The Cole Memo

In this episode, I’m joined by Lori Nanney, the owner of Tokers, Inc., a hemp company based in Tennessee. Lori brings attention to a pressing issue: the targeted crackdown on Tennessee hemp businesses, which not only threatens local enterprises but also opens the door for out-of-state competitors to capitalize on online sales within Tennessee’s market. In short, it seems like the crackdown is focused on shutting down local businesses.

In a recent report by the Tennesseean, Michael Soloman, a prominent figure in Tennessee’s legal cannabis market, voiced concerns about what he perceives as a regulatory bait-and-switch tactic by the state. According to Soloman, THC-A products are currently dominating sales in Tennessee, driven by consumer demand for various reasons. He highlighted that while a state ban on sales could be implemented, it wouldn’t necessarily prevent Tennesseans from purchasing these products online. This potential ban could have significant implications for business owners in Nashville and beyond. It would essentially re-criminalize the operations that they have invested in.

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The auto-generated transcript is available below.

in this episode of the Cole Memo I speak to Lori Nanny a hemp operator in the state of Tennessee Tennessee has recently had a Crackdown introduced on hemp something that we’ve seen in many states that have had hemp programs notably though this Crackdown would only affect Tennessee hemp Farmers from what I understand it would not prevent the purchase of hemp from online retailers so tennesseans would still be able to purchase hemp they just would no longer be able to purchase it from a local Tennessean that’s what I think makes this Crackdown particularly remarkable and worth covering this is the Cole memo I’m your host Cole Preston every episode is released in audio video and transcript formats to find the transcript audio or video version of any episode please refer to the description of the episode that you’re listening to now within that description you can find a link that will take you to our website which will display the transcript for this episode and the platforms where you 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review from wherever you’re listening to us from favorite this episode give it a thumbs up or leave a comment your engagement and support is appreciated today is March 5th 20124 enjoy this episode of the cole [Music] memo thank you Lori for sitting down with me today uh Lori I am going to display your website right now and uh give you the space to introduce yourself to my audience Lori tell us who you are and what you do I am the owner of toker Inc in marville Tennessee we are a hemp company we sell only THC products that are hemp derived uh we make sure that all of our products are clean heavy metal solvents pesticides all that that kind of stuff we’ve always made sure that our products were clean um and yes it’s toer sink in marville Tennessee and we’re dealing with the same kind of issues you all are in Illinois with trying to keep our products legal yeah so let’s uh take a step back and talk like so you I just want to talk about like how you got into this because this is a this this is kind of what makes this story so interesting um hemp is a great opportunity and it’s pretty easy to get into the business right yeah I mean I owned a crane service before this I was born with one arm so I only have one hand um I’ve had two spinal fusions um I’ve had pain and I was on Gaba Penton and tanine for years um actually my children started researching um the Delta 8 and was like Mom you need to try this and I was okay you know got a hold of some bad products got a hold of some good products but what I generally came is this is a much healthier option and prescription medications in most cases and it does exactly what it’s supposed to without the addictive properties that pharmaceutical have so and then um so I eventually tried the products liked them open my own store in Alcoa Tennessee um last year they passed bill number SB 0578 or 0378 excuse me and that made thca Delta a th Delta 8 hhc all of the hint derived cannaboids legal in our state um well then they turned it over to the a department Tennessee agriculture department and from their ruling they are trying to change the definition of hint um so that they don’t have to um they don’t have to do their job and don’t have to come into the roel stores and don’t have to do any of this it would be much easier if it was just illegal I believe that Tennessee is in the same process of probably legalizing cannabis in our state um but and so anyway after they passed the bill and it was all legal I invested $100,000 cash not credit all of my savings uh put it into a new store expanded thought everything was great I was safe and then they came up with all this new stuff on December 18th of last year as stating that this is going to go into effect July 1st of 2024 if we don’t do anything about it um so we’re working with the um cultivate Tennessee and uh Tennessee agriculture Department uh to see if we can we’re hiring attorneys where or the Tennessee hemp Coalition excuse me and their hiring attorneys to fight this um a department still has not given their final ruling so we’re waiting in this state um everyone is pending I also just wanted to share something really cool give me one moment [Music] yeah I had made for me Isn’t that cool wow that is very cool holy crap yeah it’s glass Isn’t that cool I had one of my glass blowers made it but um yeah it’s it’s just it’s been like a constant up and down we just don’t know what’s going to happen from one day to the next that’s insane and and I guess just to put a finer point for my listeners that might be listening from a legal State a legal State like Illinois or Colorado or uh California the the thing about South Carolina if I could just put a fine point on it is that cannabis like you say is not legal is there even Medical in South Carolina we’re in Tennessee sorry Tennessee medical cannabis is not legal here in this state at this point they pass they’ve passed it saying it’s going to be legal but it no it is not actually yeah it has to be below three gotcha yep the farm bill the farm bill 2018 for Bill yep and this is the article that I actually ultimately found your name from uh the headline for folks that want to check into it Tennessee cannabis Product Industry worries could new regulations stop sales in the state so like I say my apologies on bringing up South Carolina I’m just thinking of Southern States so I got you all mixed up but you’re fine and um that was the day that we actually went to protest this H Coalition in Tennessee we all drove to Nashville and we were all you know thank goodness they did a public forum and they were actually listening to us let’s just pray that it gets a appropriate outcome right I I guess the fine point I was trying to put on it for folks that may not understand why this is such a big deal is not only is it allowing you to gain a livelihood and helping others but that’s that last part it’s helping people it’s giving them access to the cannabis plant that’s why this is a big deal and honestly it’s going to it’s going to put me completely out of business um what they’re doing in this state is