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How did you get started within the cannabis industry?
As I mentioned before I have Lupus and suffered for many years. I was admitted to the
hospital 18 times for sometimes 2 weeks at a time for years. I was eventually taking 40
pills a day to treat my symptoms. My prognosis was literally doom and gloom. I have
been told I might have 1-2 years to live if I maintained a stress free life and took care of
myself. Ha! I have 4 children who all have full-time schedules so that wasn't happening.
My last hospital stay I was admitted with my best friend of 40 years and now business
partner, Dawn Yarnell, and the doctor in the ER said, "she is going to die from all of this
medication.” Now keep in mind, at that time I did not support Cannabis use medicinally.
I know, still shaking my head. Dawn looked at me and said, "what on earth do we have
to lose", and that is how my journey began. Once I started I don't think I understood
what to expect. I noticed my seizures slowing down, eventually stopping, I did not need
my pain meds, I gradually weaned off of my steroids, and eventually all of my medica-
tions. Today I do not take 1 pharmaceutical at all. I treat my seizures and inflammation
with CBD daily and THC at night. I feel healthier now, at 47 years old, than I did at 30.
Today my entire family is committed to medical cannabis education. We won't stop this
journey.

Are you personally a MJ card holder?
I am a patient and my oldest son (broke his neck in a car accident several years ago)
is a patient. I support CBD for all ages. My friends are patients and my colleagues are
patients.

Do you see Florida moving forward with recreational
Marijuana/Cannabis and how will that affect your business?
I do see it happening in a few years. Remember, supporting adult use or home grow is
still supporting regulation. It is critical cannabis be regulated to maintain quality and
medicinal benefit. Affect me? There will always be an adult use market as well as a med-
ical market. Education will always be critical and cannabis and CBD will continue to save
lives. I see it as an addition to what Florida has already accomplished. However, my pas-
sion and obsession will always be the medical cannabis side. I am overwhelmed at the
treatment success I have seen in so many chronically ill people.

2019 AMMPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

October 4-6, 2019 | Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
The Premier Medical Cannabis Conference for Physicians

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Nikki Fried Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture
Prof. Hinanit Koltai, PhD from Israel

ADDITIONAL PRESENTATIONS:
Richard Boxer M.D. Lawton Tang M.D.
Barry Gordon M.D. Tara L. Tedrow J.D.
Jade Green Chair of the Florida Hemp Advisory Committee
Laszlo Mechtler M.D., FASN, FAAN, FEAN Michelle Weiner D.O.
www.ammpa.net

Cannabis News Florida cannabisnewsflorida.com September 2019 39