Leslie Stone is a woman with a mission — educate, advocate and heal.
“We’re all about the wellness aspect,” Stone said. “My vision is to destigmatize this industry … This is the medicine of the future.”
In April, just days ahead of 4/20, Stone marked the grand opening of GRN DRMZ, Roanoke’s first cannabis-friendly lounge.
The shop, which offers a CBD retail storefront and a private, members-only lounge, is a safe place for people to gather, talk and learn more about Virginia’s emerging herb industry, Stone said.
The business aims to serve consumers, medicinal patients and entrepreneurs looking to join the field that is fast-evolving as the state phases in a multi-pronged approach to marijuana legalization. Personal possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, as well as limited home growing, became legal in 2021 but recreational sales aren’t yet allowed. Medical marijuana sales were authorized in 2020.
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The state laws on the issue are on track to be updated again this year. The subject was hotly debated heading into the legislature’s annual veto session set for the last week in April.
The shifting landscape makes education crucial for communities moving forward, said Stone, who’s worked as a consultant in the legalized industry in other states since 2014. She said she came to the field with a background on Wall Street where she worked in banking regulation compliance
“That’s where my strong suit is,” Stone said. “I realized this was about to become the next movement, and a lightbulb went off in my head … Education was going to be a core piece of this industry as it was becoming legal and emerging.”
That is reflected in the mission of GRN DRMZ, she added. The shop plans to hold regular classes in everything from growing tips to regulatory compliance for new businesses.
“We want to be a hub, an educational hub, where people can come and feel safe to have open dialogue,” Stone said, adding she hopes to share information with both cannabis supporters and skeptics.
“There are people who do not know this as a medicine, and its therapeutic benefits and efficacies,” she said. “Some people still look at cannabis the same way as it was looked at during reefer madness … But it’s not about getting high. It’s about getting well.”
Services offered by GRN DRMZ include applying for medical marijuana cards. The retail store also has a beverage counter that offers coffee and non-alcoholic, CBD-infused drinks that Stone said were all-natural and plant-based.
The retail store includes a line of CBD products, Golden Hands Wellness, developed by Stone to serve senior citizens. That venture is in memory of her late mother’s struggle in her final years with cancer, arthritis and other ailments.
The small shop’s lounge, located in a separate room at the rear of the store, will allow smoking but will be a private, members-only space to be in line with state law. Members must bring their own marijuana. Stone said the lounge would be a place to both gather together and learn about the industry.
Over time, Stone said, she hopes the shop will employ a staff of three to four. GRN DRMZ, located at 611 Campbell Ave. S.W., is open from 1 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 1 to 10 p.m. Fridays to Saturdays and 1 to 9 p.m. Sundays. It is closed Mondays.
