The Smell of Cannabis: A Hot Topic in Santa Barbara
The pungent odor of cannabis is a hot topic among communities living near cultivation operations, and Santa Barbara is no exception. In a recent meeting on April 23, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors gathered to discuss potential solutions to the issue. After much debate, a vote of 3-2 was passed to commission a study to evaluate further options.
According to the Santa Barbara Independent, one potential solution is the use of expensive tech devices known as carbon filters, or “scrubbers,” which can help reduce the aroma of cannabis and prevent it from being detected outside of the facilities. However, these scrubbers come with a hefty price tag of $22,000 each and would require one for every 10 acres of cultivation. Additionally, there are additional fees for necessary electrical upgrades, which the Santa Barbara County planners deemed a “potentially prohibitive expense.”
Board Chair Steve Lavagnino and Supervisor Das Williams, who were instrumental in passing Santa Barbara County’s 2018 cannabis ordinance, both expressed concerns about requiring cultivators to purchase these expensive machines. Supervisor Joan Hartman also agreed and joined the majority in voting to commission a six-month study.
Currently, only five out of 20 operating greenhouses in the Carpinteria Valley (located east of Santa Barbara) have scrubbers. The study will also analyze the potential need for power upgrades in order to install scrubbers. Hartman stated that while she supports the use of scrubbers for greenhouses, she also wants to find a solution for the cannabis aroma coming from sungrown operations. She emphasized the need to address the smell that can be detected in Buellton and Solvang (located northwest of Santa Barbara) between Highway 246 and Santa Rosa Road.
“It’s really a disservice to our public not to regulate cannabis odor for the most sensitive people,” Hartman said. “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 frustration with the amount of planning and studies being done, stating that it was 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 many locals who have gained employment opportunities thanks to the cannabis industry. “This is about the people who have jobs because of this industry,” he said.
Ultimately, the study was commissioned, but the debate over how to address the issue of cannabis odor in Santa Barbara continues. As Capps stated, “More studies are not what is needed, because people continue to suffer.” The board must find a balance between regulating the industry and considering the concerns of the community.
