Have you ever encountered a seatmate who is high as a kite? I did on a United flight in California (of course) yesterday.
I’ll say this, which I hope you can appreciate. First, I am agnostic about pot legalization: while I detest the smell of marijuana, I don’t think sufficient harm has been shown to proscribe its recreational use.
But like cigarettes, my mantra is this: keep it to yourself.
Being “high” manifests itself in different ways for different people. The passenger had red/watery eyes, but was absolutely mellow on the flight, surfing Instagram, chatting on his phone, and finally sleeping for most of the flight.
So what’s the problem?
He smelled like a coffee shop in Amsterdam. Oh my goodness, the skunk-like smell was so strong it was overpowering. I don’t know if you can get high from second hand fumes, but I had to breathe from my mouth the entire flight. Thankfully, there was an open middle seat between us: I could not imagine being only one seat away.
I don’t know about you, but strong smells are worse than tight legroom, poor service, and horrible food. When someone douses themselves in perfume or cologne, has body odor issues, or, as in this case, is saturated in the stench of a controlled substance, the discomfort is unbearable and unescapable.
So here’s the moral of the story: enjoy your pot, but if you are going to spend the morning smoking weed then at least have the courtesy to shower before your flight.
My friend @ChrisFlyerDC chimed in on Twitter: “Hope it’s a short trip“. Thankfully, it was…
I’ve been worse. Sitting in the window, next to a sweating man who seems didn’t take 3 days of bath, behind passenger(s) who seemed bathed in eucalyptus oil. I always carry a small bottle of EDT or EDP for moments like this.
The fact this seatmate wasn’t aware of the strong impression his stench leaves on others explains the problems of allowing people to self-prescribe psychosomatic drugs.
JoeMart- This is one of the silliest (and most biased) things I have read today. Are you insinuating that only psychoactive drugs have the potential to be abused? What about those who drink excessively and become a nuisance to those around them? I personally would find a loud, boisterous drunk much more offensive than a person quietly surfing Instagram and sleeping. I do admit if a smell as Matt described accompanied the latter, I would be annoyed. My point is: excessive use/abuse of ANY substance is likely problematic for those in close proximity. Your personal bias against these substances is not a license to portray their use/users as a monolith.
Just a thought, but alcohol is in fact a psychoactive drug. It just happens to be legal.
Your blog is shockingly useless.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
What was the point of leaving a spiteful comment like that? Your comment is what’s “shockingly useless”, Doug, and it brings absolutely nothing to the table. If that’s how you feel then so be it, but you should either keep it to yourself or go bitch about it somewhere else. Or better yet, don’t read the blog!
I’m like you Matthew. I could care less whether someone wants to smoke weed all day, but when you venture out in public why don’t they freshen up! The last few years in LA you routinely encounter these people on elevators, in restaurants or while shopping. As pot has gotten stronger and more of a business, the strength has increased and the smell now is revolting. Smokey skunk is not enjoyable! I completely sympathise with this post.
I assumed everyone who reads you blog went to college where recreational use by multitudes in cramped dorm rooms was de rigueur…
That’s why you eat edibles before flying…not smoking! Rookie mistake
I should have told him to try brownies next time…
You are a handsome young man with a penetrating mind.
McDonalds hamburgers smell worse!
Obviously never been on a flight in or out of India. Would trade the smell of a little skunk bud over someones body odor any day of the week
I too can be affected by different smells in a hot turbulent aircraft. But to write about a stinky pot smoker without mentioning stinky cigarette smokers seems to indicate that you have an agenda.
I assure you that I have become nauseous more times on flights by stinky cigarette smokers than you have by stinky pot smokers.
I agree about lingering cigarette smoke being terrible, but I just don’t experience that in the US. I guess it’s so difficult to smoke in most airports that people don’t bother (or there’s enough distance between the designated smoking area and the gate that the lingering odor has dissipated). I have a major sensitivity/allergy to marijuana and am thankful I wasn’t in that seat. I would’ve likely asked to be moved.
I agree with another commenter that fast food (even several rows away) is generally horrible. The worst for me, however, is hand sanitizer. As one of my friends put it: “instant migraine.” Thankfully (for the good health of the person and the entire plane) this practice seems to have steeply declined recently.
I also can’t remember the last time I experienced a heavy tobacco smell.
One time, I was on a Southwest Flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa. The creep next to me stunk from body odor. He fell asleep during the brief flight, and was leaning on me. I felt like I was on the NYC subway. I was glad when he got off in Tampa, and didn’t stay on for the rest of the flight.
Incidentally, one smell which really bothers me, is the stink of cigarette smoke on people’s clothing. The smell permeates their clothes, and can be detected, quite a distance away. I still remember the immortal words of a drill Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force many years ago. He stated “You guys can smoke; I won’t say anything. However, if I catch you with a cigarette, I’ll shove it down your — damn throats”.
Idk man, if this really bothered you that much I kinda feel sorry for you. Life is going to be very difficult for you, especially since people have a nasty habit of doing things they like without even thinking to ask if you approve. Imagine that. Suck it up or don’t travel, especially outside the U.S.
Sounds like you need some help for your disgusting addiction. Best of luck.
My sister ended up sitting between a couple (age 60’s) on a full flight and immediately after sitting down was overwhelmed with the woman reeking of pot smoke. Since they were somewhat annoyed that someone dare end up between them, …. huffing and dirty looks, my sister took that opportunity (while looking right at the woman) and stated – “Ugh, it stinks and reeks of pot in here, I hope I can stand it through the whole flight”.
Predictably she (my sister) got the silent, stone-faced, rigid stare-ahead reaction from the woman. Know what ?… if you have the gall to bring all your offensive smell with you then take the pain of comments or embarrass-ment for not being considerate of other humans (or animals for that matter) — Though in today’s world there really is no such thing as people being “shamed”; they don’t get it.