Cannabis Stink Bomb

Supervisor Das Williams’s whiny and self-serving response to Ann Louise Bardach’s keenly observed criticism of his role in the cannabis stink bomb that has descended upon our precious community does not convince.

His attack on my wife’s credibility is without merit, and he demeans himself further by attacking a journalist of such distinction. I witnessed another such attack by Supervisor Williams when he scathingly insulted a constituent at a meeting of the Board of Supervisors for speaking out critically about Williams’s pro-cannabis cultivation policies. It was equally shameful and shocking on that occasion to see one of our local politicians behave so boorishly.

He has been championing marijuana for so long that he is no longer able to respond to the legitimate concerns of his constituents — farmers, ranchers, retirees, artists, our children, our vacationers, and, yes, even the cannabis workers, who are the most vulnerable because they have to work in hazardous greenhouse environments.

This is no sitcom, sir. This is a tragedy for all of us who live and work here and have a stake in protecting Santa Barbara County. We are a community that will not be divided over the health and well-being of those who live here.

There is no debate about it. The cannabis plantations are too close to our schools and are too close to our homes and farms and businesses in too many cases — because of your insistence and votes. The residents of Santa Barbara County don’t want it to become the cannabis capital of the world.

Forgive us for being distracted by evacuations, mudslides, fires, and the tragic losses of friends and neighbors during last year‘s calamity — when you insisted that the Cannabis Ordinance vote be taken.

Please revise this ordinance that is so widely reviled.

Get on the right side of history. It’s not too late.

We are your constituents … all of us.