going to eliminate all concentrates all dabs all flour um most Edibles it is going to completely demolish the entire industry I have probably 10 12 people that actually work for me personally all of those people are going to be out of a job I surely will not have a job pretty soon if this goes into effect you know no one knows what to do we don’t know if we’re going to have a home in 30 days that’s so crazy and I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this and just once again put a fine point on it you would not work in it anymore because if this went I was going to say starting then it would no longer be legal right you’d be a criminal absolutely but yet it’s okay for the liquor stores and everything else you know I mean honestly it’s the same thing it is the exact same thing yes it can put people where they have an altered state but most responsible people if they’re drinking or smoking do not do those things when they’re driving a vehicle I mean if I if I could one thing that I find interesting about this is that you can’t eliminate the sale of cannabinoids that’s been proven that has been proven even in states with Tennessee that before the farm bill existed because you could still get weed in Tennessee in fact I’ve smoked weed in Tennessee um they’re not going to stop and that’s what we told them they are not going to stop smoking they’re just going to go to Illegal spaces to get it and it will be died with venl I mean and then these people are not dying because they want to die they’re dying because they’re getting a hold of stuff that’s tainted from different countries that’s just it that’s what the point I was wrapping around too it doesn’t eliminate the sale of it it eliminates people making uh you know a information based purchase yeah reading a label and saying oh hey make sure these products are safe right right so it’s pushing it into the underground and here you are you’re wanting to comply you’re wanting to be safe you’re wanting to provide that information they and they seem to be saying no and last year we’ve this is our third year fighting in this state um last year they also July 1st of 2023 put a 6% tax on on all CBD products and we were happy to pay that if they would just leave us alone and we have clearly done that I think that they said that Tennessee brought in $6 billion dollar in six months but yet they’re willing to walk away from it with no hesitation at all and just give up that money and cause people to not be able to access these products that are not dangerous yeah as long as they’re regulated I have no problem and I’m not against regulation I think that every product should be tested I think that every product should make sure that they’re clean I don’t think you should be able to go into a gas station and purchase these items I think that people should know exactly what they’re purchasing before they purchase it um regulations are not bad making this stuff illegal is thank you yeah that’s a really good way of putting it and I guess my my last thought for you here CU you know you’ve really hit it out of the park I I really hope this is resonating with my listeners as much it is as it is with me um do you have any hope that this is that this can be overturned or changed I’m praying every day that they don’t make this happen I mean what else can we do um I think that’s a lot of money to walk away from and there’s going to be a whole lot of people out of job everywhere from Farmers to processors to retailers um these are a lot of families that are going to be hungry because in in the current economy that we’re in how can they justify this I just don’t understand it I really don’t yeah and I I don’t know if there’s hope I really don’t I just I I pray every day that they come to their senses and do not make this in effect July 1st of 2024 yeah I guess the only hope that I have and I’m saying this for hopefully any Tennessean listeners right now uh that might be legal professionals there have been many other states that have overturned these what I’m going to call crackdowns on hemp and I hope that somebody listening might be able to do the same uh God forbid if these rules take place right I just want to that seed so absolutely totally agree well Lori uh any last thoughts any bases we didn’t cover today um wanted to give you this space no um I think you did a great job and like I said thank you for bringing this and addressing this and bringing this to the Forefront because this is a really really big deal and this is going to affect a lot of people in numerous States this is we still buy products from other states and what they’re trying to do now is actually make it where we can buy them from out of state but we can’t grow it I mean it makes you know even the ones you can transport it but you can’t grow it or you can’t process it and you can’t sell it in this state it doesn’t make any sense but yet people can still go online and order their products online and have it delivered through the US Postal Service it makes no sense at all wow so they’re just cracking down on local retailers yes they’re cracking down on Tennessee and you are still going to be able to purchase this stuff from out of state wow that is messed up yeah they’re trying to kill our own fers it makes no sense that is messed up this is uh my last thought on this just totally I mean this still this thought still applies but wow I did not realize how focused this Crackdown was and how it still allows for the import of these products I think that is maybe how they’re trying to avoid a similar lawsuit that other states have I’m just totally speculating I’m not a legal professional no idea um but that is that is crazy the the last thought I was gonna end with which again is really no different I just wanted to say again this is something I said on the phone call with you this is just a weird case where the federal law is is ahead of the state law and some people will say well that’s not what the people that wrote the farm bill intended how do you know that first of all and and second of all I think a intent aside the wording of the law is the wording of the law and to try and peel it back is just well it’s a step back so that’s my last thought on this you know absolutely and I totally agree with you and it is is I mean federal law it’s it’s a federal law I mean it is what it is I mean I don’t I don’t understand how they can keep doing this yeah for the first time we’re recognizing parts of the cannabis plant that’s the way I like to say it as an agricultural commodity absolutely you know it’s a beautiful thing it was given to us right you know we need to use it I mean um get people off these pharmaceutical drugs that are so addictive and harmful with so many side effects yeah just doesn’t make sense well Lori uh I’m going to keep in touch with you and I’d love to have you on in the future and hopefully uh the next time we talk uh it’ll just be like oh wasn’t it crazy we had to deal with that um let’s pray Cole you keep in touch and I will update you as soon as we hear something on our law in this state perfect it has been my pleasure thank you so much sir yep thank you and folks I hope you found as much value in this conversation as I did we’ll see you in the next episode of the Cole memo take care and don’t forget to support your local farmers bye