People smoking marijuana outside the park entrance...

[I'llookdownifiwanto]

After a very good day at the towers with my family today, we exited the park to find almost the whole of the front plaza of the park stinking of marijuana, and we believe the smell was originating from some people sat about 40 feet away from the main entrance. It was horrible! Surely people would have a bit more consideration to the welfare of others, I mean it is a family theme park at the end of the day, we had an 18 month and a 3 month old with us, it can't have done them too much good. Has anyone else ever witnessed this? I know people complain about people smoking it in queue lines, but right in plain view of staff?? (p.s sorry if there is already a topic about this but I couldn't find one )

[BigAl]

I've come across this too. It's not just at Alton Towers either (in fact, I've found people smoking the stuff even at Chester Zoo ). It's not very nice and I wish people wouldn't do it. But people are inconsiderate. They don't care.

I also wish that people who smoke cigarettes wouldn't just walk around freely doing it when they should be smoking in the designated areas around the park like they're told to do by Alton Towers. It's especially horrible when you're in a queue with someone smoking something near to you (Rita's cattle-pen being the most horrendous queue for this) and you can't get away from it.

The staff ought to do more to stop this. Especially with marijuana.

[Sam]

[Tom G]

Cannabis is too easily trivialised by users and half-arsed anarchists. It's an extremely dangerous psychological drug and children should not actually have to have their interested perked as ask their parents what those people are doing as they enter/leave a theme park.

[Sam]

*sigh* Do we have to cite the numerous peer-reviewed studies and assessments that repeatedly find that cannabis is less dangerous than alcohol and tobacco, both are which are sold in the park?

[Meat Pie]

It's an illegal act whether you agree with it or not, it should not be happening outside a family theme park.

[BigAl]

No, because you can't drink wherever you want around the park and you aren't supposed to smoke wherever you want around the park. If they don't want people doing it then that should be that.

[fredward]

firstly can I make one thing clear?...

"It's an extremely dangerous psychological drug"

tell me more about your immense knowledge of marijuana?

To a person with an "ordinary" frame of mind, (and by that I mean people who don't have any pre-existing psychological conditions) marijuana alone is actually more harmless then you would think, It's actually better for you then caffeine, tobacco or alcohol...

but as a disclaimer smoking anything isn't exactly good for you.. So don't do it kids! drugs are bad okay?

That is something that is a little off topic and I had to mention that to "scratch an annoying itch" :P



secondly they shouldn't be smoking it in an area like that, more because of it's very potent smell, it's a bit all consuming isn't it? and not pleasant to people who don't want to be around it.

People need to be a bit more considerate, but some people don't care about others do they...

I'm guessing Alton Towers would have called security.. it's all they can do really...

[Tom G]

*sigh* Do we have to cite the numerous peer-reviewed studies and assessments that repeatedly find that cannabis is less dangerous than alcohol and tobacco, both are which are sold in the park?

You can cite what you want. It is mind-wrecking and I've seen more than enough evidence of that in my lifetime than to be told any different by any study from people that claim red wine causes cancer one week and prevents it the next.

[Sam]

You can cite what you want. It is mind-wrecking and I've seen more than enough evidence of that in my lifetime than to be told any different by any study from people that claim red wine causes cancer one week and prevents it the next.

I think you're confusing the Daily Mail with a peer-reviewed academic journal.

Meat Pie, to be clear I agree with you that it shouldn't really be happening at the park but on the other hand it's so trivial that it's a non-issue. It wasn't inside or in a queue, so no danger of second hand smoke.

[PeteB]

Ok, I've got nothing against cannabis, I have on the odd occasion done it myself... BUT, I do not agree with it being smoked in theme parks around families and children.

There are people smoking it in the queues at Alton Towers, it's nothing new, and I have on a number of occasions asked those smoking to put it out and have consideration for others around them or else they'll be reported to park security.  Don't a be a wimp in these scenarios, if it's bothering you then speak up but be polite and "cool" about it. That includes park staff who most of which don't seem to have the balls to approach people in such situations.

It's all about consideration for others. I'm a great believer in do what you want, live how you want, just don't inconvenience anyone else. Somewhere the size of Alton Towers, there's plenty of places to nip away and not be seen.

