Canna Talk – An Xperience Column

By MBF and 400 River.

Before working at one of New York’s first recreational cannabis farms, I was living down in North and South Carolina – both states where cannabis is still illegal. There I was lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Chris Schneider, who now helps run Carolina Dream. The team down there is creating truly amazing hemp products and places a huge emphasis on advocacy, so let’s see what Chris has to say! 

MBF: Give us a bit of background about yourself! 

CS: My name is Chris Schneider. I’m a Marine Corps veteran, entrepreneur, and currently serve as President of Sales for Carolina Dream. I’ve spent years building businesses in the wellness and cannabis-adjacent industries, and I’m passionate about helping people access high-quality hemp products they can trust. My focus has always been on education, transparency, and building relationships with customers, retailers, and lawmakers. 

MBF: How did you get involved in the cannabis/hemp industry? 

CS: Like many people, I was first exposed to cannabis through its wellness benefits. From having my own negative pharmaceutical experiences from my time at the VA seeking help for my PTSD, pain, sleep, and depression, cannabis helped me move forward with my life. Over time, I became interested in the science behind cannabinoids, terpenes, and their potential applications. That interest eventually led me into the hemp industry, where I saw an opportunity to help build a company that prioritizes quality, compliance, and consumer education so that all South Carolinians and Americans can have access to safe, quality products. 

MBF: How was Carolina Dream born? How long have you been operating? 

CS: Carolina Dream was founded by Marine Corps veteran Cody Callarman with a vision of creating a South Carolina-based hemp company built on transparency, quality, and integrity. From the beginning, the goal was to provide products that consumers could trust while helping educate people about hemp and cannabinoids. We’ve been operating for several years and have grown from a small startup into a vertically integrated manufacturer and distributor serving customers throughout South Carolina and beyond. 

MBF: Tell us about the product lineup that Carolina Dream offers and your most popular product. 

CS: Our product lineup includes nano-emulsified gummies, tinctures, and topicals. We focus on hemp-derived cannabinoids including CBD, CBN, CBC, CBG, terpenes, and federally compliant hemp-derived THC products. We also manufacture products for other brands and retailers throughout the Southeast. Our gummies have consistently been among our most popular products. Especially Dreamer+, our “fall asleep, stay asleep” gummy. Consumers appreciate their convenience, consistency, and predictable dosing. We have fast-acting nano-emulsified formulations focused on relaxation, recovery, and overall wellness, and those continue to be customer favorites. 

MBF: Where can you sell your product?

CS: Our products are sold through licensed and compliant retail channels where hemp-derived products are permitted. We work with convenience stores, smoke shops, wellness retailers, liquor stores, and other specialty retailers throughout South Carolina and in other states where our products meet local regulations. We also have our online store www.carolinadream.com and deliver to all 50 states. 

MBF: What sets your products apart from others on the market in South Carolina? 

CS: What truly sets Carolina Dream apart is that we’re not just a hemp company; we’re actively helping shape the future of the hemp and cannabis industry in South Carolina. 

Our team is deeply involved in advocacy and policy discussions at the state level. My business partners and I regularly spend time at the South Carolina State House in Columbia during legislative sessions, working directly with lawmakers, regulators, and stakeholders to provide industry insight and help develop responsible regulations surrounding hemp and cannabis. We often assist policymakers in understanding the science, manufacturing standards, consumer safety concerns, and economic opportunities associated with hemp-derived products. 

We believe South Carolina has a unique opportunity to become a national model for sensible cannabis and hemp regulation. Rather than simply copying what other states have done, we advocate for policies that prioritize consumer safety, product transparency, responsible manufacturing, age restrictions, testing standards, and support for local businesses. 

That same commitment carries over into our products. Every Carolina Dream product is manufactured with transparency, third-party testing, and strict quality standards. We don’t just want to participate in this industry; we want to help build it the right way. As a veteran-owned company, we also believe strongly in educating the public about hemp and cannabinoids and ensuring consumers have access to safe, compliant products they can trust. Our goal is to raise the standard for the industry not only in South Carolina but across the country. 

MBF: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting? 

CS: One of the biggest challenges has been operating in an industry where regulations continue to evolve. Educating consumers, retailers, and policymakers has been just as important as building products. Access to banking, payment processing, insurance, and capital have also historically been challenges for many companies in the cannabis and hemp space. One of our biggest challenges is special interests of a few leaders in South Carolina who have a chokehold on moving further with pro-hemp and cannabis regulation in our state. 

MBF: What is the legal status of cannabis in SC? What about hemp products? 

CS: South Carolina does not currently have adult-use cannabis legalization. Hemp products, however, became federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, provided they meet applicable

federal and state requirements. Hemp-derived cannabinoid products have created a significant industry in South Carolina, though regulations continue to evolve. 

MBF: You and your colleagues are super involved in the legal discussion about the sale of hemp products in the state right now. Can you give New Yorkers a quick rundown of what is happening down south? 

CS: South Carolina lawmakers are actively debating how hemp-derived cannabinoid products should be regulated going forward. As of right now, in the summer of 2026, our legislative body has a hemp bill that could restrict all hemp products to liquor stores only, a milligram cap of 10mg THC for beverages and gummies, and smokeables will be outright banned. We are fighting for our state lawmakers to make the hemp bill 21+ to purchase. Not to make it harder and more difficult for consumers to get their hemp products. If our lawmakers move forward with this dangerous hemp ban bill, it will kill 85%-90% of South Carolina’s hemp industry overnight. The discussion generally centers around consumer safety, product standards, age restrictions, testing requirements, and market oversight. But certain politicians bend to the special interests of others in our state and want to outright ban all hemp products in our state. Industry members like us support reasonable regulations that protect consumers while allowing responsible businesses to continue operating. 

MBF: What knowledge base do SC lawmakers have about cannabis and hemp? 

CS: It varies significantly. Some lawmakers have invested substantial time learning about cannabinoids, agriculture, manufacturing, and public policy. Others are still becoming familiar with the science and distinctions between hemp and marijuana. A large part of our advocacy work involves providing accurate information and helping policymakers understand the realities of the industry. Some of our lawmakers can’t even pronounce the word “cannabinoid,” let alone tell you what it means. 

MBF: Once you explain the benefits of hemp, especially in relation to veterans’ health, does it seem to change any minds? 

CS: In many cases, yes. Personal stories often have a powerful impact. When lawmakers hear directly from veterans, patients, business owners, and consumers, it helps move the conversation beyond stereotypes and toward real-world experiences. Education tends to create more productive discussions. The old saying: “truth is on our side”. 

MBF: Overall, do you think most South Carolinians are interested in getting cannabis legalized? 

CS: Based on conversations we’ve had with customers, retailers, veterans, healthcare advocates, and everyday citizens, there appears to be significant support for some form of cannabis reform. The details of what legalization should look like are still debated, but public interest and public discussion have grown considerably over the past decade. There was a poll done in 2021 that showed that 84% of Republican voters in South Carolina want medical cannabis and 68% want recreational. Willing to bet money that the next poll will be larger numbers in support of pro cannabis policy.