My 11-Year-Old Son and I Were Exposed to Marijuana Smoke During an Airbnb Stay
Introduction
I am writing this statement to formally document and share my experience regarding a recent Airbnb stay that caused significant physical discomfort, emotional distress, and ongoing health concerns for both myself and my 11-year-old son.
This experience has deeply impacted my trust in Airbnb’s handling of health and safety issues involving families and minor children.
Background
During our stay at an Airbnb property, my son and I were unexpectedly exposed to strong marijuana smoke within a shared living environment for an extended period of time.
What was especially concerning to me was that another guest had reportedly been staying at the property for approximately two weeks, yet no prior warning or disclosure was provided to us regarding the ongoing marijuana smoke exposure before check-in.
As a parent traveling with a minor child, I believe this information was extremely important and should have been disclosed in advance so families could make informed decisions regarding their health and safety.
Health Impact
Following the exposure, both my son and I experienced ongoing physical discomfort and emotional distress for more than a week.
Our symptoms included:
dizziness,
headaches,
nausea,
exhaustion,
stress,
and difficulty sleeping.
Due to the severity of the symptoms, I sought medical attention and obtained medical documentation and medication related to the incident.
This situation caused not only financial burden through medical expenses, but also emotional suffering and fear regarding the safety of my child.
Concerns Regarding Airbnb’s Handling
Although Airbnb eventually processed a full refund for the reservation amount, I do not believe the issue was simply about a refund.
The core concerns involve:
health and safety risks,
lack of disclosure,
exposure involving a minor child,
medical consequences,
and emotional harm caused by the incident.
I also found the handling process emotionally exhausting, especially due to repeated late-night communication while I was still physically unwell and attempting to recover.
While I appreciate that the case was documented and reviewed by a senior case manager, I remain disappointed that the seriousness of the health and safety impact did not appear to be fully acknowledged beyond the reservation refund itself.
Why I Am Sharing This
I am sharing this experience not to attack individuals, but to encourage:
greater transparency,
stronger safety protections for families,
and more responsible handling of health-related incidents involving children.
I also hope this serves as a reminder for travelers to:
carefully verify whether accommodations are truly smoke-free,
avoid shared environments when traveling with children,
and prioritize health and safety above convenience.
Final Thoughts
No family should have to endure ongoing physical and emotional distress due to preventable health and safety concerns during travel.
I sincerely hope Airbnb and similar platforms will take incidents involving minors, health exposure, and undisclosed environmental risks more seriously moving forward.
Safety, transparency, and compassion should always come before policy limitations.