The transformation of Waukeenah, Fla., has been remarkable. Once home to watermelon farms and cattle pastures, it is now known for the distinct smell of marijuana from a large grow facility operated by Trulieve, a significant player in the cannabis industry. This shift began in 2020, sparking complaints from locals about the persistent odor, machinery noise, and glaring lights.
These grievances, however, gained little traction until a Facebook video emerged. In the video, green-tinted water is seen pouring from Trulieve’s property onto the neighboring land of James and Felicia Lamb. The video, shared by a relative, caught the attention of Jefferson County’s residents, rallying them against Trulieve. The company’s influential chief executive played a role in urging President Trump to reclassify medical marijuana as a less threatening substance in April.
Felicia Lamb noted the impact of the video, stating, “It was shocking to people. People had heard about the runoff, but it’s another thing for them to see it.” This visual evidence motivated residents to attend county commission meetings, where they voiced concerns about potential soil contamination from the water being discharged from Trulieve’s vast indoor cannabis facility, among the largest in the nation.
Trulieve representatives maintain that the runoff water is safe, claiming it is normal discharge that has flowed onto the Lambs’ property for years, even before the company’s “cultivation campus” was established.
A privacy wall now separates Trulieve’s facility from the Lambs’ land, illustrating ongoing tensions. The situation highlights the broader challenges of integrating large cannabis operations within traditional agricultural communities.