The Cannabis Conversation Podcast

On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Dr. Callie Seaman, Research Director and Formulation Chemist at AquaLabs - nutrient solution provider to the hobby and medical horticultural market, and UK licensed medical cannabis cultivation research facility. 

We investigate some of the biggest cannabis myths, including why cannabis should not be seen as a cure, why THC should not be demonised, and why we need to be more realistic about what cannabis can achieve.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:

https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e163

About Dr. Callie Seaman

Dr. Callie Seaman (MRSC, SCImem) is a Cannabis Scientist with a PhD in hydroponic fertilizer biochemistry, and a passion for pharmacology. Callie Seaman describes herself as an epilepsy warrior, first being diagnosed at the age of 15, she went on to help form MedCan support and work closely with licenced cultivators in the UK and internationally. She also sits on the executive board of the Cannabis industry council, chairing the Adult use scoping group.

Quotables

I still experience stigma, but I think I just respond differently to it now. I stand proud, shoulders back, head up. I will not be ashamed of this plant or not be ashamed of what I do, and I will not be ashamed of what I fight for. 

Resources

Connect with Callie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-callieseaman/

Follow AquaLabs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aqualabs-ltd/

Visit AquaLabs Website: https://aqualabs-uk.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 

This week, we’re joined by Valentino Parravicini, Chief Scientific Officer at Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies - British pharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of next-generation prescription cannabinoid medicines.

In this episode, we explore the potential use of cannabis-based medicines as a replacement for prescription opioids, their safety profile, and their use cases as analgesics.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:

https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e161

About Valentino Parravicini 

Valentino has spent his academic career at the NIH (NIAMS-USA) working in allergy and inflammation and discovering a new signalling pathway in mast cells. After moving to the National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill (NIMR, now part of the Francis Crick), he focussed on animal models of inflammation and autoimmunity. He has been Visiting Scientist at Imperial College London and King’s College London. 

Valentino has over 12 years of experience in drug discovery and development accrued working in Big Pharma and SMEs. He worked at Roche (Italy), and at the Epigenetic Drug Performance Unit of the Immune-Inflammation Therapeutic Area of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK, UK). 

He was also involved in the set-up of two start-up biotechnology companies, first at Kesios Therapeutics (oncology), and the at GammaDelta Therapeutics (cell and gene therapy in oncology), which was recently acquired by Takeda. He has lead research teams and programmes in the fields of immune-inflammation, oncology, and virology, both in small molecules and cell therapy, applied to early research and drug discovery and development. 

He most recently joined Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies as Chief Scientific Officer where he contributed to shaping the cannabinoid-based R&D pipeline and overall scientific strategy leading to the Company’s IPO in May 2021.

 Resources

Join Valentino on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentino-parravicini/?originalSubdomain=uk

Follow Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies  on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oxford-cannabinoid-technologies/

Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Website: https://www.oxcantech.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 

In this episode, we’re joined by Andrew Sears, Business Development Associate at Seedrs - Europe’s biggest crowdfunding platform.

We explore how equity crowdfunding fits into the wider cannabis investment landscape in the UK, and what Seedrs is doing to help UK cannabis startups grow.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:
https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e160

About Andrew Sears
 

Andrew is originally from Sydney, Australia. Once completing a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Management at The University of Sydney, he distributed medical device instrumentation and implants as a territory manager for a large US HQ'd company, Orthofix. During the Master degree, Andrew worked for Deloitte Ventures which sparked his interest in the start-up ecosystem.

Half English, it seemed a natural fit to move to London, United Kingdom to pursue his interest in early stage company investment. Since moving he's worked as an investment portfolio manager for a foreign direct investment company, investor relations for a B2B focused investment network and now, Seedrs, working with all of the exciting start-ups seeking to top-up their fundraising rounds with the largest equity crowdfunding platform in Europe.

His sectors of interest are in CBD, Proptech, Insurtech and Mobility. He can't wait to continue to help start-ups with Republic's incoming acquisition of Seedrs to become the largest Private Investment Platform in the world.

Resources

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsears

Seedrs Website: http://www.seedrs.com

Seedrs Twitter: http://twitter.com/seedrs

❇️ 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 

This week, we’re joined by Abhishek Mohan, Founder and CEO of Hempstreet - India's first research to retail venture in the Ayurvedic cannabis sector. 

We explore attitudes towards the medical use of cannabis within India, and how it currently fits into the framework of traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:
https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e159

About Abhishek Mohan

Abhishek is the Founder & CEO of HempStreet, which is India’s first and largest research to retail venture in the medical cannabis space. The company is now in the midst of India’s largest rollout of medicinal cannabis dispensing clinics and its network currently stands at over 9100 clinics accross 25 states. Hempstreet has also recently won the coveted BIG grant from BIRAC (the first ever medical cannabis company to win) for the development of a “world first” novel transdermal delivery technology for cannabinoids. Previous winners were biotech stakwarts like Bharat Biotech who developed one of the key covid-19 vaccines. Hempstreet is taking the fight to mass ailments utilising responsibly dispensed cannabis based medication.

