Scheril Murray Powell, Esquire
President, Green Sustainable Strong, LLC
Managing Partner, Scheril Murray Powell, P.A.
General Counsel for Minorities for Medical Marijuana
General Counsel for Patience with Patients.
In House Counsel for the EOP Foundations Medical Cannabinoid Research and Policy Institute

What benefits do you see for patients throughout Florida within this space?

There are significant benefits for patients who use Medical Marijuana as a form of treatment. The first benefit is that with the legalization of Marijuana there has been a spotlight shined on the importance of the Doctor-patient relationship and the fact that this relationship should not be severed by interference including government interference. When the regulations first rolled out, there was a 90 day waiting period before a recommendation could be made. There are reports of as many as 25% of patients dying before they completed the 90 day period. Now that this rule has changed, more patients’ lives are being saved. Another benefit is the recognition of research showing that certain chronic conditions can be mitigated with the use of Medical Marijuana and CBD. This legitimizes the claims of patients that have been self-medicating for years. Finally, Doctors are given another option, an alternative for treatment. They can choose not to contribute to the addiction epidemic by not prescribing opiates in some cases based on their assessments and patient input.

What motivates you to be a part of the Cannabis Industry?

The motivation to be a part of the Cannabis Industry first stemmed from my passion for social justice. When I looked at the “War on Drugs” and the “Mass Incarceration Epidemic”, it was clearly terrorizing certain communities, specifically communities of color. Once legalization started to take hold, I did see any representation from those communities and people were still being wrongly incarcerated. My interest is in 1) Diversifying the Industry 2) Pipelining younger generations into agricultural careers including farming, 3) Decriminalization up to and including letting people out of prison who are serving sentences for non-violent Cannabis Crimes. This work keeps me involved and driving legalization in new markets around the world.

What field are you in within the Cannabis space?

I am an Agricultural and Cannabis Attorney and that is how I entered the Cannabis Space. I am now also a Cannapreneur. I have a Cannabis Staffing Agency called Canna Headhunters (www.cannaheadhunters.com) that matches talent to opportunity in Cannabis. I have a site for Cannabis gifts called www.cannurban.com. Finally, I have company that supports farmers called Green Sustainable Strong, LLC. I am General Counsel for Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana, In House Counsel for Green Roads of Florida, LLC, and In House Counsel for the EOP Foundation, Medical Cannabinoid Research and Policy Institute.

How can people in Florida benefit from the company you represent?

I think my staffing agency will really drive the employment numbers and revenues expected from the Cannabis Industry. There are a lot of patients that cannot work in traditional environments, but they can find their place in the Cannabis Industry. There is a lot of untapped, high performing talent that is being placed in Cannabis Careers. Our industry has an affinity for patients and veterans and we are finding them jobs.

Are you personally a MJ card holder?

I am a Medical Marijuana patient. I am a card holder and believe in the medical benefits of the healing plant known as “ganja,” “marijuana,” “herb,” “weed”. No matter what it is called, you cannot deny the healing capability. We are just beginning to learn the power of the over 130 cannabinoids in the plant.

Do you see Florida moving forward with recreational Marijuana/Cannabis and how will that affect your business?

I definitely see Florida becoming a recreational state. More important, I really feel like the NATION will be medical in the next 2 – 3 years. Florida will go recreational as a result of the Regulate Florida ballot initiative. Go to www.regulateflorida.com to complete and submit a ballot. I believe that a lot of the recreational use is medical. Patients are self-medicating because they want anonymity and they do not want to be recorded on a registry. Also, Florida has still not included in the list of chronic conditions all of the ailments that Cannabis can give relief for.