What is this smell? Tobacco? Marijuana? Cocaine?

Question

I appreciate all the help I've been getting, it's the first time I've moved into a place with smokers below and having a headache dealing with them.

Right now I'm smelling something like burnt incense/sulphur/ash from my neighbour living below. I don't recall it ever being the "skunk" smell described by marijuana, it's definately not fragrant but something comparable to an ash tray. Another example would be like a coffee experiment gone totally bad (coffee ash anyone?).

It's really hard to pin-point for me whether I'm dealing with someone using cigarettes, cigars, or something else due to smell being diluted through the walls. Any ideas or anything else I can do to find this out?

Smell is seeping through cracks in my wall, see screenshots below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22658196@N08/2391349882/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22658196@N08/2391348420/

Thanks!

Answer 1

It doesn't sound good.  You need to talk to the landlord.  You also might want to call the cops. If something illegal is going on they will know the signs right away.  This could literally be an explosive or toxic situation.  Don't just let it slide. It could mean your health or life.  Normal people aren't making alot of smoke in their house.  If they are immigrants it could be something ethnic and innocuous that you might not anticipate. Otherwise, it doesn't sound good.

Answer 2

Just a thought...

Go knock on the door and ask.  You don't have to be rude about it, just say that you can smell smoke, and wanted to make sure that everything was o.k.  When they open the door, you should be able to determine the exact cause of the smell.  If not, ask if they smoke cigars.  It's not strange for a situation like this to come up in an apartment building.

Answer 3

Gross....and scary.  What if a meth lab is going on down there, that could explode at any time, to say the least, of the toxic fumes possibility??

You need to   talk to your landlord ASAP to express your worry and concern for your health, and safety.



If they are drug dealers/users, you could accidentally get shot over a drug deal gone bad.  There is no problem for a high powered bullet to go through the floor, and kill you.

Answer 4

Well it would be a good thing to call a police officer not on 911, but a neighborhood department and tell them of the complaint and see if they would come out next time you have that terrible smell. Just by the description you gave I would say it's marijuana.