Dear Urban Diplomat: How do I keep the local stoners from blowing smoke at my kids?

I regularly take my kids to Earl Bales Park, and there always seems to be a gang of oblivious 20-somethings passing a joint on the grass next to the playground. I’m fine with weed, but this is just rude. How do I get rid of these insensitive stoners without being labelled the neighbourhood narc forevermore?

Herbs in the Burbs, Wilson Heights

Next time they start blowing smoke around your pink-lunged youngsters, walk over for a neighbourly chat. Start by telling them your issue’s the smoke, not what’s being smoked. Don’t ask them to stop, just to take it 20 metres thataway. They’ll probably shrug off your non-confrontational, cool-parent plea with dazed lethargy, but the encounter could prompt them to pick a new spot the next time they light up, if only to avoid another awkward conversation with you. If that fails, try recruiting a few other parents at the playground to join you in telling them to get lost—or, as a last resort, threaten to call the cops. You may end up with a reputation as an overzealous abstainer, but if it keeps the fumes away from the jungle gym, it’ll be worth it.

Send your questions to the Urban Diplomat at urbandiplomat@torontolife.com

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