people in the mortgage industry, working in the underwriting, originators office, etc, (eg at proper banks and not mortgage advisors, sales people), and they all disregard medical debts when reviewing mortgage applications.

(note: this depends on the exact structure of your rent control -- if your rent control allows sizable increases disregard)

But you disregard all of that and tell him: "It IS, however, completely illegal to possess illegal drugs.

I see small chinks in the landlord dam...for instance landlords supposed to disregard criminal records and today as a real life example I had an offer on a house and they potential buyers had $100 down !

Inform them this is a formality that you have to take with everyone and if his/her rent shows up in the mail postmarked on your required date then you will disregard the pay or quit notice.

If they aren't in city limits, disregard. 

It woke me up a couple of nights and then my brain disregarded it as something not having to worry about and I didn't hear it any more. 

I think this may be disregarded if the property is owner occupied but i'm not sure. 

For other readers who wish to disregard the moral and ethical issues, or who disagree with prevailing views on those things, then you must make the same cost/benefit analysis as Greg.  

Maybe I can learn something...Gotta say though, it's interesting the Original Poster is a data miner but seems to disregard data on REI.