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Landlord tells Renton council secondhand marijuana smoke sent tenants to hospital; council says city attorney will review
Summary
A Renton landlord told the council May 5 that secondhand marijuana smoke from a neighboring unit allegedly sent tenants to the hospital and asked the council to consider criminal penalties when smoke affects other units; council members said the city attorney will review the matter.
Peter Starring, a Renton landlord, urged the council May 5 to take action after tenants in an upstairs unit were allegedly exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke from a downstairs unit and required hospital care.
"It's all civil on this part of it. But the people downstairs have decided that they it's legal for them to smoke marijuana. The police say it's legal for them to smoke marijuana, which is fine. Except for that they're gassing out the people upstairs. The people upstairs had to take their children to the hospital," Starring said, adding he believes the conduct should be a criminal offense when it causes harm to residents in other units.
Starring asked the council to make it an offense when smoke from one unit affects occupants of another; he expressed concern about liability and potential severe health consequences. A council member responded that the city attorney was present and would review the complaint to determine what, if any, action the city can take. No formal council action or ordinance was proposed or recorded during the meeting; the record shows this item arose during the audience comment period and that police had been consulted by the commenter prior to his appearance.
