Morning coffee turned into an unintended contact high when giggles and ganja haze seeped through apartment walls at 7 a.m. A frustrated Redditor faced two carefree tourist girls turning their Airbnb into a nonstop smoke lounge, oblivious to furious neighbors below.
Elected English-speaking ambassador, polite pleas met smirks and silence, until police arrived, cracking doors and swapping vacation vibes for a South American station staycation. Now pity stirs amid cleaning bills and embassy calls, with Reddit debating neighborly nudge versus hazy takedown.
Tourists get high, ignore locals’ warning, surprisingly get arrested. Who would have thought?
Going to a foreign country without basic understanding of the law, yet refusing to listen to locals’ advice when it comes to narcotics, does not sound like something a normal person would do.
But in this case, two young tourists turned their rented retreat into a weed wonderland, blanketing the entire floor in a scent strong enough to make the neighbors’ eyes water.
Our Redditor stepped up as translator, delivering a clear “please stop” in perfect English, only to be brushed off with giggles that screamed “vacation mode activated.”
An hour later, with the haze still hanging heavy, cops arrived, the landlord obliged with a key, and POOF, arrest city for the unsuspecting duo.
From one angle, it’s a textbook “know before you go” fiasco. These travelers ignored a direct plea from a local, assuming their North American or European rulebook applied in a place where weed packs a far punchier penalty than a parking ticket.
The neighbors, already dialing authorities, weren’t about to let their morning routines go up in smoke, and our Redditor played messenger without playing savior.
Flip the script, though, and a sliver of sympathy emerges: youthful naivety meets a language barrier in a region where police stations aren’t exactly five-star spas.
Yet, as travel experts emphasize, ignorance isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card. According to a 2023 U.S. State Department report on global cannabis laws, over 40 countries in Latin America treat marijuana possession as a serious crime, with arrests spiking among tourists who “assume leniency”. It’s a stark reminder that what flies at home can ground you abroad.
Psychologist Dr. Carmen Spina, a cross-cultural relations expert, puts it bluntly in a recent Psychology Today piece: “Tourists often operate under a ‘bubble of invincibility,’ dismissing local norms as mere suggestions. But real empathy starts with preparation, not pleas for pity after the fact.”
Spot-on for our duo, who could’ve Googled “weed laws [country name]” in two minutes flat.
Broadening out, this saga spotlights a bigger travel epidemic: entitlement-fueled mishaps that strain host communities. A 2024 Skift Research survey found 62% of locals in popular destinations report “disruptive tourist behavior” like this, eroding goodwill faster than a viral TikTok.
So, where does that leave neutral advice? Redditor, if guilt’s gnawing, a quick embassy nudge could ease your mind without owning their choices. Landlord’s already on it, per the update.
Travelers, pack your common sense with your sunscreen: research laws, respect requests, and hotbox at home.
Here’s what people had to say to OP:
People assert tourists must research and obey local laws, especially on drugs.
Comments criticize the women’s reckless behavior as entitled tourism.
One comment represents minority view, as the user argues OP should have warned them about imminent arrest despite their fault.
In the end, this weed-whiffed whirlwind boils down to one question: actions have aromas, and sometimes they summon sirens.
The tourists gambled on giggles over guidelines, but our Redditor didn’t light the match. They just didn’t fan the flames away.
Fair play or frosty fallout? Do you think holding back the cop warning was a neighborly no-no, or did these vacationers earn their wake-up call?
How would you handle a hazy hallway showdown in a foreign land, diplomatic dispatch or damage control? Drop your hottest takes!
