Advice on how to deal with truant,pot smoking teen neighbor

[Anonymous]

over the past year and a half my neighbor's teenage son has been frequently skipping school and hosting pot parties in the backyard. They are not typically loud, but, there a lot of cars coming and going and the smoke is very annoying. My neighbor's son is 16.

The mother is at home and aware of what is going on. I have knocked on the door twice to complain to mom, but nobody answered. Should I call police? The high school? Mind my own business? My main concern is lots of people coming and going and that this kid is skipping a lot of school. The mother has mental health issues, has no job, no vehicle, and I have only seen her leave the house a handful of times in the past few years. Family members drop off food and supplies every few weeks. It is a shit show and this kid has a raw deal. I don't want to make things worse, but, I have young kids and don't want them around this.

[Anonymous]

MYOB.

[Anonymous]

what is a pot party? people sitting around smoking pot?

[Anonymous]

You will only make it a bad situation by getting involved. Stay the hell out of it.

[Anonymous]

Cops would make it worse for the kid.
Tell the kid other neighbors are talking about calling the cops.

[Anonymous]

I posted about something very similar last year. I ended up calling the police because they started damaging my property and the cops were knocking on the door at 7 in the morning looking for the kids for other reasons. I was tired of being bothered. I talked to the community services officer at the local district station. I thought the kid was just smoking pot, but it turns out he was dealing (all the cars, just like what you describe, but I didn't know that). But because he was dealing, the police raided his house at 5 in the morning.

He ended up stopping what he was doing, at least as far as I can tell. His grades have turned around, and he's doing pretty well right now.

I need to add that this is Montgomery County, where the County actually tries to help with diversion and drug rehab programs (when warranted). It's much more rehabilitative than punitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted about something very similar last year. I ended up calling the police because they started damaging my property and the cops were knocking on the door at 7 in the morning looking for the kids for other reasons. I was tired of being bothered. I talked to the community services officer at the local district station. I thought the kid was just smoking pot, but it turns out he was dealing (all the cars, just like what you describe, but I didn't know that). But because he was dealing, the police raided his house at 5 in the morning.

He ended up stopping what he was doing, at least as far as I can tell. His grades have turned around, and he's doing pretty well right now.

I need to add that this is Montgomery County, where the County actually tries to help with diversion and drug rehab programs (when warranted). It's much more rehabilitative than punitive.

Thanks. I am in Silver Spring and will consider this course of action. I suspect there may be dealing going on given the car activity.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever talked to the kid? I am not expecting miracles, but there is some chance that a friendly neighbor could be a real benefit to a kid living in such a situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever talked to the kid? I am not expecting miracles, but there is some chance that a friendly neighbor could be a real benefit to a kid living in such a situation.

+1
He might not realize that neighbors are onto him. Teens think they're a lot more stealth than they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever talked to the kid? I am not expecting miracles, but there is some chance that a friendly neighbor could be a real benefit to a kid living in such a situation.

I have known him for many years. I have watched him grow up and of course I talk to him. I've offered him many rides to school. I also have mentioned that all the neighbors know about the drug activity. He says his mom allows it and is not worried about the police. I think he is actually supposed to be living with his grandparents and did for a period of time, but I am guessing they could not handle his behavior.

I agree that he could benefit from a neighbor that wants to get involved, will show interest in him, and give him some tough love. Unfortunately the reality is that nobody wants to get pulled into his family's drama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted about something very similar last year. I ended up calling the police because they started damaging my property and the cops were knocking on the door at 7 in the morning looking for the kids for other reasons. I was tired of being bothered. I talked to the community services officer at the local district station. I thought the kid was just smoking pot, but it turns out he was dealing (all the cars, just like what you describe, but I didn't know that). But because he was dealing, the police raided his house at 5 in the morning.

He ended up stopping what he was doing, at least as far as I can tell. His grades have turned around, and he's doing pretty well right now.

I need to add that this is Montgomery County, where the County actually tries to help with diversion and drug rehab programs (when warranted). It's much more rehabilitative than punitive.

