[AIJAY46]

I have two young men who love to smoke and they live below mw. The smoking has not been a "problem for me", but rather their need to drop the cigarette buds all over the floor/compund without any regard to myself and my one year old daughter who recently picked up one and put it in her mouth. I spend most of time cleaning up after them in order to avoid this from happening again. I have also spoken to them and my landlord and they have kept up with this and no action has been taken. Please I want to know if I have a right to go after them legally?

[JudyKayTee]

Is smoking allowed where you live? I see no legal action here on your part. You have a responsibility to watch your daughter and kee her from putting foreign objects in her mouth - and I know that's not easy. Cleaning up after them is not your responsibility.

Are they dropping the cigarette butts in your area, on your "property" or in/on common areas?

[asking]

Yes. Cigarette butts are toxic to small children.

Here is a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that discusses this problem.

Ingestion of Cigarettes and Cigarette Butts by Children -- Rhode Island, January 1994-July 1996

It is reasonable for you to ask your neighbors to not throw cigarette butts in places where your daughter might pick them up. Show your landlord this report and ask him to talk to your neighbors.

Good luck!

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes they are very dangerous to small children.