The Smell of Cannabis: A Hot Topic in Santa Barbara
The pungent aroma of cannabis is causing quite a stir in Santa Barbara, and the County Board of Supervisors is taking action. In a recent meeting on April 23, the board voted 3-2 to commission a study to address the issue.
According to the Santa Barbara Independent, there are some high-tech solutions, such as carbon filters (dubbed “scrubbers”), that could potentially eliminate the smell of cannabis from escaping outside of cultivation facilities. However, these scrubbers come with a hefty price tag of $22,000 each and would require one for every 10 acres of grow space. And that’s not all – additional fees for “electrical upgrades” could make this option too costly for many cultivators.
Board Chair Steve Lavagnino and Supervisor Das Williams, who were instrumental in passing Santa Barbara County’s 2018 cannabis ordinance, believe it would be unfair to require cultivators to invest in these expensive machines. Supervisor Joan Hartman also agreed and joined the majority in voting for a six-month study to be conducted.
Currently, only five out of 20 greenhouses in the Carpinteria Valley (located east of Santa Barbara) have scrubbers installed. The study will also look into the necessary power upgrades for these scrubbers, as stated by the Santa Barbara Independent. Hartman expressed her support for scrubbers in greenhouses, but also emphasized the need for a solution to the cannabis smell coming from outdoor operations. She believes that the odor is affecting residents in Buellton and Solvang (located northwest of Santa Barbara) and needs to be addressed.
“It’s really a disservice to our public not to regulate cannabis odor for the most sensitive people,” Hartman stated. “We need to find out where we’re measuring odor, what tool we’re measuring it with, and what the limit should be.”
However, two supervisors, Bob Nelson and Laura Capps, objected to the study and instead wanted to see scrubbers required for all cannabis greenhouses. Nelson expressed his frustration with the lengthy planning process and believes it’s time to take action. Capps also questioned whether it was the board’s role to decide what businesses can afford to do.
In response, Lavagnino defended the local jobs that have been created by the cannabis industry. “There are a lot of people in this community that have jobs because of this industry,” he stated.
Ultimately, the study was approved and will be conducted over the next six months. The issue of cannabis odor in Santa Barbara is a complex one, and it remains to be seen what solutions will be implemented to address it. But one thing is for sure – the smell of cannabis is not going away anytime soon.
