Free Warning Letter for Smoking Marijuana Template

A warning letter for smoking marijuana is an informal notice a landlord sends to a tenant to address cannabis use on the property. It reminds the tenant of the lease terms they agreed to without immediately starting the eviction process.

This type of letter is often used as a first step. It gives the tenant a chance to correct the behavior, helps protect the property, and reduces the risk of complaints from neighbors or other tenants.

Marijuana laws vary by state. Some states allow recreational use, others allow only medical use, and some prohibit it entirely.

Even in states where marijuana is legal, landlords can still restrict smoking on their property if the restriction is clearly stated in the lease agreement.

For a general overview of state marijuana laws, you can review the national marijuana legality map published by the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.

Vaping and smoking are different methods of consuming marijuana, but many landlords treat them the same for housing purposes.

Both methods can produce odors and secondhand exposure that affect other tenants and the condition of the unit. Because of this, a lease may prohibit both smoking and vaping marijuana.

If you want to restrict vaping, make sure your lease language clearly includes vaping, e-cigarettes, or similar devices.

Some states include vaping in their smoke-free indoor air laws.

Yes. A landlord can ban smoking or vaping marijuana on the property if the restriction is clearly written into the lease and does not conflict with state or federal housing laws.

Landlords often justify marijuana restrictions to:

• Protect the property from smoke damage and lingering odors.
• Prevent complaints from other tenants.
• Maintain a smoke-free or low-allergen environment.

In addition, marijuana remains illegal under federal law. The Controlled Substances Act classifies marijuana as a Schedule I substance, which gives landlords further grounds to restrict its use on their property.

A warning letter for smoking marijuana is most appropriate when:

• The tenant is violating a no-smoking or no-drug clause in the lease.
• The issue appears to be correctable.
• You want to resolve the issue without immediately starting eviction.

It creates a written record of the issue while giving the tenant a fair chance to comply.