Here is yet another story of how individuals found cannabis to be beneficial for their own personal medical needs. The difference in this story? These people went on to grow a grassroots organization called EduCanNation, a non-profit association of Certified Cannabis Educators. While many traditional healthcare professions remain hesitant or outright dismissive of cannabis medicine, EduCanNation is stepping up to bridge the gap between scientific understanding, consumer needs, and the ever-changing legal landscape. The leaders within EduCanNation aim to set the national standards for all Cannabis Coaches and Educators. In this episode, Kirk and Trevor continue their discussion on the emergence of Cannabis Coaches and Educators—an unregulated, but increasingly necessary role—seems to be a natural response to the gaps in education and access that exist in the heavily regulated cannabis space.

EduCanNation - Website

Jay Jay O’Brien- LinkedIn

Shawna Dunbar- LinkedIn

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Music by:

Pass It On - Bob Marley & the Wailers - YouTube

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

Rather than measure the wing span of mosquitoes, Dr. Lynda Balneaves RN became a nurse. Her story begins with recognizing a love for people and for travel. Her academic journey, of supporting people and health care providers with engaging in shared decision-making related to complementary and integrative health care, includes some of Canada’s earliest cannabis research. The scholastic chronicles, of this Doctor Nurse, speaks to how we can never truly plan our life path, but we do have the power to be properly prepared for opportunity. This episode will guide care givers in their practice responsibilities with cannabis, while increasing the expectations of those who receive care through it.

Music by:

William Prince - https://www.williamprincemusic.com

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion

www.desireedorion.com/

Marc Clement

http://marcclementmusic.com/

Links:

Lynda Balneaves - https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/UTdDwlLCvM/fi-11488bf7-7253-4b36-8af7-d8958d8cc4a1/fv-a27a16af-fb2d-4d59-8cc0-b390615c0290/English%202_Vikas_First%20Draft.mp4

Dr. Ethan Russo has made immense contributions to the understanding of cannabis. 2024 was particularly productive as Dr. Russo’s name kept popping up in some very interesting papers. We got him to chat with us about two of them.

First there is the entourage effect paper. The entourage effect is the idea that different cannabinoids, terpenes and other components of the cannabis plant work together synergistically to give a desired effect. Professor Raphael Mechoulam and colleagues first talked about the entourage effect amongst endogenous cannabinoids in the human body. Dr. Ethan Russo and others have expanded the idea to phytocannabinoids and other cannabis plant components. But it is still just an idea. Now there is a trial that looks at if inhaled limonene makes THC cause less anxiety in people. This could be the beginning of the evidence to validate the entourage effect.

Second, we chatted about a CBG paper. We have a lovely sound bite that describes CBG as a “bubble bath for your brain”. This study gives us some early evidence of the clinical effects of CBG, and whether it actually reduces anxiety.

Let’s do some learning!

Ethan Russo.org - Website

Ethan Russo- LinkedIn

CReDO Science - Website

Vaporized D-limonene selectively mitigates the acute anxiogenic effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in healthy adults who intermittently use cannabis. - Paper

Acute effects of cannabigerol on anxiety, stress, and mood: a double‑blind, placebo‑controlled, crossover, field trial. - Paper

Music by:

Dark Star by The Grateful Dead - YouTube

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

What were you doing during the start of the pandemic lock down in 2020? Did you build a puzzle for the first time in year? Did you get reacquainted with how stupid and long and frustrating monopoly is? How about sour dough bread? Did you make your first sour dough? Dr. Igor Kovalchuk and his wife, Dr. Olga Kovalchuk from the University of Lethbridge were locked out of their labs too. Their lock down side project was a little more ambitious. They had been researching hundreds of cannabis extracts to see if these extracts reduced inflammation and might help treat conditions like multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. During this forced pause in their research, they wondered in CBD rich cannabis extracts might be useful against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. You want to hear what they found out.

Dr. Kovalchuk’s preprint article we discussed - In Search of Preventative Strategies: Novel Anti-Inflammatory High-CBD Cannabis Sativa Extracts Modulate ACE2 Expression in COVID-19 Gateway Tissues - Website

Dr. Matthew Elmes critique of Dr. Kovalchuk’s paper - Cannabis & COVID-19: Breaking News or Bogus Science? - Website

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Music by:

Nelson Rudiak - Facebook

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook



Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

The Canadian Medical Cannabis Program has been available for more than two decades, yet the process of obtaining cannabis as medicine remains very cumbersome. In comparison, Recreational Cannabis, seen as a substance of misuse, is easy to acquire. When people express an interest in trying cannabis as a medicine to their health care team, many health practitioners simply direct their patients toward the Rec market knowing (or maybe not) the restrictions the Cannabis Act places on budtenders. Budtenders cannot discuss health conditions with customers.

