The Cannabis Conversation Podcast

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Mike Roberts, a medical cannabis patient in the UK. 

We explore Mike’s journey with cannabis, the potential benefits of incorporating cannabis into cancer treatment plans, and his trailblazing story of becoming the first patient to successfully get his cannabis flower prescription reimbursed by the NHS.

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts is a special needs teacher, musician, and father. His interests include photography, chemistry, and medical cannabis. In 2021 at the age of 43, Mike was diagnosed with incurable cancer. In 2023 he became the first person in the UK to receive NHS funding for cannabis flower.

Resources

Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-roberts-42a46122b

Mike’s Website: https://www.michaelrobertstutoring.com/

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Robert Jappie of Fieldfisher - a European Law Firm with a strong Life Sciences practice.

We explore cannabis regulation in the UK, and overcoming opposition in the industry as well as the wider challenges facing the medical cannabis industry, including political support and lack of research and funding.

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Robert Jappie

Robert Jappie is a partner at Fieldfisher, a European Law Firm with a focus on Life Sciences and Tech industries. He is a Regulatory Lawyer and specialises in emerging Life Sciences sectors, providing regulatory and commercial representation to a range of nascent industries. He has particular expertise in Cannabis Regulation, Psychedelic Medicines, Food/Agri-Tech and Healthcare, and is considered one of the foremost legal authorities in the UK on the UK and European cannabis industry. Robert has advised many of the well-established cannabis companies operating in the UK and EU, and has provided regulatory support for a number of M&A and Capital Markets transactions.

Resources

Connect with Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.incegd.com/en/our-team-london/robert-jappie

Fieldfisher’s Website: https://www.fieldfisher.com/en

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Will Lawn of King’s College London - an internationally renowned university delivering exceptional education and world-leading research.

We explore cannabis use disorder, the concept of addiction as a spectrum, as well as the biological underpinnings of cannabis use disorder, potential treatment options, and the link between cannabis and tobacco use.

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Will Lawn
Dr Will Lawn is a psychology lecturer and psychopharmacology researcher at King's College London. By taking a multi-disciplinary approach, Will investigates the short and long-term effects of recreational drugs on the human mind and brain, as well as researching the therapeutic applications of cannabinoids and ketamine.

Resources

Connect with Will Lawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-lawn-51724b215

King’s College London’s Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

Can the legal cannabis industry provide affordable and high-quality medicine for patients?

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by my good friends, Carly Barton from Cancard - the largest patient advocacy group in Europe - and Alex Fray and Charlie Price GLO - a British medical cannabis company headquartered on the Isle of Man.

We explore the importance of community and patient-centred approaches to medical cannabis, as well as controlling the entire supply chain, from cultivation to distribution, in order to provide patients with choice. 

Support the crowdfund raise, help them grow, and let's improve patient access to quality medicine! 🌿 https://www.seedrs.com/grow-organics

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch atwww.luminorecruit.com/

About Alex Fray

Alex has held a range of positions including CEO, CFO and COO in regulated industries over the last 20 years. He is currently a Director within the Isle of Man Government's Department for Enterprise, advising the Government on cannabis and biomedical sectors. Having worked in both start-up and SME environments, he understands how to grow businesses with great culture. He is a qualified accountant with IPO experience.

About Charlie Price

Charlie has an academic background with a  BSc, MSc and 6yrs PhD research in integrated farming and Ecotoxicology. A proven entrepreneur having co-founded both a £50m turnover renewable energy imports business as well as a social enterprise that developed horticultural projects in 5 continents and over 20 countries.

About Carly Barton

Carly Barton, a former arts lecturer, exhibited at Tate and Saatchi gallery. Health issues led her to discover Medical Cannabis as a more effective substitute for treating Fibromyalgia, lupus, and post-stroke Neuropathy. Now, she advocates for patient access to medical cannabis, advising UK and international advocacy groups. As the first UK patient prescribed herbal cannabis privately since the 2018 law change, she strives for NHS prescriptions to set a precedent. Carly initiated Carly's Amnesty and co-founded Cancard, connecting police, doctors, patients, and MPs to ease fears of interference. Cancard, Europe's largest patient advocacy group, represents over 80,000 registered medical cannabis patients. Carly, dedicated to advocacy, is currently Chief Community Officer at Grow Lab Organics.

