Welcome to
the Safe Leaf Society

Michael D. Boone is an accomplished educator, business leader, and cannabis industry expert with a diverse background spanning academia, compliance, marketing, and business operations. With a strong foundation in business management and a specialized focus on medical cannabis, he has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between industry and education, ensuring that students and professionals alike gain the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the rapidly evolving cannabis sector.

Michael’s academic journey is marked by a commitment to lifelong learning and professional excellence. He holds a Master of Science degree in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, where he gained in-depth knowledge of the therapeutic applications, regulatory landscape, and scientific foundations of cannabis. He also earned an MBA in General Business and Marketing from the University of Michigan, providing him with a strong analytical and strategic approach to business challenges. His undergraduate studies at Temple University resulted in a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, with a minor in Business Law, equipping him with the essential skills to navigate corporate structures and regulatory frameworks.

As a Teaching Specialist in the Hemp and Cannabis Business Management Program at Stockton University, Michael plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of cannabis education. He teaches foundational and advanced courses, including Introduction to Hemp and Cannabis and Cannabis Operational Fundamentals, bringing real-world insights into the classroom. His teaching approach is centered on experiential learning, case studies, and industry applications, helping students develop a comprehensive understanding of cannabis business operations, regulations, and market trends.

In addition to his role at Stockton University, Michael serves as an Adjunct Professor at multiple institutions, including the University of Maryland, Rowan University, and Rowan College of Burlington County. He has designed and delivered courses such as Medical Cannabis Advocacy for Patients and Public Health, Evolution of the Cannabis Industry, Principles of Marketing, Microeconomics, and Macroeconomics. His ability to connect industry knowledge with academic theory has made him a sought-after educator, mentor, and thought leader in cannabis business management.

Beyond academia, Michael has extensive experience in compliance and business operations within the cannabis industry. As Compliance Coordinator at Nova Farms, he managed regulatory adherence, licensing, and training programs, ensuring that business operations met state and local cannabis laws. Prior to that, he was VP of Compliance and Research at Qredible Inc., where he led regulatory initiatives for a software startup designed to enhance transparency and compliance in the cannabis sector.

Michael’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in his tenure as Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Boone Enterprises and Distribution Systems, Inc., where he managed logistics, marketing, and financial operations for over a decade. His ability to scale businesses, optimize operational efficiencies, and develop strategic partnerships has been a hallmark of his career.

With a rich background in business strategy, regulatory compliance, and cannabis education, Michael D. Boone continues to be a driving force in preparing students and professionals for success in the evolving cannabis marketplace. Through his work, he remains dedicated to advancing industry knowledge, fostering innovation, and shaping the future of cannabis business education.

Andrea's journey with cannabis medicine began when pharmaceuticals failed.  With no hope from physicians of a better quality of life, she turned to cannabis in an attempt to manage the side-effects of the pills being used to treat her epilepsy and brain damage. Through years of weaning off medications she discovered cannabis was capable of so much more than soothing nausea, it was able to limit and even prevent her seizures! 

Unfortunately, not all cannabis is created equal: certain strains and formulations can actually trigger seizures, while others can provide unprecedented relief.

With years of dedicated study and constant trial-and-error, Andrea has been able to identify key ratios of effective compounds in various products and locate a rare strain with potential to produce her own seizure rescue nasal spray (akin to Narcan or Neffy). After developing a legal tincture of available compound isolates without THC, it was clear she was on the right path but missing pieces. 

In her personal experience, the limited formulations help, but sadly lack the full potential and preventative power of whole plant medicine. Given our limited scientific understanding of SUDEP (Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy Patients), any seizure could be fatal for any epilepsy patient. The only true protection is prevention.

Throughout nearly a decade of education and searching for the right plant genetics, it became painfully clear that some medicinal strains/products lack market viability.  Long harvests, low yield, and low public demand keep a flourishing market from providing essential medications.

In 2023, Andrea developed additional health complications and it was evident that waiting was no longer an option. Lacking access to the necessary medicine in hospitals, dispensaries, or even at home, Raible redirected her life to face politicians and regulators as a patient advocate. 

New Jersey is an outlier state with a robust recreational market and no medical home cultivation protections for patients. Andrea finally has the opportunity for access to the genetics that could produce life-saving medicine, but outdated laws mean she could face 5 years in prison for a single plant.

In response to political claims that the adult-use market needs more time to develop prior to allowing medical home cultivation, Raible co-founded the New Jersey Home Grow Coalition. This grassroots group has produced an industry support letter of over 50 businesses/groups (including the CTA and CBA) in support of medical home grow. 

With the support of the NJ cannabis industry and 11 senate sponsors on bill S1393, the political excuse against medical home grow has now shifted to consumer safety concerns despite currently having the right to personal testing (NJ 17:30 18.5). 

Andrea is hyper-aware of shortcomings in safety on the NJ legal market as a patient with yeast and mold allergies, solvent sensitivities, asthma, and a range of health conditions. Over the last year she has frequently testified on improving regulations (including lowering the 100lb batch size and labeling solvents on packaging), concerning trends in METRC data pointing to a lack of lab reliability, and the need for transparency.  After navigating the cannabis markets for 8 years without pharmaceuticals for epilepsy, Raible is proud to present the Safe Leaf Society as the next step for promoting clean medicine, public transparency, and reshaping New Jersey for patient safety.

The Safe Leaf Society is powered by a data-focused grassroots community comprised of both industry members and the public. This would not be possible without your collaboration and support. Thank you for helping us work to create a clean and fair cannabis industry.