"Marijuana is safe, we know it is safe. It's our cash cow and we will never give up," Nelson said to the audience of doctors and nurses, describing the modus operandi of the DEA.

Illegally Healed reports:

"Nelson represented the DEA in the international media from 1998 to 2004. She did regular appearances on the talk show circuit, including the Oprah Winfrey show and Nightline, espousing the dangers of cannabis. Today she advocates for its medical use, specifically in the treatment of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in professional football players through an organization she founded: The Gridiron Cannabis Foundation."

It didn't take long for Nelson to realize cannabis has medical benefits. In 2000, she was watching her close friend suffer from late-stage cancer, losing more than 50% of his weight and no longer being able to eat or sleep.