Resources
Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-fray-a1934a11
Connect with Charlie on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-price-2290901b5
Connect with Carly on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-barton-11a098181
Cancard’s Website: https://cancard.co.uk/
GLO’s Website: https://growlaborganics.com/

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Nicolas Martin & Andreas Becker journalists for DW in Germany, and presenters of the Cannabis Cowboys podcast series.

We discuss the Juicy Fields scandal, an investment scam targeting investors in the medical cannabis industry, and what Nicolas and Andreas discovered as they investigated the story.

Please check out the Cannabis Cowboys podcast here:

DW: https://www.dw.com/en/cannabis-cowboys/program-62614055

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/cannabis-cowboys/id1662329269

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Yfw49Kkb91WQUe48ES5SZ

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Nicolas Martin

Nicolas Martin is a freelance editor, writer and presenter at the business desk of DW, Germany's international broadcaster. He also works as a trainer and consultant for national and international podcast projects. In 2017, he started to report on the cannabis industry and was astonished when, in 2021, he first heard about JuicyFields' e-growing offer.

About Andreas Becker

Andreas Becker is a senior editor, reporter, writer and presenter at the business desk of DW. His focus is on international trade and finance, and he's also covering development politics. This podcast is his first foray into the business side of Cannabis.

Resources

Connect with Nicolas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nmmedia

Connect with Andreas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-becker-21b581155

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Leonid Kotlyar, Co-Founder and Managing Director of DéWarrior Unlimited B.V. - a sustainability-focused managing consulting firm headquartered in The Netherlands.

We explore the intersection of sustainability and the cannabis industry, the challenges of applying ESG to the cannabis sector, as well as the differences between the North American and European cannabis industries. 

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Leonid Kotlyar

Leonid (Leo) Kotlyar is the co-founder and Managing Director of DéWarrior Unlimited B.V., a sustainability focused managing consulting firm headquartered in The Netherlands. DéWarrior (www.dewarrior.com) offers its advisory service in ESG, M&A, and Management Consulting, utilizing comprehensive data collection and advanced modeling techniques to drive integrated decision making. Prior to founding DéWarrior, Leo spent 12 years in institutional equity derivatives, building and delivering  the early cornerstones of ESG to his customer base of pension plans, insurers, and sovereign wealth funds. 

Resources

Connect with Leo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonid-d%C3%A9warrior-925747132

DéWarrior Unlimited B.V.: https://www.dewarrior.com/

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we speak with Luc Richner, CEO of Cannavigia - Europe’s pioneer compliance software for businesses to trace, secure and simplify transactions along the entire cannabis supply chain.

We explore Switzerland's approach to cannabis legalisation and the pilot projects they are implementing, the importance of supply chain management as well as the challenges of international movement of cannabis goods. 

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Luc Richner

Luc Richner was born in Switzerland, but raised in Asia. After finishing his education and studies in Switzerland, Luc followed his calling to be an entrepreneur. Based on his experience in logistics and management, Luc's first venture was dedicated to upcycling used materials to high-end furniture. In the following years, he ventured into the global logistics industry, established an expert consultancy to "bridge worlds" and has created a unique, local and sustainable farm to table restaurant in Bali, Indonesia. Back in Switzerland he successfully finished the first Executive MBA Digital Leadership program at the HWZ, “University of Applied Sciences” in Zurich.

Based on his experience and extraordinary knowledge about highly efficient and transparent supply chains and logistics, Luc Richner has founded Vigia AG – a software platform for more transparency and compliance in the global and local supply chains, with its first dedicated industry being cannabis. Cannavigia is Europe’s pioneer compliance software for businesses to trace, secure and simplify transactions along the entire cannabis supply network.

Resources

Connect with Luc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luc-richner-ab30845b

Cannavigia’s Website: https://cannavigia.com/

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Nikolaas Faes, a senior research analyst at Bryan, Garnier & Co -  an independent full-service investment bank for European healthcare and technology-led companies and their investors.

We discuss the size and potential growth of the European Cannabis market, the different sub-sectors such as CBD and medical cannabis, and the challenges of investing in an industry heavily reliant on regulatory change.

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Nikolaas Faes

As a senior research analyst at Bryan Garnier, Nik Faes examines not only the global cannabis sector but also the fields of alcoholic beverages and AgriTech.  Based in London, he has worked over the past 35 years for a number of international financial institutions and has been a professor in financial analysis, fund management and financing.

