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Anqunette Sarfoh.Anqunette “Q” Sarfoh was an established morning news anchor for Fox 2 News Detroit five years ago when her doctor suggested she consider a less stressful career path.
Having recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Sarfoh was becoming more educated about the therapeutic properties of cannabis after traditional remedies had adverse effects on her body.
“MS affected my stomach and I was throwing up all the time,” she said. “At the hospital, they just pumped me up with drugs that didn’t work. My husband suggested I smoke a joint. I was able to get off nine different pharmaceuticals with cannabis.”
Facing an unplanned career change, Gary, Indiana native Sarfoh mindfully embarked on a new mission as medical marijuana advocate, entrepreneur, and educator in Michigan.
After retiring from television in 2016, she spent two years, “traversing the state, arguing in churches and evangelizing” the medical and spiritual benefits of the plant that improved her physical and mental well-being. As a board member of grassroots advocacy group MI Legalize, she gathered support for the 2018 passage of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, which permitted adult-use cannabis sales in the state.
In 2018 along with her husband and other partners including Flint native and former oil industry veteran John Petropolous, nightclub owner Rafael Blake and real estate agent Vincent Mazzola, she opened BotaniQ Detroit Medical Marijuana Provisioning Centers in Warren and Detroit. Millions were spent gutting previously dilapidated buildings, including a location at the corner of I-75 and Rosa Parks Boulevard. After two years of operations, she sold that business a year ago.
As Sarfoh prepares the buildout of a new 40,000 square foot grow facility, she serves on the board of directors of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association (MCIA) and is at the center of Qulture, an online CBD retailer and cannabis media and education company.
Tonight, February 25, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Qulture is hosting a virtual tea party to talk about the medical attributes and recreational opportunities associated with cannabis consumption.
“We’re going to get up close and personal about cannabis,” she said. “Do you vape it, smoke it, rub it on your skin, use it suppositorially, or do you take it in a bubble bath?”
Along with co-host and cannabis healthcare professional Cathleen Graham, the online event will include a Q&A session focused on weed and wellness, dietary recommendations, and, for those who procure an immunity-boosting CBD tea ahead of time at one of the several Michigan provisioning centers who sell her line, a toast.
“I treat my condition with a combination of cannabinoids and diet,” she said. “I’m giving people a peek into my kitchen to let them know how I select the foods for people with conditions like mine.”
Beyond hosting tea parties the last Thursday evening of the month, Sarfoh’s commitment to cannabis education also includes advocating for education certification for all Michigan-based cannabis business owners and employees.
“It’s all about pulling people out, sharing stories, and learning how cannabis can improve outcomes,” she said.
