How did cannabis transform from a restricted plant in 1923 to a recognized wellness tool under Bill C-45 in 2018? In this docu-short, we explore the hidden legal history of Canada’s drug laws, the anti-Asian, anti-Black, and anti-Indigenous laws and racial motivations behind early prohibition, and the historical medical and health benefits of cannabis that ultimately contributed to reform.

This docu-short is taken from Medical Cannabis for Pain and PTSD

🎬 Watch the full episode

(S1 Ep12): https://youtu.be/3WgRvlNvCMM

📚Documentary Resources: https://freedomtoknowwellness.substack.com/p/canadas-cannabis-laws-the-racist

📌 Subscribe to Freedom To Know Wellness for more deep dives into health, wellness, and the history behind them!

https://freedomtoknowwellness.substack.com/

🎵 Music Rights from Canva Pro 

Artist: Sigma Music Art 

Title: Documentary History Background

Educational & Fair Use Disclaimer:

This video is created strictly for educational, historical, and documentary purposes under Fair Dealing (Canada) and Fair Use principles (Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act). All historical images, legal references, and scientific diagrams are included to provide socio-political analysis and objective health education regarding the history of cannabis regulation. This content is not intended as medical or legal advice.

Timestamps:

00:00 Cannabis legalization in Canada (Oct 17, 2018) & medical benefits

00:24 Racist roots of Canada's opioid laws & the 1908 Opium Act

00:48 Chinese railroad workers & anti-Chinese immigration laws

01:14 Racial profiling & disproportionate arrests of Black & Indigenous people

01:49 Data on over-representation of Black Canadians in cannabis arrests

02:21 Systemic racism embedded in the legal system

02:42 Bill C-93: Record suspension for simple cannabis possession

03:09 Limitations of the expungement program

03:35 Medical benefits of cannabis & the endocannabinoid system

04:18 Endocannabinoids in the body & ongoing research

04:49 Closing & article links

#cannabiseducation #MedicalCannabis #CannabisHistory #canadianlaws #asianhistory #blackhistory #indigenoushistory

In this episode, legendary Canadian drug policy reform advocate Alison Myrden shares why patient advocacy and scientific research are vital for chronic pain care using medical cannabis and psilocybin.

Living with multiple sclerosis and severe chronic pain from Trigeminal Neuralgia (often dubbed the "suicide disease"), Alison became one of the first people in Canada to receive a federal exemption to legally use medical cannabis.

In this episode, we explore: 

• The State of Research: Why psilocybin trials for pain management must catch up to cannabis. 

• Legal & Regulatory Barriers: The institutional hurdles researchers face under current drug policies. 

• Alison's Journey: Decades of pioneering compassionate healthcare, harm reduction, and reform.

Episode Timestamps: 

00:00 Why Legal Research Matters 

00:33 Podcast Intro 

01:22 Meet Alison Myrden 

02:32 Early Cannabis and MS Symptoms 

05:10 Diagnosis Delays and Mislabels 

08:09 Gary’s Support and Surgeries 

10:48 Meds vs Cannabis Relief 

11:33 Supplements and Vitamin D Regimen 

15:27 Website and Advocacy Origins 

16:25 Work, Mobility, and Staying Positive 

19:49 Trigeminal Pain and Psilocybin Discovery 

22:43 From Opioids to Drug Law Reform 

29:50 Psilocybin Dosing and Rapid Relief 

31:24 Suicide Level Pain 

32:05 Trauma After Episodes 

32:58 Beating MS Mobility Odds 

34:29 Advocacy Origins and LEAP 

38:27 Exoneration from Cannabis Records 

41:00 Protest and Key Organizations 

43:37 Podcasts and Sharing the Message 

45:52 Treatment Advice and Dosing 

49:02 Legal Fight for Access 

52:50 From Opioids to Natural Relief 

54:50 Supplements and Liver Protection 

59:41 Closing Thoughts on Support

Connect with Alison Myrden: ⁠https://alisonmyrden.ca⁠ 

Theme Music: “Hold You” – Q-Black (licensed)

Disclaimer: This content is for educational and historical documentation purposes only. It depicts federally authorized medical cannabis administration in Canada for chronic pain management. This channel does not encourage or promote the illegal use of regulated substances.

