Medical Marijuana: How Card-Carrying Renters Cope

Fourteen states plus our nation's capital now have legalized medical marijuana use. However, that doesn't mean state-issued, card-carrying Americans in those green states can just spark up on any American stoop. For renters, puffing pot is best kept behind closed and sealed doors, out of sight of uptight landlords. Medical marijuana is for indoor smoking and growing, especially for renters.

Just because state governments give the 10-4 on the 4/20, doesn't mean a landlord has to be cool with passing the peace pipe. While the decriminalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes spreads like a wild fire across the United States, smokers and growers carrying cards don't necessarily have amnesty from landlords, particularly those who maintain an overall no-smoking policy and don't understand the current legislation.

"The landlord can deny you status, and there is no protection here for that yet," says Ean Seeb, owner of Denver Relief, a medical marijuana center in Denver, who previously worked as a real estate agent. "It's not a protected status like gender, race, or a physical disability or handicap."

Here are a few tips from two responsible card carrying real estate professionals on how to puff privately behind the thin veil of smoke -- without offending neighbors -- or worse, ending up with an eviction notice.