There are some drawbacks to living with another person, especially if you two do not live similar lifestyles or have different views on cannabis usage in the home. Here’s how to deal with it.

Marijuana legalization has liberated those who regularly use cannabis and live in states where it has recently become legal. While recreational marijuana has eliminated a lot of difficulties and roadblocks for those who indulge in smoking weed, it has created some new challenges, and magnified a few existing conflicts. One area that has grown increasingly more complicated is weed etiquette in the home when you have a roommate.

Having a roommate certainly has its pros and cons: they split your rent, walk your dog, and listen to you when you have something (or nothing at all) to say. There are, however, some drawbacks to living with another person, especially if you two do not live similar lifestyles or have different views on cannabis usage in the home. If you have a roommate, this might have you wondering what proper weed etiquette is these days now that we are in this new age of cannabis freedom. 

Check the Lease

Before you start wondering what is polite or impolite, you should first determine what is allowed and what is prohibited in your rental. More and more properties have very clear smoking policies. No-smoking policies do not simply refer to cigarettes. They can also apply to marijuana, and do not necessarily have to specify the type of smoke, as long as they are specific about the rules. 

According to the legal website Nolo, “A clear no-smoking policy prohibits all forms of smoking, including smoking marijuana for medical reasons.” These no-tolerance smoking policies are quite serious.

RELATED: How To Smoke Marijuana In An Apartment Without Getting Evicted

If you signed the lease and agreed to no-smoking terms, the violation can land you on the street. “A landlord who has included a no-smoking policy in a lease or rental agreement can terminate the tenancy of or evict a tenant who smokes,” the article continues. Make sure you are aware of your lease and its fine print, especially if you have a roommate or neighbor who is likely to rat you out to your landlord for smoking.

Keep Things Ventilated and Prevent Secondhand Smoke

Once you establish what is allowed and what is forbidden, you can move on to the “should” and “should nots” of smoking weed when you have a roommate. One thing you should always make sure of before sparking up a joint in your home is proper ventilation. Proper ventilation will prevent smoke from circulating throughout the home. The best policy is to smoke by an open window with a fan on. 

This is important, as your roommate might be worried about secondhand marijuana smoke. Getting high or failing a drug test from secondhand smoke is unlikely unless you are in a sealed room with lots of marijuana smoke. Even so, that does not mean a strong scent won’t upset or worry your roommate – especially if he or she may need to pass a drug test at some point.

According to Healthline, “catching a whiff of marijuana fragrance through your apartment window or entering a room where people were smoking several hours ago is very unlikely (maybe even impossible) to affect you at all.” So proper ventilation, and keeping the smoke flowing out the window as much as possible will help keep things safe and calm. 

RELATED: The Essential Guide To Smoke Proofing Your Apartment

Kill the Smell

Ventilation also helps get rid of the smell, and the smell can be the biggest gripe from a roommate who doesn’t smoke weed. If marijuana smell and usage is causing friction in the home, do your best to eliminate the issue. The odds are, the smell of weed and accessories are the main source of frustration from your roommate. Keeping your weed and accessories stashed in your room out of sight is always the best policy to keep the home looking (and smelling) great for everyone. 

As we have previously reported, there are all sorts of ways to get rid of and hide the smell of weed, from fragrance sprays to open windows.

Remember that even if weed is legal in the state where you live, it doesn’t mean you should be hotboxing your apartment, especially if you have roommates. If marijuana smoke is a point of contention between you and your roommate, consider alternatives like vaping or edibles. After all, marijuana should alleviate the stress in your life, not cause it.