[mikey_mcl]

personally i dont see the harm if it was outside the main entrance, it wasnt exactly in the park.
If people kept out of the 'busy' public areas, ie in the gardens, then i dont see an issue personally.

[Poison Tom 96]

Smoking is smoking weather it is straight stuff or not so should be in the areas designated.

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[Themeparksandy1981]

Unless they have set rules and stick to them this sort of thing will always happen. I always see guests smoking in the queue line but staff do nothing about it. They really need to put signs up saying u be kicked out the park for not smoking in the right areas and have CCTV in queue lines to prove you got the right people to kick them out.

[hex4ever]

On my last visit on hex there were idiots making noise and using their phones to light the place up, but this lot stank of weed, it was obvious it was them because one f them had insanely red eyes and there was that all two familiar smell. Later in the day I was privileged to see the same group being escorted away by park security and the police, one of them was shouting while stripping and another had face planted, according to eyewitnesses they were doing weed and bottles of vodka they they had brought in in normal buxton bottles. As a young person I find this ridiculous and pointless behavior, not only will they have a criminal record (if they don't had already) but they will have paid tickets for the park and will only get half of their day from them. Its just a waste of time, money and after being at a party where it was passed around, its not even fun, if you need drugs to have a good time when there's so much on offer then you will never be satisfied.

[Bunbury]

I recently witnessed a group of 10 year old children jump off the Riverbank Eye Spy mid way round and onto the footpath, to which the ride operator announced, "Hiya, lads." They responded in kind with, "Suck my dick." I did sort of wonder what they were doing on it in the first place, to be honest. Would have liked to have asked them.

Anyway, it's not on to smoke dope at Alton Towers, it stinks to high heaven, it's illegal, and anti-social. However, I'm always surprised to see people's sheet outrage at some of the presumed 'chav' behaviour at the park. It's a theme park, and one that aims for the lowest common denominator at that. You have to accept the great unwashed if your interest is going upside down at speed.

[oldgitBEN]

Im not going to give my views on the whole issue (as thats not a topic for here).

But at the end of the day its an illegal activity and being done in a park where smoking is meant to only happen in certain areas.
Ive been in a few queue lines at Alton when people have been smoking cannabis, which is really frustrating - its such a selfish and blatant act, with a smell so distinct its not even like they are trying to hide the fact.

The last time I saw it happen was in the 13 queue, near the kiosk, im assuming the staff member there reported it as rather quickly a couple of members of staff were wandering the queue line reminding guests not to smoke. The kids smoking it didnt bother again.

[I'llookdownifiwanto]

Im not going to give my views on the whole issue (as thats not a topic for here).

But at the end of the day its an illegal activity and being done in a park where smoking is meant to only happen in certain areas.
Ive been in a few queue lines at Alton when people have been smoking cannabis, which is really frustrating - its such a selfish and blatant act, with a smell so distinct its not even like they are trying to hide the fact.

The last time I saw it happen was in the 13 queue, near the kiosk, im assuming the staff member there reported it as rather quickly a couple of members of staff were wandering the queue line reminding guests not to smoke. The kids smoking it didnt bother again.

Well it's good to see that some of the staff actually try to do something about it.

[siralgenon]

Iv'e noticed this too while staying at the Resort Hotels this weekend! I don't know what drugs are what but you know what they smell like. There was a strong smell of whatever it was in the Alton Towers Hotel (3rd Floor) last night and it was a many different places around the park. Surely something can be done?!

And just to add, today I have seen staff members walking though guest areas smoking, not even is the designated areas! Not good at all.

[Kaycee]

Can't see why it's necessary in a theme park, to be honest, it's inconsiderate and a bit pointless.

When there's thousands of people in a large place like Towers, it's a bit hard to police. Used to smell it all the time in queuelines, but never actually saw anyone doing it. Sometimes you could have a good idea of who's doing it, but it's hard for staff to go round accusing people without concrete proof. :/ Imagine if you got it wrong, and it put a downer on their day, and they complained?

It's easier if guests point it out to staff members, so at least the member of staff can say 'we've had reports that you've been doing this'... so I guess it's everyone's responsibility to try and minimise it.