Sara Payan

Sara is an award-winning educator specializing in cancer related symptom management, Public Education Officer at the Apothecarium (San Francisco), writer, and patient advocate. She is a stage-three colon cancer survivor who was introduced to the medical marijuana program during her treatment. Cannabis is what got her through her initial illness, surgery and chemo. She was able to keep her weight up, reduce nausea without using expensive intense medication and control her neuropathy. Like many of us who have gone through the life-changing experience of cancer, Sara re-evaluated what was important to her. The desire to bear witness and help others suffering through illness is what moved her to become an educator, advocate and activist for medical cannabis and is what drives her to lead the movement in normalizing cannabis use for health. Past experiences as a patient and her civil rights background made her passionate about educating people about cannabis thereby creating safe access and also inspired her to create a compassionate consulting training program for those in the medical cannabis industry and beyond. She is also an appointed member of the San Francisco Cannabis Oversight Committee and former Vice-Chair of the San Francisco State Cannabis Task Force.