My next door neighbor is exposing my son to 2nd-hand-smoke. Can I do anything?

james k

goooood grief! yeah let the little guy watch oprah all day with you. people have gone nutts! don't sweat the smoke....he'll be just fine.

addendum: we at least agree on phil collins.

sway_26

So take your son inside for 10-15 minutes while he's out there, Geez, its his air too you know.

mnwomen

He is within his rights to smoke in his own yard. Not much you can do legally. Go talk to him about your concerns and he might not smoke while your son is outside. I have to say I doubt the smoke will do any harm to him outside.

Athena

The miniscule amount of smoke your son *might* injest is less harmful than the air inside the average house.

Maybe this guy's screwing with you because he knew you'd react like this. =P

Snoochies

He is outside its not like he is lighting up in your home. He is in his yard you are in yours your son will be fine. Better not take your kid outside he could breath in all the polluntants in the air...........

dingoboy

Hold on a second people. I'm not thinking this guy is a perv at all.. Lets thinking about it. The fact that he's smoking a cigar, and that he's home at 1pm makes me think he's a old man. Maybe his grandchildren live far away. Could it be that he's not screwing with you, and that he's not a perv. prehaps he just enjoys watching the boy play. He might not even know the smoke bothers you.

AFwife

honey your son will be fine, i'm sure he's not smoking it in his face, that guy has a right to smoke, i hate smoking i never have, growing up my whole family smoked, my mom smoked when she was pregnant with me (she says nobody thought about it back then) you think they would have figured it out on there own, anyway she smoke with my sister and 2 brothers too, we are all fine, so some smoke from over the fence won't be that big of a deal, your kid is not an eggshell

Sean

You can keep your son in the house or put a mask on him. I don't think you can stop your neighbor from smoking in his own back yard.

You could try talking to the neighbor about your concerns. Maybe he'd smoke in the front yard.

Princess of the Realm

2nd hand cigar smoke isn't going to harm your son in the outdoors. However, if the neighbor is doing this on purpose and only going out when your kids are outside, then something is up. Can you talk to him or someone else who lives in the property about it? There may be something going on that you are not aware of.

msmissy

Your neighbor has the legal right to smoke.
You can politely ask him- not to smoke when your son is outside but be prepared for him to look at you like you're crazy.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about 2nd hand smoke wafting on the breeze- not considering what other toxins all of us breathing in on a daily basis.

~Crystal~

Lady - when I read this question I about fell out of my chair laughing. At first I thought damn - is she going to try and sue him.
Then as I read the answers I said well they are being mean I could try to be nice.
Do you know that you could take a vacumm cleaner bag (dirty), add water and drink it. That would be safer than breathing in the toxins in your house. --- DID you know that?

maybe your solution would be taking him to the front yard

and heck if he is old he may feel like he needs to calm his nerves when you bring the kid outside??? who knows

Brian

What is he sitting on the guys lap or something? It's outside the smoke will dissipate before bothering your child.

If he is in his backyard and your son is in your's their is not a risk. Its the same as the exhaust fumes from your car running in the front yard. He's not doing it on purpose. Is he standing 5 feet from your son? No. You are probably smelling it because you want to, not because it's overpowering.

Jan

I agree with dingoboy. Maybe he enjoys watching your son play.He might be lonely.That's the first thing I thought of when you said he comes out when your son is out.
And,it is his right to smoke on his property.The small amount of smoke your son will be exposed to is minimal.

Pascha

You could try talking to your neighbor. Maybe he doesn't realize how you feel. But that's risky. A lot of smokers are combatitve when someone objects to their smoke.

MAGGIE MAE

Honey, are you sure the cigar smoking is the ONLY reason your neighbor goes out when your son does? Maybe I'm hardened because of the world that we live in...but for some reason something about this seems to be more than cigar smoking. Think about it. Talk to other neighbors and try to get a "feel" on this one. Hopefully, I'm wrong. Good luck!!!!!

Anthony

wow, seriously... you're getting a little nutty over nothing. Just because your son can smell the cigar smoke doesn't mean it's destroying his lungs. lol. Some people are so uneducated when it comes to things the fact that you really believe this is some sort of conspiracy where your neighbor is doing this on purpose is ridiculous. Loosen the mom strings on your kid and don't be one of those overly concerned, under educated impulsive mothers that writes angry letters and tries to make laws banning things because of situations that pose minimal to no threat to your child.

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