BREAKING: Coalition Files Class Action Suit Against Growers

Dear Friends,

After more than 2467 days of constant aggressive odors, the residents of Carpinteria have had enough.

The Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis along with a number of citizens and business owners in the Carpinteria Valley, filed suit this week against two large-scale cannabis cultivators: Ceres Farms and Valley Crest Farms. The lawsuit seeks to right a wrong that has persisted since the creation of Santa Barbara County's failed cannabis ordinance in 2016 by the Board of Supervisors.

Read coverage of the suit here

Noxious odors from both the cannabis plants as well as masking agents have plagued residents of Carpinteria, and folks just like you, for years. The concoction of chemicals in the widely-used odor masking agent has never been properly tested on humans. It is most commonly used at landfills, not in the middle of residential neighborhoods. The long-term effects of constant exposure on humans and animals remain unknown.

The County of Santa Barbara has forced the hand of residents, who saw litigation as a last resort, to file suit to stop the public nuisance that could have been dealt with years ago. Carbon air filtration systems (often referred to as “carbon scrubbers”) have proven extremely effective and safe for residents in the area. Unfortunately, the only proven method for implementing carbon scrubber technology is through litigation.

The litigation team is led by veteran Attorney Robert Curtis of Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis, LLC, who recently led a lawsuit that led to a settlement ensuring the first permanent and fully-functional carbon scrubber system in Carpinteria.

It’s time for growers in the area to step up and actually be the good neighbors they claim to be. These growers promised to make best efforts to abate the nuisance they were creating, but they broke that promise.

The Coalition continues to lead the way on the legal front, but we cannot do it without your support. Our organization is 100% donation based and all donations go directly to advocacy and supporting our community's class action lawsuit. Please give what you can and thank you for your continued energy in this journey to a better tomorrow.

Best regards,

Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis

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