Thanks. I am in Silver Spring and will consider this course of action. I suspect there may be dealing going on given the car activity[b].

OP, I see from another post of yours that you'd probably like to be able to help this kid somehow, but based on what you say here about the "car activity" -- listen to your gut and get in touch with the community officer who covers your neighborhood for the police. The cops want to know about this sort of stuff (even if the boy isn't dealing himself, dealers may be coming to his house to sell and buyers to buy at his pot parties). You have young kids. You don't need this going on next door. It's sad that the kid is on his own if his mom isn't able to parent him, but your own kids come first.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in this kind of environment.

Car traffic does equal drug dealing. Stop in, smoke a sample and buy a bag. That is exactly what is happening. He's doing it where he lives, he is not smart o4 operating like he wants to protect himself.

Things to look forward to: he gets robbed for cash or pot, hopefully you and your family don't get in the way. That's why drug dealers meet in public spaces to keep their homes safe.

Pot dealers usually move up to sell other harder drugs, profit margin is larger on harder drugs, harder drugs are easier to cut and stretch profit. These are the types of people who may be under the influence who are next door to you.

Your house/car may be getting broken into. It's not like you are living next to a drug cartel, its just that drug users are not the smartest and these are the people who are in your neighborhood now.

Be nice to the kid's face but start contacting the police and continually report suspicious behavior. You are doing him a favor, I can't count the amount of people I knew growing up who are dead, or became repeat offenders and in prison, or had jobs and eventually lost everything they had.

whatever you do.... TELL NO ONE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR YOUR KIDS THAT YOU ARE REPORTING.
this is not just a little pot smoking, when it scales up to dealing from your home it starts getting dangerous.

[Anonymous]

This boys life is miserable, he smokes pot to self medicate, its not a big deal, and you want to dial up the drama for him? No. Just pray for him and his mother and leave it alone. Plus, you dont know what a mentally ill neighbor with nothing to do alllllll day long every day can do to make your life hell. Or her son for that matter. Think shit on your step. Broken mailbox. Brick in your window. Brick thru your windshield. Loud parties screaming at your window to piss you off. Beating up your kids. . .Id stay away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:over the past year and a half my neighbor's teenage son has been frequently skipping school and hosting pot parties in the backyard. They are not typically loud, but, there a lot of cars coming and going and the smoke is very annoying. My neighbor's son is 16.

The mother is at home and aware of what is going on. I have knocked on the door twice to complain to mom, but nobody answered. Should I call police? The high school? Mind my own business? My main concern is lots of people coming and going and that this kid is skipping a lot of school. The mother has mental health issues, has no job, no vehicle, and I have only seen her leave the house a handful of times in the past few years. Family members drop off food and supplies every few weeks. It is a shit show and this kid has a raw deal. I don't want to make things worse, but, I have young kids and don't want them around this.

Then move out of the hood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in this kind of environment.

Car traffic does equal drug dealing. Stop in, smoke a sample and buy a bag. That is exactly what is happening. He's doing it where he lives, he is not smart o4 operating like he wants to protect himself.

Things to look forward to: he gets robbed for cash or pot, hopefully you and your family don't get in the way. That's why drug dealers meet in public spaces to keep their homes safe.

Pot dealers usually move up to sell other harder drugs, profit margin is larger on harder drugs, harder drugs are easier to cut and stretch profit. These are the types of people who may be under the influence who are next door to you.

Your house/car may be getting broken into. It's not like you are living next to a drug cartel, its just that drug users are not the smartest and these are the people who are in your neighborhood now.

Be nice to the kid's face but start contacting the police and continually report suspicious behavior. You are doing him a favor, I can't count the amount of people I knew growing up who are dead, or became repeat offenders and in prison, or had jobs and eventually lost everything they had.

whatever you do.... TELL NO ONE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OR YOUR KIDS THAT YOU ARE REPORTING.
this is not just a little pot smoking, when it scales up to dealing from your home it starts getting dangerous.

Excellent advice. Take it, OP!