Disclaimer on Vitamin D Supplements: Vitamin D dosage varies by individual, not just based on race or medical condition(s). Consult your healthcare provider to assess your vitamin D levels and recommend the appropriate dosage.

Celebrate 10 years of ⁠The FOLD⁠ with Freedom To Know Wellness in the series finale of Disability & Healing Stories – FTKWellness at The FOLD!

Experience The FOLD 2025 like never before, from virtual workshops and global networking to in-person panels, cultural events, and career-boosting sessions. This milestone festival celebrates diverse Canadian and immigrant authors, highlights inclusive storytelling, and honours literary diversity across Canada—all while showcasing how the art of writing can be a powerful healing modality.

Inside the Recap:

• Virtual Experience: Accessible workshops, interactive sessions, and global networking opportunities.

• In-Person Highlights: Powerful panels and discussions at Brampton’s Rose Theatre, including the “Critical Conversations” panel.

• Eat the Books: Literary and cultural dining adventures that bring the stories to life.

• Community Fun: Laughter, connection, and festival energy between sessions.

Accessibility Notes: Transcription link for the episode.

Special thanks to The FOLD team, Executive Director Jael Richardson and Program Coordinator Hudson Lin, for giving FTK Wellness access to cover The FOLD’s 2025 10th anniversary.

📍Follow and Subscribe to Freedom To Know Wellness

⁠freedomtoknowwellness.substack.com⁠

In this series finale of "Disabilities & Healing Stories," Freedom To Know Wellness sits down with feminist and peace activist Amal Elsana Alh'jooj at the 2025 FOLD Festival ⁨ @TheFOLDCanada 

In the episode “Defying Silence,” Amal reflects on her memoir, Hope Is a Woman’s Name, and shares how storytelling becomes a powerful tool for personal, familial, and collective healing—especially in the context of the ongoing Israel–Palestine war.

Special Thanks to Amal for this moving interview, and to The FOLD for welcoming Freedom To Know Wellness.

Featured in this Series:

• Amanda Leduc – Author of Wild Life

• Morgan Campbell – Author of My Fighting Family

• Tanya Talaga – Author of The Knowing

• Amal Elsana Alh'jooj – Author of Hope is a Woman’s Name
• Farzana Doctor – 52 Weeks to a Sweeter Life and The Beauty of Us

📍 The FOLD

🌐: www.thefoldcanada.org

📢 Follow  The FOLD for event updates and podcast episodes.

Connect with Freedom To Know Wellness:

🌐 Website: https://freedomtoknowwellness.substack.com

📧 Inquiries: [email protected]

💜 Follow #FTKWellness for more Healing Stories.

🎥📸 Special Thanks to Lara Tai for video footage and images

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction

01:17 The Meaning Behind the Name 'Hope'

03:45 Writing a Memoir: Family Healing

06:56 Working from Love, Not Anger

09:59 The Power of Collective Action & Healing

13:16 Liberating the Oppressor

16:00 Breaking the Cycle

16:55 True Liberation: Mindset Over Land

17:05 Special Thanks | Info on FTKWellness

In Part 3 of Disabilities & Healing Stories, Freedom To Know Wellness, along with guest freelance entertainment journalist ⁠Lara Tai⁠, speaks with award-winning Anishinaabe journalist and author Tanya Talaga at the 2025⁠ The FOLD Festival ⁠. Tanya discusses her book The Knowing and explores how her storytelling fosters Indigenous generational healing. 

She reflects on her acclaimed work, including Seven Fallen Feathers and All Our Relations, highlighting how uncovering the truth fosters community resilience and drives social justice.