While many health professionals continue to ignore the highly regulated medicinal cannabis system, a group of entrepreneurs calling themselves Cannabis Coaches, are filling the need. In this episode we learn how certified Cannabis Coach Terese Bowors started a small business educating people about medicinal cannabis. We come to understand how a group of non-regulated health educators are developing their own Standards of Practice.

Terese Bowors - Cannabis Wellness Coach - Website

Terese Bowors- LinkedIn

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Music by:

Falling Through by Prophet - Spotify

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

Tarris Baptiste was athletically gifted. Tarris was driven. Tarris was on the brink of breaking into the National Football League. And then, it didn’t happen. Ten thousand hours plus spent on becoming an elite football player didn’t matter anymore. Now what? Tarris had a shadow pursuit that paralleled his football career. Sometimes it helped him succeed. Sometimes it got in the way. But now, he shifted his considerable focus to learn more about cannabis. He needed to know the light and the dark of this plant. Tarris sought out experts. He merged their insights with his own lived experience. That was the genesis of his book, Don’t Let it Smoke You. Listen to Tarris talk about how cannabis got in his way, how he overcame his misuse of cannabis, but how he didn’t abandon the plant. Tarris found a way to balance his cannabis use with living a productive life. And now he wants to share that with you.

Tarris Baptiste- LinkedIn

Tarris Baptiste- Instagram

Don’t Let It Smoke You- Book

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Music by:

Dave Brubeck – Take Five - YouTube

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

Dr. Suzy Pinnick, a family physician specializing in palliative medicine and remote northern medicine, shares her cannabis story with Kirk. In this episode, the two health professionals sit in a casual masked conversation within the warmth of the NIC’s office of a northern nursing station during a deep Covid19 Canadian winter evening. She is quick to say she has very little knowledge of cannabis, yet believes it is important to learn. When she was asked by parents to prescribe cannabis for one of her pediatric palliative care patients, Dr. Pinnick quickly recognized how little she knew. Kirk brings the story to Trevor, how this experienced doctor is willing to learn as she practices; how she learns the art of medicine while applying the formal duties of a doctor.

Dr. Suzy Pinnick- LinkedIn

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Music by:

Dinah Washington - What a Difference a Day Makes - YouTube

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

Regular users of cannabis will – often self-consciously – admit to having a spiritual relationship with cannabis. Will Johnson, a teacher of Buddhist Dharma since 1972, explains how he is ‘something of an anomaly and outlier when it comes to the use of cannabis.’ In his book “Cannabis in Spiritual Practice: The Ecstasy of Shiva, The Calm of Buddha,” Will applies his understandings with living by The Buddhist’s precepts, as an adult. He believes his positive pathways toward full Embodiment is better achieved when he weaves his dance with Shiva, while enjoying the fruits of Buddha’s Garden. In this episode, Kirk and Trevor conclude Will may be onto something. What if everyone in the world simply took a few deep breathes, passed the chillum, and spontaneously started to dance?

What if…

Will Johnson - Website

Cannabis in Spiritual Practice: The Ecstasy of Shiva, the Calm of Buddha.- Will Johnson - Book

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Music by:

Grateful Dead - Dark Star - YouTube

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

What is the evidence? Where are the studies? There is no proof that cannabis can treat anything! Well…What if I told you there are lots of studies showing that cannabis has medical benefits? What if there was a study going on right now in Sarnia looking at Cannabis and Dementia in Long Term Care (LTC) homes? Dr. Blake Pearson and his partners in Lambton County are the epitome of “Think Global, Act Local”. They are tackling the pervasive problem of dementia in all LTC homes by seeing if cannabis can improve it in their local LTC system. Their study also measures if cannabis use in Dementia patients can help reduce Care Giver Burnout. This exciting research on the shores of Lake Huron is adding to the growing mountain of cannabis as medicine. We also take a left turn into “Green Washing”, but it is not what you think. Come have a listen.

Pearson Health: pearsonhealth.org

Music by:

Don’t Stop Believin’ –

Journey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k8craCGpgs

(Yes we got a SOCAN

membership to use this

song all legal and

proper like)

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion

desireedorion.com

Marc Clement

marcclementmusic.com

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca

If you suffer from headaches, Dr. Carrie Cuttler, Assistant Professor at Washington State University, may offer some insights. This episode explores how migraine sufferers may benefit from cannabis. In her study, this cannabis researcher, uses Strainprint data to track people who use inhale cannabis to treat their migraines. Kirk and Trevor explore her research and also discuss how diminished anandamide levels, an important endocannabinoid, may also contribute to the headache pain. A deficiency in the bliss molecular causes a pain in the …head?

Carrie Cuttler - LinkedIn

Carrie Cuttler - Website

Dr. Cuttler’s Strainprint/Migraine Study

(Yes we got a SOCAN membership to use this song all legal and proper like)

Music by:

Jimmy Zee - website

Jimmy Zee - Facebook

Additional Music:

Desiree Dorion desireedorion.com

Marc Clement - Facebook

Transcripts, papers and so much more at: reefermed.ca