Closing Session: Panel Discussion
Closing Session: Panel Discussion
Moderator: Dr. Jeffrey Block, MD, Founder and President, Nurturing Nature®
Panelists:
Ron Watson, President, Watson Strategies and Director of Government Relations and Northwest Area Sales Representative, MÜV by Verano
Dr. Mahmoud A. ElSohly, Research Professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi
Pete Demorejon, Director of Cultivation and CEO, Frosty Krippy
Dr. Brian Pearson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida
Dr. Jeffrey Block, MD
Dr. Jeffrey Block, MD, Founder and President, Nurturing Nature®
Bio:
Dr. Jeff Block is a Florida licensed allopathic physician, Board-certified anesthesiologist, and accomplished botanist. “DocBlock” is Fellowship-trained in both pain management & addiction medicine.
In 2014, Dr. Block authored Florida’s first mandated physician education published by the Dept. of Health; and in 2015 Block was Florida’s only physician selected by the Department to determine the rules supporting Florida’s Cannabis laws.
At the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Anesthesiology, Professor Block teaches cannabinoid medicine to physicians completing their subspecialty Fellowship training in pain management. Since 2020 he has authored four textbook chapters concerning endocannabinoid receptors and medical Cannabis.
As a highly awarded horticulturist and Florida Master Gardener for Miami-Dade County’s Agricultural Extension Offices, DocBlock additionally educates on behalf of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences program and advises their research on hemp. He is the Founder of “Nurturing Nature®” Group - an independent, interdisciplinary consultancy using integrative medicine and translational science to advance the safe and effective clinical use of cannabinoids.
Ron Watson
Ron Watson, President, Watson Strategies and Director of Government Relations and Northwest Area Sales Representative, MÜV by Verano
Bio:
Ron Watson, has over 29 years of experience in Florida political, regulatory and lobbying endeavors with government and major healthcare associations.
During this time, he has developed excellent relationships with executive, legislative and regulatory leadership throughout Florida government. Ron has a comprehensive knowledge of laws, rules, budgets and regulations concerning medical, dental, pharmaceutical, tort reform and insurance issues. He also has extensive political involvement with patient advocacy and grassroots organizations, as well as organizing and managing political action committees.
Dr. Mahmoud A. ElSohly
Dr. Mahmoud A. ElSohly, Research Professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi
Bio:
Dr. Mahmoud A. ElSohly is a Research Professor at The National Center for Natural Products Research, and Professor of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi (UM) and is the Director of theNational Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Marijuana Project at UM. He is also the President and Laboratory Director of ElSohly Laboratories Incorporated, an analytical forensic drug testing and product development laboratory. He receivedhis undergraduate and Masters from Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt and his Ph.D. in 1975 from the University ofPittsburgh, School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA. He has been with the University of Mississippi since 1975 and has been Director of the NIDA Marijuana Project since 1981 and has developed several cannabis derived products. He hasover 40 years’ experience working with the isolation of natural products (notably cannabis secondary metabolites),synthetic, analytical and forensic chemistry with over 40 patents and over 400 publications in these areas of science. Dr. ElSohly is a member of many professional organizations such as American Society of Pharmacognosy, American Chemical Society, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Society of Forensic Toxicologist, International Cannabinoids Research Society, International Association of Cannabinoid Medicines to name a few and received numerous awards. These include but not limited to Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Cannabinoids Research Society (ICRS), Special Award for his Major Contributions to the Re-introduction of Cannabis as a Medicine, from the IACM and Legacy Laureate Award from the University of Pittsburgh.
Pete Demorejon
Pete Demorejon, Director of Cultivation and CEO, Frosty Krippy
Bio:
Pete Demorejon has cultivated his extensive knowledge of the horticultural sciences surrounding Cannabis species since 1993 and has been recognized in the state of Colorado as a patient provider since 2009.
His knowledge of cannabis cultivation has generated associations with some of Colorado's leading industry professionals and premier dispensaries. Demorejon’s commercial growing facility in Denver, Colorado coincided with the inception of that state’s recreational market; and in Florida’s developing market extended his directing a Miami-based medical marijuana nursery for Costa Farms, the world’s largest provider of ornamental plants. Originally known as Modern Health Concepts, their company has since expanded to operations as CuraLeaf Florida.
Demorejon’s services to the industry included serving as Lead Consultant for Elite Cannabis, an award-winning global cannabis business. He personally maintains over 100 cultivars, including some of the world’s most sought-after genetics within his breeding projects. His work is also focused on stabilizing 1:1 (THC: CBD) chemotypes with diverse terpene profiles.
Dr. Brian Pearson, Ph.D.
Dr. Brian Pearson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida
Bio:
Dr. Brian Pearson is an assistant professor in Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida. His research, teaching, and extension (public outreach and training) program focuses on factors critical to the production of medicinal plants and their products. Since 2018, Dr. Pearson’s farm-to-pharmacy research program approach has focused on production of low-THC Cannabis sativa to help growers produce consistent, high-quality hemp.
His area of specialization focuses on identifying and understanding environmental factors responsible for consistent, high-quality production of ornamental, edible, and medicinal specialty crops, such as hops, hemp, butterfly pea, and kratom. A thorough understanding of how each agricultural production factor, separately and in combination, influence plant growth and development is critical to ensure finished plants meet production goals. Additionally, his specialization includes effective teaching and communication of plant production practices to ensure students and industry clientele can effectively implement research findings. Impacts of his program have resulted in the publication of 46 refereed scientific journal articles, in-service training to 84 county extension agents, and delivery of educational materials to more than 77,000 public stakeholders. Working with faculty in College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida, he helped develop and offer a graduate-level course focused on the production, extraction, and analysis of medicinal crops. Lastly, in response to a request from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, he helped create and manage a state certification program for the production and sale of hemp in Florida.