Connect with Tanya Talaga:

web: makwacreative.ca

Instagram: @tanyatalaga_author

TikTok: @tanyathewriter

Featured in this Series:

Amanda Leduc – Author of Wild Life and Disfigured

Morgan Campbell – Author of My Fighting Family

Amal Elsana Alh'jooj – Author of Hope is a Woman’s Name

Tanya Talaga – Author of The Knowing, Seven Fallen Feathers and All Our Revelations

Farzana Doctor – Author of 52 Weeks to a Sweeter Life and The Beauty of Us

Special Thanks to Lara Tai for The FOLD's video footage 

Audio edits by Photographs by Shaun J 

Follow Shaun J on Instagram & YouTube @photographybyshaunj

Music: “Hold You” – Q-Black (licensed)

Timestamp

00:00 Intro

00:24 Alt-Text Description Tanya Talaga

01:18 Lara Tai - Intro to Guest Interviewer

01:39 Why She Wrote The Knowing

01:59 First Nations Perspective

03:20 Persevering to Find the Truth

04:21 Healing Generations

04:42 Healing & Closing Thoughts

05:17 Outro & Contact Info

Part 2 of our FTKWellness at The Festival of Literary Diversity, Disabilities and Healing Stories series features an intimate conversation with Canadian sports journalist and memoirist Morgan Campbell at the 2025 Festival of Literary Diversity (The FOLD). ⁠⁠ @TheFOLDCanada ⁠⁠

Morgan reflects on his memoir "My Fighting Family: Borders and Bloodlines and the Battles That Made Us" and explores how telling the truth about family, identity, and generational trauma can become an act of healing.

In this conversation:

• The courage of honest storytelling

• Reframing family beyond trauma

• Writing as a pathway to emotional freedom

Series guest authors include:

• Amanda Leduc (2025)
• Tanya Talaga (2025)
• Amal Elsana Alh’jooj (2025)
• Farzana Doctor (2026)

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 10 of Freedom To Know Wellness! In today's episode of our ongoing Healing Stories Series—captured in collaboration with the 2026 Festival of Literary Diversity  @TheFOLDCanada , we sit down with author, psychotherapist, and activist Farzana Doctor to explore the complexities of trauma response in caregivers and 'overgivers,' and dive into the intersection of disability and wellness, healthy boundaries and building community care.

Episode Transcription

📍Connect with Farzana Doctor

📱Instagram @farzanadoctor

🌐 farzanadoctor.com

📍Connect with  @TheFOLDCanada 

🌐 www.festivalofliterarydiversity.org

📍Connect with Freedom To Know Wellness

🌐 linktr.ee/freedomtoknowwellness

👩🏿‍💻 freedomtoknowwellness.substack.com

🎵 Music: “Hold You” – Q-Black (licensed)

Special thanks to the Ontario Arts Council's Deaf and Disabilities Grant for sponsoring the 2026 - 2027 season of Freedom To Know Wellness's Disabilities in the Arts series

Timestamp

00:00 - Introduction

01:59 - Farzana's Alt-Text Description & Background: Writing & Social Work

03:26 - 52 Weeks to a Sweeter Life

(05:47) Why Helpers Struggle to Help Themselves

(05:58) Trauma Responses & the Helper Personality

(11:23) Grounding & the Window of Capacity

(13:32) Self-Care for Chronic Illness & Fibromyalgia

(14:33) Baby Steps: Building a Rest Practice 1

(16:12) Somatic Strategies & Habit Stacking

(18:09) Cultural Pressures & Community Care

(21:23) Immigrant Experience & Exceptionalism

(22:27) Community Over Competition

(24:32) P.E.A.C.E. Breathing Guided Practice

(30:38) Closing & Resources

In the first interview from "Disabilities & Healing Stories", Freedom To Know Wellness (@FTKWellness) sits down with celebrated Canadian author and disability activist Amanda Leduc at the 2025 The FOLD (Festival of Literary Diversity) (@TheFOLDCanada).♿️ Accessibility Note: Closed Captions (CC) enabled.

