Cannabis smoking neighbour

Thanks for the responses. To pick up on a few points:

I don't mind pipe tobacco smell (my grandad used to smoke a pipe). This is nothing like that. At the risk of being too graphic, those of you who have been in close proximity to a dog which has let a real eye-watering deep-gut fart rip - it stinks like that.
We do close the door and windows each time it happens, but it's at least 10-12 times a day, and when we're trying to enjoy some of the summer air while we have some that's a bit much. The smell permeates the house by the time we've done that - it was not pleasant eating lunch today with that in the air! We wouldn't mind if it was maybe just once at the end of the day when he's winding down, same as us having a glass of wine at the end of the day - we're not downing 12 glasses a day!
He has recently started a driving job, albeit intermittent, and driving under the influence of drugs is illegal, irresponsible and dangerous.
Re asking him to just smoke at the end of the garden is where he sometimes smokes, sometimes out at the front of the house. We live in houses which are in close proximity to each other, so no escaping from it.
It is known to affect the brain development of children if they inhale it, and my husband, since being in ICU with covid 18 months ago, suffers with breathing difficulties.
I think, rather than suffering in silence, and chuntering about it, that one of us is going to have to talk with him about it, and see what the response is.

But harsh there Baggs. The OP expressed concern for the pressure he’s under and worried he may lose his children iff the police are involved.
Many chief con stables and senior officers are at the forefront of suggesting cannabis should be decriminalised. I’ve never known a parent have their children taken into care because of cannabis use.
This man has routines, seems to love his children. That doesn’t mean he’s necessarily an easy neighbour

I would be very wary of offering to look after his children.
My advice would be to politely ask him not to smoke weed so near your house and don’t get involved.

Would you feel the same if he were smoking tobacco? Smoke from that has a really vile smell.

I'm probably the only person in the UK who doesn't know and wouldn't recognise the smell of smoked cannabis. I have been in the presence of people smoking a spliff but didn't notice a vile pong. Maybe it depends on the age of the plant it's from, whether you're outside, etc.

Anyway, never having smoked anything but also never having had to bring up three kids on my own, I do wonder if I'd had to whether I might have turned to some relief from the pressures, such as your good neighbour has.

More fumes than a forest fire? Aye, right.

I suggest you calm down, close your windows temporarily at the appropriate times, invite the kids round for tea once in a while, or him for a coffee and be good neighbours back by not getting him into trouble if the only harm he's doing is "forcing" you to close your windows some of the time. What would happen to his kids if you reported him? Would their going into care not be on your conscience? How do you know it's not medicinal? And a million other questions.

Something being illegal doesn't automatically make it immoral.

That is a dilemma for you. It’s extremely unlikely he will stop ‘because he knows you’re on to him’.
You say he has routines in place and seems to be aware of the need to set boundaries etc. if he’s smoking strong skunk all day, he’s unlikely to be able to parent consistently once his children are in from school. I expect they’re aware of his cannabis habit - many of their school friends will also have parents who smoke it regularly
I wouldn’t worry that his children will be removed because of his habit. I do worry about the number of children growing up with parents who smoke then get bad tempered because they’ve to rouse themselves to care for their children.

You sound like a caring neighbour. Could you start by raising the impact of his habit on you and your husband. Ask him to contain his smoking area away from you. Then progress to wondering about the impact on his children of the smoke?

You could phone your local children and families team and talk it through with them. They may visit and that may create all kinds of stress for you. Sorry not to have any quick solutions. I feel for yiu

Well it’s clearly illegal and your husband knows what he should do.

So you have a choice, to ask him nicely to smoke away from your home (bottom of the garden) and put up with it if he refuses or you report him and he takes the consequences.

How healthy is it for his children to see him smoking an illegal substance? How is he getting hold of it, is he a supplier of the drug? Or just a buyer?

Either way he is an adult, maybe once he knows that you are onto him he will stop. If not you should report him.