Resources

Connect with Nik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolaas-faes-42b34b28

Bryan Garnier Website: https://www.bryangarnier.com/

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Jorge Cervantes, Dr. Gary Yates, & Stefan Meyer.

We explore some of the different ways to grow cannabis, focusing on seeds, as well as discussing some of their pros and cons, and we discuss the huge commercial trade in seeds.

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Jorge Cervantes

Jorge Cervantes’ public career spans 39 years. His books and DVDs (50 total) are published under his given name, George F. Van Patten and pseudonym, Jorge Cervantes, in Dutch, English, French, Italian, Japanese, German, Russian, and Spanish.

Self-publisher, Cervantes’ (Indoor) Marijuana Horticulture book was christened “the Grow Bible” in 2000 by indoor, greenhouse and outdoor growers. His knowledge and hands-on experience inspired millions of growers worldwide to apply simple, effective techniques to grow more and better cannabis.

About  Dr. Gary Yates

Dr. Gary Yates is a well-rounded plant scientist with experience in nearly all aspects of plant life. Dr. Yates, as a world-class genetic problem solver, offers scientific know-how aspects that are normally lacking in cultivation advice. Dr. Yates also brings to the forefront knowledge of the most recent technology in infrastructure/equipment and scientific advances, as well as pathogen mitigation and pest management. He is an experienced micro-grower and plant health assessor known for his ability to maximize limited resources to produce outcomes that exceed expectations.

Having collected his first harvest over 20 years ago and before embarking on a career in science, Gary has had a keen eye on the progression of the medical use of Cannabis, including its biochemistry, genetic development, and cultivar suitability for many years.

About Stefan Meyer

Stefan Martin Meyer, MBA, was raised in the Italian side of Switzerland, near the city of Lugano. He then moved to Spain, where he co-founded Phytoplant Research SL, which was granted the first research license for medical cannabis in Spain in 2012. While there, he got various R&D grants from the European Union for projects related to cannabinoids and medicine and published results in high-impact scientific journals.

In 2019 Stefan joined Plena Global Holding Inc (Canada) as Chief Strategy Officer, where he has been leading a project licensed to grow medicinal cannabis in Colombia.

In 2020 Stefan founded Phytoflow GmbH, a Swiss-based company providing experience-driven strategic business advice to companies active in the medical cannabis sector.

Stefan has worked with Jorge for over two decades and, like him, is a huge cannabis aficionado.

Resources:

Connect with Jorge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-cervantes-cannabis-author

Connect with Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-yates-40176b92

Connect with Stefan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-meyer-cbd

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc 

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Zach Klein, documentary maker and producer of "The Scientist," a film about Professor Raphael Mechoulam. 

We pay tribute to the life and work of Professor Mechoulam, a pioneering scientist in the field of cannabis research, also dubbed ‘The Godfather of Cannabis Research’. Prof Mechoulam passed away on March 9, 2023, at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy that has had a profound impact on the study of cannabinoids and their therapeutic potential.

Please check out the film here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csbJnBKqwIw 

The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

About Zach Klein

Zach Klein is a film director and cannabis researcher, who has been at the forefront of the medical cannabis movement. His documentary "Prescribed Grass" (2009), played a significant role in Israel accepting the medical use of cannabis. He is one of the founding fathers of the cannabis medical use programs. He has introduced the use of cannabis in nursing homes, which has improved the quality of life of the elderly. Later, he produced the documentary "The Scientist," which focuses on the life and work of Raphael Mechoulam, the “Grandfather” of cannabis research.

Resources

‘The Scientist’ Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csbJnBKqwIw 

Zach Klein’s website: http://zaklein.com/home/

Dr. Mechoulam’s Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_Mechoulam

❇️ Get in touch at https://www.thecannabisconversation.co.uk

Connect with Nikita Cretu on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-cretu-b24b83a8/
Connect with Thomas Gray on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-s-gray/

🔋 The Cannabis Conversation is powered by Lumino - Europe's leading HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the legal cannabis industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant-Facing. From HR advisory and executive search services to hiring support for full-time placements, consultants, or contract staff, Lumino has helped hundreds of companies of all sizes in the industry scale sustainably through the right people.

🌱 Need support finding the right talent to GROW your business? Book a call with our recruitment team at: https://calendly.com/d/zvg-y2d-tgc