Episode TranscriptionIn Part 1, Amanda reflects on the challenges of navigating creative work while living with cerebral palsy. The author of Wild Life and Disfigured, she shares how she shifted her perspective on disability—moving beyond perceived limitations to reclaim space in the literary world. Through lived experience and by leading through example, Amanda illustrates how disabled artists can flourish without limiting their craft, offering a powerful roadmap for healing through creative resilience.This conversation challenges how we think about disability, healing, and who gets to be seen.📍 Connect with author Amanda Leduc: https://amandaleduc.com/____________________________________________________________Featured in this Series:Amanda Leduc – Author of Wild Life and DisfiguredMorgan Campbell – Author of My Fighting FamilyAmal Elsana Alh'jooj – Author of Hope is a Woman’s NameTanya Talaga – Author of The Knowing, Seven Fallen Feathers and All Our Revelations.___________________________________________________________📍Connect with our Partners: The FOLD Canada www.thefoldcanada.org. Explore 2026 events and diversity in Canadian literature.Connect with Freedom To Know Wellness: @FTKWellness 📧 Email: [email protected] 🌐 Website https://freedomtoknowwellness.substack.com/🎥 Special Thanks to Lara Tai for The FOLD's raw video footage. 🔈 Audio edits by Photographs by Shaun J www.instagram.com/photographybyshaunj🎵 Music: Hold You - Artist: Q-Black - (Licensed)⁠**Music Owner Rights by Freedom To Know Wellness**________________________Timestamp00:00 Introduction 01:05 About Amanda LeDuc 01:26 Balancing health and creative work02:05 Managing deadlines and expectations04:58 Amanda's journey to understanding these lessons06:03 Navigating Invisible Disability07:52 Responsibility and Advocacy 09:20 Creating inclusive spaces09:43 Outro - Podcast info & social media

FTKWellness celebrated Black Mental Health Week (March 2 - 9, 2026) with author and sports journalist Morgan Campbell. In this clip, Morgan discusses his memoir, "My Fighting Family," and how uncovering uncomfortable truths can lead to profound family healing.

🎙️Watch the Full Episode here on Spotify or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2hEmsXAc4Rk🎧 Listen to the full episode on the "Disabilities and Healing Stories" playlist here: https://youtu.be/2hEmsXAc4Rk#MyFightingFamily #MorganCampbell #BlackMentalHealth #HealingStories @TheFOLDCanada #FTKWellness #Storytelling

Freedom To Know Wellness is honoured to partner with The FOLD  @TheFOLDCanada  (Festival of Literary Diversity) to present this special 4-part series, Disabilities & Healing Stories.In May 2025, FTKWellness had the privilege of attending the FOLD at the Rose Theatre in Brampton, Ontario. As a disability social enterprise, FTKWellness explores how literature serves as a powerful modality for physical, mental, and emotional healing.In this introduction, we set the stage for deep conversations with four incredible authors whose memoirs explore pathways through trauma—be it generational, relational, or shaped by disability and war.Featured in this Series:Amanda Leduc – Author of "Wild Life" and "Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space".Morgan Campbell – Author of "My Fighting Family: Borders and Bloodlines and the Battles That Made Us".Tanya Talaga – Author of "The Knowing" and "Seven Fallen Feathers".Amal Elsana Alh'jooj – Author of "Hope is a Woman’s Name".Connect with  @TheFOLDCanada  for more information on the Festival of Literary Diversity’s 2026 events, visit: www.thefoldcanada.org♿️ Accessibility:At FTKWellness, we strive for an inclusive sensory experience. A full transcript is available in the description to ensure these powerful stories remain accessible to all.📍Connect with our Partners: Produced by Freedom To Know Wellness ⁨ @FTKWellness , a social enterprise advocating for disability representation and literature as a modality for healing. Special thanks to The FOLD ⁨ @TheFOLDCanada . For more information on 2026 events, visit: www.thefoldcanada.org.📍Freedom To Know Wellness🌐 Website: www.freedomtoknowwellness.substack.com📱 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ftkwellness/👩🏾‍💻 Follow Host Michelle Samuels https://www.instagram.com/michelle.samuels.8/🎥 Special Thanks to Lara Tai for The FOLD's raw video footage. Follow Lara Tai https://www.instagram.com/lara_tai1/🎵 Music: Hold You Artist: Q-Black ⁠Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mrq94**Music Owner Rights by Freedom To Know Wellness**#healingstories #womenshistorymonth #blackmentalhealth #disabilityrepresentation #HealingThruStories #FTKWellness #Memoir #HealingThroughLiterature #DisabilityStories #Inspiration #AuthorsLife #substack #disabilityawareness #chronicillness #mentalhealth #overcomingtrauma #canadianauthor