🌿 A Moment of Gratitude, Advocacy & Vision
On May 21st, Franny Tacy will be honored with the NC3 Trailblazer Award during the NC3 State of the Industry Summit, recognizing decades of leadership, advocacy, farming, education, and fearless dedication to the cannabis movement in North Carolina.
While Franny is unable to attend in person, her words—and her mission—will still be present through a heartfelt acceptance speech delivered on her behalf by Loren.
For Franny’s Farmacy, this moment is more than an award.
It’s a reflection of a movement that has been decades in the making.
And it’s an opportunity to celebrate not only Franny’s journey, but the incredible work happening across North Carolina—including the continued efforts of our Raleigh franchise and the many advocates helping shape the future of cannabis in this state.
🌱 The NC3 State of the Industry Summit
Hosted by NC3, the State of the Industry Summit brings together leaders, farmers, advocates, entrepreneurs, researchers, policymakers, and educators to discuss the future of cannabis and hemp in North Carolina.
This conversation has evolved dramatically over the last several years.
What was once considered fringe is now recognized as:
🌿 agriculture
🌿 healthcare
🌿 entrepreneurship
🌿 economic development
🌿 community advocacy
And Franny Tacy has been part of that evolution from the very beginning.
👉 Learn more about the summit here:
https://www.nc3chamber.org/event-details/nc3-state-of-the-industry-summit
🌸 A Sweet Opportunity to Celebrate Raleigh & Loren
According to Franny, this event is also a beautiful opportunity to recognize the incredible people carrying this mission forward every day.
A special shoutout goes to:
💚 Our Raleigh Franny’s Farmacy franchise
💚 Loren, who will be accepting the Trailblazer Award on Franny’s behalf
Their presence at the NC Cannabis Commission and involvement in these important statewide conversations reflect what Franny’s Farmacy has always stood for:
👉 community
👉 advocacy
👉 education
👉 courage to lead publicly
🌿 “This Award Does Not Belong to One Person”
One of the most powerful moments in Franny’s acceptance speech is this reminder:
“This award does not belong to one person.”
Instead, she dedicates this recognition to:
- farmers
- advocates
- patients
- educators
- veterans
- entrepreneurs
- researchers
- mothers
- small business owners
And to everyone who has spent decades standing beside a plant that should have never been criminalized in the first place.
Because as Franny explains:
“This movement has always been bigger than cannabis.”
It is about:
🌱 truth
🌱 freedom
🌱 healing
🌱 challenging outdated systems
🌾 From Forestry Student to Trailblazer
Franny’s story doesn’t begin in politics or business.
It begins decades ago as a young forestry student in Flagstaff, Arizona.
As she humorously shares in her speech:
“She supported herself through school by growing and selling weed.”
And as Franny often jokes:
👉 “She’s been waiting 35 years for this moment.”
💊 From Pharma to Farm
After college, Franny spent nearly 15 years working within the pharmaceutical industry.
But over time, she became increasingly uncomfortable with what healthcare was becoming.
In her speech, she reflects on watching:
- insurance companies influence patient outcomes
- profit outweigh prevention
- healthcare become what she calls the “unhealthcare industry”
A system that often profits more when people stay sick than when they truly heal.
So she walked away.
Back to the land.
Back to farming.
Back to plants.
🌱 Planting Hemp in North Carolina
When hemp legalization began emerging in North Carolina, Franny started searching for women willing to publicly step forward and farm legally.
But many were afraid.
Afraid of judgment from:
- churches
- communities
- employers
- even family members
And after hearing enough “no’s,” Franny realized:
👉 she would have to do it herself.
So she planted hemp in her little holler in Western North Carolina.
Partnering with NC State research stations in Mills River and Waynesville, she worked to legitimize hemp through:
🌿 education
🌿 transparency
🌿 research
🌿 community engagement
Only later did she discover she had become known as the first legal female hemp farmer in North Carolina.
And in classic Franny fashion, she laughs at the word “legal.”
Because as she reminds us:
“Women have been cultivating cannabis and plant medicine for thousands of years.”
🌿 North Carolina Is at a Crossroads
One of the central themes of Franny’s speech is clear:
North Carolina is already participating in the cannabis economy.
The demand already exists.
The people have already spoken.
The question now is whether the state will move forward thoughtfully—or continue allowing opportunity to leave.
As Franny explains, North Carolina already has:
- a billion-dollar hemp economy
- a massive underground cannabis market
- growing public support for legalization
And yet, uncertainty still remains.
🌱 Why Small Farmers Matter
A particularly powerful part of Franny’s speech focuses on protecting:
🌾 small farmers
🌾 independent businesses
🌾 local entrepreneurs
Franny warns against restrictive systems that concentrate power into only a few large operators while shutting out the very communities that built the movement from the ground up.
Instead, she advocates for legislation that:
✔ protects farmers
✔ supports research
✔ creates jobs
✔ generates tax revenue
✔ encourages education
✔ keeps opportunity local
💚 Cannabis Is No Longer a Fringe Conversation
One of the strongest takeaways from Franny’s message is this:
Cannabis is no longer a fringe issue.
It is:
🌱 agriculture
🌱 healthcare
🌱 wellness
🌱 entrepreneurship
🌱 economic opportunity
🌱 human
And this conversation is only growing louder.
🌿 A Legacy Rooted in Courage
The NC3 Trailblazer Award represents more than recognition.
It represents decades of courage.
The courage to:
- speak publicly
- challenge stigma
- advocate for reform
- support farmers
- educate communities
- and stand beside a plant long before it was accepted
Franny’s journey helped open doors for countless others across North Carolina.
And that work continues today.
🌸 Looking Toward the Future
As Franny says in her closing remarks:
“The future is coming either way. The only question is whether North Carolina will have the courage to lead.”
At Franny’s Farmacy, we remain deeply committed to:
🌿 education
🌿 advocacy
🌿 transparency
🌿 small business
🌿 community wellness
🌿 thoughtful cannabis reform
Because this movement has always been about more than products.
It’s about people.
🌱 Thank You for Being Part of the Movement
To everyone who has supported Franny’s Farmacy, advocated for hemp, stood beside small farmers, and believed in the future of plant-based wellness:
Thank you.
This recognition belongs to all of us.
🌿 Learn More About NC3
👉 https://www.nc3chamber.org/event-details/nc3-state-of-the-industry-summit
🛒 Explore Franny’s Farmacy
Stay Green & Glowing,
The Franny’s Farmacy Team 💚
