Cannabis, the catchall term for a versatile species of plant which includes marijuana, hemp and cannabinoids (CBD), has become an economic, legal medical phenomenon in the last ten years. The plant has been used historically for many purposes. Just a few of these include making ropes, cosmetics, clothing and, most famously, for relaxation. It contains a powerhouse of chemical components including THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Cannabis provides a host of medical benefits from severe pain relief to treating glaucoma and severe nausea.
Hemp farmers were some of the wealthiest in this country once upon a time, including first president and founding father George Washington. Tennessee continues to grow and sell some of the strongest cannabinoids in the country despite lagging behind most states in its approach to legalities.
Attitudes as well as rules and regulations have been rapidly shifting throughout the United States over the last few years. Regarding its health uses, medical marijuana is now available in many states even if recreational cannabis is not. “Delta 8 THC” is federally legal and legal in most states in the U.S. Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, all derivatives, isomers and cannabinoids found in hemp are completely legal.
Right now in Warren County, cannabinoids in many forms are readily available at your neighborhood gas station, but be cautious. Often these buyers obtain their products from uncertain or unscrupulous providers. For a fully knowledgeable and professional experience, dispensaries are a good place to start. Traditional physicians are not able to prescribe them to patients in Tennessee, but more holistic practitioners are, and do, routinely. Dispensaries, basically cannabis pharmacies, are legal and growing in Tennessee.
McMinnville’s LLEAF dispensary owned and operated by disabled veteran Deanna Barrett on 810 Sparta Street provides thorough consultation and a wealth of knowledge on the benefits of cannabis. With a calming and welcoming interior, the dispensary offers the kind of pharmacy experience that every pharmacy aspires to.
Deanna not only knows the medical side, but also the current laws surrounding cannabis in Tennessee. She and her husband Drew Barrett understand the benefits cannabis can provide and desire to help the local community navigate the often complex and misunderstood issues around medical marijuana.
In an in-depth interview, Drew, 53, described the extreme health challenges he faced over ten years ago. After multiple heart surgeries, a stroke and major intestinal problems, he had developed issues that traditional medicine simply could not remedy. When he believed he was facing leukemia, a disease which killed his grandfather, he became desperate to try something different. That “different” was marijuana and it was not legal in 2015. At all. Not here.
A former Warren County deputy sheriff, Drew reached out to former acquaintances looking to find some relief
“Back then everybody said, ‘Oh, it’s the devil’s lettuce and I’m against it,’” said Drew, recalling the often stifling and stereotypical attitudes. “I was that way, too. I thought recreational and medical marijuana was an excuse for people. But when you know that your grandfather died just months after being diagnosed with leukemia, you’re willing to try anything.”
His acquaintances steered him to CBD (cannabinoids).
“I’d never heard of CBD. I didn’t know what it was. I’d never smoked a cigarette, much less a joint,” said Drew. “Long story short, back in 2015, there were five farmers in the state. We found one and I started using CBD oil as a tincture.”
Over time, Drew, working closely with his doctor, who was also his father’s doctor, began to see a shift in not only his own health, but also the health of his father.
“My father had a massive heart attack years ago and his blood pressure and triglycerides were always terrible. One day my doctor, after looking at our numbers, asked me what we were doing. I said ‘what do you mean what are we doing?’ He said your numbers look great! You guys have to be doing something different. I can go through many years of your history and tell,” recalled Drew pinpointing the moment in time when he saw the benefits of medical marijuana, in this case CBD oil.
“So I slipped this CBD bottle out of my pocket. I was worried; is he going to call the police? Is it legal? Is it not legal? It was a gray area at that time,” remembered Drew. To his surprise, the doctor wanted access to it himself to help other patients.
“The minute he saw it, he knew exactly what it was. How much of that can you get? I told him I got it from a farmer. He couldn’t prescribe it at that time so he asked if he could give my phone number out to people. I said sure. People began calling me from the doctor’s office and before I knew it, I was quickly selling 12 to 24 bottles a week.”
Fast forward, the Barretts then did their homework. After much research, they traveled and compared dispensaries in states far ahead of Tennessee when it came to cannabis attitudes and laws. In 2019, they opened LLEAF, the first cannabis dispensary in the area. While Tennessee lawmakers struggle to keep up with the constantly changing landscape of cannabis, there is no looking back for cannabis. Economics and the improvement of health for so many have made it a permanent fixture.
From CBD oil tinctures to Delta 8, a plethora of THC options like edibles and vapes are now legally available. The laws are sometimes vague and in flux. Local convenience stores and gas stations all over the area have jumped on the bandwagon. With this kind of growth comes challenges from taxation issues to law enforcement. It will take a while for new laws to go into strict effect, but one thing is certain. The government won’t be far behind in seeing they get their share of the revenue.
Right now an additional six percent sales tax applies to products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids in Tennessee. Law enforcement agencies will be using some of this revenue to train law enforcement officials on the complex and little-understood laws. Once these agents are trained and brought current, expect to see changes in the way these items are displayed in stores. Right now, cannabis-derived products are available over the counter like candy. Sometime later next year, the state hopes to enforce how these products are displayed. Transitioning to under-the-counter like drugs in a pharmacy, retailers have their work cut out for them.
As they say, “Ignorance of the law excuses no one.” Founding father and third U.S. president Thomas Jefferson wrote “Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the laws would lose their effect because it can always be pretended.” What would Washington and Jefferson think today on the matter? From hemp farms for rope to drug stores with hope, the American story continues to unfold.
