Residents of Rock Hill are suing Proper Brands, arguing that a “skunky” smell from the company’s industrial cannabis processing facility reduces property values and constitutes a public nuisance. The petition was filed Sunday in St. Louis County Circuit Court.
Lead plaintiffs Robert Smejkal and Tim Heimann, who live near the company, wrote that “on frequent, recurrent, and continuing occasions too numerous to list herein, [neighbors’] properties have been and continue to be physically invaded by noxious odors.”
The suit seeks class action status for residents living within a half-mile of the facility who have been affected by the odor. Approximately 1,500 households fall within that radius, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs are calling for a jury trial as well as punitive and compensatory damages. They argue the company has failed to maintain or improve its building to keep the odor from seeping into surrounding neighborhoods.
An email to representatives at Proper Brands was unanswered as of publication time.
The City of Rock Hill has periodically addressed the smell complaints. City officials said last year they were “aware of the issues with the odor coming from the marijuana production facility and take this issue seriously.”
Officials added that they were “working with the compliance officer for the facility and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to facilitate more effective odor mitigation solutions.”
According to the suit, the city sent the company a notice for violating local cannabis laws stating no one should be able to smell odors beyond the property line of the business. The notice required the company to submit a plan to fix the odors.
Rock Hill City Administrator Garrett Schlett said in an email that representatives from Proper were invited to several city board meetings to answer questions from officials and residents.
“During their last appearance, the Board formally notified Proper that they were in violation of city standards and required them to implement corrective measures,” Schlett said in an email. He added that since making those operational adjustments, the city has seen a sharp decline in odor-related complaints.
Residents have issued more than 300 complaints to a designated email address set up by the city to field comments about the smell.
Proper Brands, sometimes called Proper Cannabis, is a Missouri company that creates cannabis products under several brand names. It reportedly grows more than 70 strains of cannabis for use in edibles, vaporizers, and traditional flower.
The company describes itself as vertically integrated because it manufactures the products it sells in its own dispensaries. In 2025, the medical cannabis company Vireo Growth purchased Proper for $102 million, though Proper retains its original leadership and brand identity.
Around 5,000 people live in Rock Hill, a city southwest of Brentwood covering about 1 square mile. One commenter wrote to the city, “There are days I do not want to go outside, due to the extreme odor.”
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