Decades of relentless War on Drugs propaganda have made many older adults resistant to even considering medical cannabis. Yet in communities of color that have disproportionately borne the brunt of that “war,” the suspicion and resistance among seniors who could benefit from cannabis medicine can be even more deep-seated.
Atty. Scheril Murray Powell
S. Murray Powell
I spoke about this conundrum and how to address it with attorney and advocate Scheril Murray Powell, an agricultural and Cannabis attorney at Doumar, Allsworth, Laystrom, Voigt, Adair, and Dishowitz, who was named one of the Top 12 Cannabis Attorney’s in Florida by The Daily Business Review. Extensively involved in the cannabis and CBD industries, among many of her activities, she is the Executive Director of the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists of Florida and serves on the Hemp Pilot Program Advisory Board for the University of Florida. Murray Powell is on the board of the Hemp Feed Coalition and the U.S. Hemp Builders Association, and is also President of consulting firm Green Sustainable Strong, LLC, as well as in-house Counsel of SunFlora, Inc/ Your CBD Store.
I cauht up with Scheril upon her return from a pain management conference in Jamaica.
Abbie Rosner (AR): I am always interested in how we can talk to our elders to help them understand and access the benefits of cannabis. That discussion can be particularly complicated for people of color. For readers who may not be sensitive to this issue, could you address it?
Scheril Murray Powell (SMP): The aging population is the fastest growing adopters of cannabinoid medicine for relief of ailments and maintenance. But in communities of color there is some hesitation because of the trauma caused as a collateral effect of the war on drugs. The „Civil Rights Generation” remembers beatings, arrests and lengthy sentences for just a single joint and although times have changed with legalization, the fear remains…
This hesitation to try Cannabis is not isolated to the people of color in the United States and as my work as a Cannabis attorney takes me throughout the Caribbean, I notice the same fear as a result of the Dangerous Drugs Act provisions and enforcement in the various island nations. In the Caribbean I find there is an extra layer of „faith based” stigma which conflicts with legalization efforts and keeps seniors from trying Cannabis for medicine.
However, there is also an acceptance of homemade rum infused with a sprig of ganja or „ganja tea” kept by Grannies in the back of the cabinet just in case it is needed for an „old time remedy”.
AR: How do you think the stigmas and resistance can be overcome?
SMP: I think the pervasive anti-cannabis stigma in the seniors in communities of color can be addressed by:
1) Encouraging Cannabis conversations in places of worship,
2) Creating a nationwide initiative to educate physicians, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and hospice centers;
3) Work to engage the social worker community, nurse’s aides/caregivers, and ailment based groups such as the Alzheimer’s Foundation and American Cancer Society;
4) Encouraging dispensaries and CBD shops to hire Seniors in order to assist with education opportunities on site;
5) Continue to educate legislators about the changing face of the Cannabis user;
6) Work on legislation that allows for nurses and nurse practitioners to be able to recommend Cannabis. We fail to address the fact that there are many in our country that haven’t seen a physician in years, but they have seen a nurse practitioner. We need to release ourselves from archaic norms and embrace the changing face of medical care in this country.
7) We need to advocate for laws that will allow patients on Medicare and Medicaid to get coverage for cannabinoid medicine. This is especially essential for Seniors in communities of color that have fixed incomes.
8) Finally, we need to advocate for laws that protect people who are on transplant lists from being discriminated against if they are Cannabis users. I know an African-American Senior who is a former university professor who is waiting for a kidney transplant and would love to use cannabinoid medicine, but is afraid to lose his spot on the transplant list.
AR: What do you think is missing, that the industry could do to make older people of color feel more confident about trying medical cannabis?
SMP: I have mentioned a few suggestions, but I cannot emphasize enough the need to educate the cluster AROUND seniors. And we need to understand how Seniors of Color live their lives in order to determine how, when, and where to educate about Cannabis. The cluster is the key. Similarly, when trying to service the veterans and others with PTSD, we need to do more work with the therapist community.
I am seeing an increase in Seniors of color coming out for educational events. I have adapted my Cannurban Educational partnerships to include places where Seniors live, work, and play. One example was the Cannurban Unifest Agricultural Symposium hosted in conjunction with Mayor Hazelle Rogers and the City of Lauderdale Lakes, which has a prominent and active senior community. The response from the seniors in the community was overwhelmingly positive. We addressed food insecurity by including a healthy meal, information from reputable physicians, farmers, attorneys, State Legislators and other Cannabis professionals in order to normalize Cannabis and fresh produce as an option for a more balanced, healthy lifestyle…
Many of the Your CBD Store owners are Seniors themselves who have retired from careers, discovered CBD due to their own ailments and decided to spread the word by opening a brick and mortar store. I am also seeing the demographics in the waiting rooms of dispensaries change rapidly to include more Seniors which is indicative of industry efforts to get the word out to senior communities and non-traditional Cannabis consumers.
AR: Any other thoughts?
SMP: Black and brown people have paid a huge cost for Cannabis access to get to this point. They continue to pay with their lives and their health because we have not taken the legislative steps necessary to make them feel safe in their use of cannabinoid medicine. Likewise, there is much work to be done to make the healthcare professionals who service this community feel safe in the knowledge that they are not risking their livelihoods by including cannabinoid medicine in their treatment plans.
As a Jamaican American who has appreciated the Rastafarian Community all of my life, I think it would be extremely helpful to look at how Rastas use their ganja (marijuana) sacrament to build a bridge between younger adults and seniors, as well as using ganja for longer life, more abundant life, and more balanced life for Seniors. Ganja is an important part of the lives of Rastafarian adults of all ages and has been for many decades