Restrict Cannabis Retail in SYV

If there was ever a time to show up and voice your opinion, Santa Ynez Valley communities, now is that time. There is a movement to establish cannabis retail storefronts in the community plan areas of the Santa Ynez Valley. The County of Santa Barbara is currently considering the applications taken from cannabis proprietors and has identified potential storefront areas in the towns of Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, and Los Alamos.

The Santa Ynez Valley Youth Coalition has worked steadfastly to provide community education and to implement prevention strategies to address the increasing harm of youth use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs, engaging all community sectors to seek local solutions for healthier youth, families and community.

Restricting youth access to harmful drugs is a research-based, proven prevention strategy to reduce youth substance use. This is why the Youth Coalition strongly opposes the establishment of cannabis storefronts in the valley. At the very least, we have asked S.B. County to keep cannabis retail shops in industrial zones only, where children and teens are not exposed on a daily basis.

If you share this concern for our youth, we invite you to contact Supervisor Hartmann and the County Board of Supervisors to voice your concerns and help support the health and well-being of our youth and families. Let’s keep our townships cannabis retail freer.