(Image Credit: IMAGN) Jamie Norton, left, and Joshua Saunook transport harvested marijuana on the Great Smoky Cannabis Company’s farm in Cherokee, August 8, 2024.
Santa Barbara, California – A recent court ruling in Santa Barbara County could significantly impact the California cannabis industry, potentially allowing residents to sue industrial cannabis farms over strong odors.
A judge ruled in favor of Carpinteria Valley residents who filed a class-action lawsuit against two nearby pot farms, Valley Crest Farms and Ceres Farms, alleging that the farms’ pungent marijuana odor was harming property values.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis, accused the farms of emitting a “sewer-like” cannabis smell on a “near daily basis.” This week’s ruling certified the plaintiffs as a valid class, a crucial step in class-action litigation, according to the Santa Barbara Independent.
The ruling does not determine guilt or award damages, but it opens the door for residents across the state to take legal action against cannabis farms for odor issues.
Robert Curtis, an attorney for the plaintiffs, described the ruling as “monumental,” stating that it could “send shockwaves” through the California cannabis industry by empowering residents to challenge the smell emanating from pot farms.
