You can grow hemp in Kansas. But this CBD store owner might go to jail for selling it

BY KEVIN HARDY
AUGUST 25, 2019 05:00 AM, UPDATED AUGUST 25, 2019 10:00 AM

LAWRENCE
Annie Martin could have lit up a joint on the courthouse steps in Lawrence and faced a $1 fine as her sole penalty under the law here.

But for selling what she maintains was hemp — a product that does not contain enough THC to cause a high and is now legal to grow in Kansas — the former elementary school teacher is facing felony charges that threaten to put her behind bars for years.

Martin said she believed she did everything right before she and her fiance Sean Lefler opened their Free State Collective CBD store in Lawrence in 2018.

They called every state agency they could think of looking for guidance and regulatory approval, but got few answers. She acquired third-party lab results on her products. And their Free State Collective was just one in the ever-expanding sea of CBD stores selling everything from oils to dog treats.

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And now, the two owners and an employee are facing Kansas felony charges. If convicted, Martin could face up to 206 months — more than 17 years — behind bars, her lawyer says. While some other Kansas CBD stores pulled hemp flower and cigarettes from their shelves to avoid being confused with marijuana, Martin says other nearby businesses still offer those products.

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