Story and Photo By Michelle Willard
Since Tennessee legalized the use of cannabidiol, which is commonly called CBD or hemp oil, the business has been growing like crazy.
In fact, two LGBT+-owned businesses in Murfreesboro and Woodbury have taken two different tracks to offering hemp oil to their customers.
Half Hill Farm in Woodbury tried growing hemp to process into hemp oil before foregoing the process and offering the product from a vendor. On the other hand, Kaleidoscope Custom Vapor Lounge in Murfreesboro began offering several manufactured items before bringing production in-house.
The use of hemp oil was legalized when the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill re-classified “industrial hemp.” That allowed Tennessee to launch a pilot program to allow the growth of industrial hemp as well as the distribution of hemp products.
Since then, hemp-derived products have begun to sprout all over the place.
“You can get that at Walmart,” Half Hill Farm’s Christian Grantham said about hemp seeds.
The change allowed both Hamilton and Grantham to begin selling hemp-based products like hemp oil.
Hemp oil is a dietary supplement that is a non-psychoactive aid for patients epilepsy, anxiety or even chronic pain.
Kaleidoscope Custom Vapor Lounge’s Stacey Hamilton has been using the supplement for a little over a year and is amazed by the results.
For most of her life, she has struggled with pain from a congenital defect in her right foot.
She used to take pain medication to control issues but then she found hemp oil.
She explained hemp oil is legal because it is not made from marijuana.
Tennessee’s pilot program was intended to study industrial hemp farming across the state. To grow industrial hemp, farmers can apply to take part in the research program.
Grantham and his husband Vince Oropesa signed up to be one of those test farmers at their organic homestead Half Hill Farm.
“After the first year’s crop, our farm left the program because of limits on varieties we could grow at that time,” Grantham said.
Instead, the farmers began importing hemp oil made by Endoca, a Scandinavian company that exports the nutritional supplement to the U.S.
The couple sells the products at their farm store at the Arts Center of Cannon County in Woodbury. They also plan to open the Wellness Emporium in downtown Bell Buckle after the beginning of the New Year.
After experiencing the effects of hemp oil herself, Hamilton was inspired to bring it to the masses through her vapor stores in Murfreesboro, where she sells custom e-juice and other vaping products.
Kaleidoscope makes nicotine extract for use in vape pens and Hamilton plans to start selling her own hemp oil extraction in December both in-store and online.
Since she began selling the supplement, Hamilton has partnered with The Realm of Caring (ROC), a nonprofit that works with hospitals, doctors and researchers to find better applications for cannabinoid therapies.
Hamilton refers customers to The ROC for help with dosage and delivery method.
“This is an awesome tool,” she said, adding customers can also research a study by Johns Hopkins University.
Her overall goal is to help others find the relief she has found in hemp oil.
“My goal is to help people and make it affordable,” she said.
Grantham said he sells the nutritional supplements as an alternative to traditional medicine to keep his customers healthy.
“I’m doing this to help people. That’s what our business is about,” Grantham said.
KALEIDOSCOPE CUSTOM VAPOR LOUNGE
2992 S. Church St. Suite B & 3325 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro
HALF HILL FARM STORE
Arts Center of Cannon County at 1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury
Half Hill Farm Wellness Emporium will open in Bell Buckle after the New Year.
