SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – We’ve received numerous questions in the last several months about marijuana use. This one comes from Laura. She says there’s a man downstairs who sits on the stairs and smokes pot outside. It comes into my apartment. What can I do? Is that legal?
Early February marked one year since the start of legal adult-use marijuana sales in Missouri. Since voters approved the constitutional amendment in November 2022, several cities and counties have clarified local rules.
Springfield prohibits smoking marijuana in public places. And.., that includes sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, parking lots, and the common areas of public and private buildings. So, the smoker could be cited for city ordinance violations.
“It’s a really good issue that instead again of getting law enforcement involved, talk to your landlord,” explained Scott Pierson of Twibell Pierson Criminal Law. “And the landlord can tell that individual that they’re not supposed to smoke close to the building or anything of that nature. The actual constitutional amendment gives landlords a lot of authority over their property and where people can actually smoke (marijuana).”
Pierson says you can also talk to the smoker directly. Ask them if they’ll move inside their apartment to smoke. If that doesn’t work and you’ve spoken to your landlord, you can always contact local law enforcement on a non-emergency line and explain the problem. In Springfield, you can contact your neighborhood…
