Management Speaks Out After Being Closed For CBD Oil

By Kimberly Davis
Source: newschannel5.com

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Last week, nearly two dozen stores were shut down for selling CBD oil products, and today those businesses are up and running.

It was an operation that shut down 23 businesses in operation "Candy Crush".

Magical Vapors was among the stores that were raided and padlocked.

Matthew Herpel is the district manager for Magical Vapors and argues the business wasn't doing anything illegal.

"We weren't carrying anything that to us wasn't compliant. Everything that we were carrying was compliant with state and federal law," said Herpel.

In 2014, a bill was passed that authorized industrial hemp growth in Tennessee. 

Herpel said the store's CBD oil was derived from industrialized hemp, so it might be one big misunderstanding.

State legislators said there is a gray area when it comes to selling CBD oil that may come from industrialized hemp. But one law maker says if medical marijuana was legalized, we wouldn't have this kind of confusion.

"The specific grey area about what's derived from hemp oil is not really a topic of conversation right now because the medical cannabis bill really obviates the need for that," said Sen. Steven Dickerson.

For the last four years, Sen. Dickerson has been fighting to legalize medical marijuana, and says this crack down shows the demand for cannabis based products.

"If it were legal in our state, there would be testing set up to assure the consumers what they're getting," said Sen. Dickerson.

As lawmakers work on ironing out those issues on Capitol Hill, Herpel's main concern is trying to mend the business' reputation.

"The last thing we want to do is be considered drug dealers, because we're not," said Herpel.

We requested an interview with Rutherford County's District Attorney Wednesday afternoon, but he declined to comment.