About HempStreet

HempStreet is pioneering the future of medical cannabis research in the country by rejuvenating classical ayurvedic formulations through innovation and ground-breaking research.

Quotables

We're seeing a very, very big place globally for holistic medicine and cannabis is no exception

Resources

Connect with Abishek on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohanabhishek/

HempStreet’s Website: https://www.hempstreet.in/

Follow HempStreet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hempstreetindia/?originalSubdomain=in

❇️ 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 

This week, we’re joined by Nikki Lawley - cannabis advocate, educator, and Founder of Nikki and The Plant.

Nikki shares her personal story of discovering and using medical cannabis to aid her recovery from a traumatic brain injury, along with her current patient advocacy work. 

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:
https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e157

About Nikki Lawley, Founder of Nikki and The Plant

Nikki Lawley is a patient advocate, speaker, and founder of Nikki and the Plant. She personally discovered cannabis as medicine after suffering a life-changing injury while working as a pediatric nurse. 

 In October of 2016, Nikki was a 46-year-old woman whose life changed in literally a second.  Going from being a medical professional to becoming a patient was a major adjustment and almost cost this vibrant mother, wife, and career professional to contemplating taking her own life after becoming a victim of the traditional medical system, seeing over 50 doctors, and was on cocktails of drugs that each had more and more side effects. Four months after her injury, Nikki found plant medicine. 

Nikki and the Plant is a pillar of medical cannabis advocacy and a champion for the importance of sharing patient stories.  She is planning on creating the first product line focusing on cannabis and the science behind why cannabis helps support for her chronic pain, cognitive function, anxiety, and depression.   

Nikki is on the Patient Advisory Board for NY State Americans for Safe Access and for Cannabis BPO. Nikki is considered a leading voice in the community, chronicling her journey from being a healthcare provider to a patient to an advocate. She hopes to bring worldwide awareness to invisible illness and disability. She has been a guest on multiple podcasts and shows including “Let’s Be Blunt with Montel Williams.


Quotables

‘When I find the right [cannabis], I'm a different human, I don't feel brain-injured’

Resources

Nikki’s Website   www.nikkiandtheplant.org

Connect with Nikki on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-lawley-aa281517/?trk=people-guest_people_search-card

Nikki’s Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/nikkiandtheplant

Nikki’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkiandtheplant/

Nikki’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8gIjFp_5cCEiwbTHBQXfrw

❇️ 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 

This week, we’re joined by Jaspreet Grewal, Mitchell Osak, & Steve Hajioff - three subject matter specialists within the psychedelics space.

In this special panel episode, we explore the emergence (and re-emergence) of therapeutic psychedelics, including examining the substances which have gained early traction, the investment case for them, and the challenges and opportunities of this new sector.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:
https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e158

Quotables

[Psilocybin] can't be viewed as a miracle drug for everybody. I think that's really what it comes down to. We have to be very pragmatic that it's still an investigational compound. - Jaspreet

Resources

Connect with Steve on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevehajioff/?originalSubdomain=uk

Connect with Jaspreet on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkgrewal/

Connect with Mitchell on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellosak/

❇️ 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 

This week, we’re joined by Katya Kowalski and Paul North from Volteface - the UK’s leading drug policy think tank.

We explore London’s proposed drug diversion pilot scheme, along with the best practices for bringing about progressive drug policy reform in the UK.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:
https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e156

About Katya Kowalski - Head of Operations

Katya Kowalski is Head of Operations at Volteface, the UK’s leading drug policy think tank. She is responsible for overseeing project development, management and external engagement. Katya is an expert in global drug reform with a wealth of experience in research, and policy implementation. With a background in psychology she has a deep interest in the complex relationship between drug use and mental health. Katya enjoys commenting on the context and nuance surrounding drug use, along with the complexities and challenges of bringing cannabis into mainstream medicine. 

Since joining the Volteface team in 2020, Katya has launched the European Cannabis Advocacy Network (ECAN), a network of advocates across Europe to streamline communication across the continent about cannabis reform. Katya holds specific expertise in communications in drug reform and is passionate about advocating for sensible, practical drug policy models. Katya believes the key way to achieve meaningful change and de-stigmatising cannabis reform is by engaging hard to reach groups. Katya holds a BSc in Psychology and MSc in Health Psychology, both from the University of Bath.

About Paul North - Director

Paul has been with Volteface for over five years and is now the company's sole Director. His background is in criminology and drug treatment, a sector in which he held a variety of roles. It was Paul's first hand experience of witnessing the harms caused by the UK's drug policy which motivated him to enter the policy and lobbying space. 

Paul regularly comments in the media on drug policy and has written several reports which have been used to help create cross party political support for reform. Paul enjoys working with individuals and organisations to better engage with their key stakeholders and navigate the exceptionally complex relations between politicians, the media and society.

Since joining Volteface in 2017 Paul has worked on national campaigns, delivered impactful policy reports, organised global study trips and produced documentaries. Alongside his current role at Volteface Paul lectures at several UK Universities on drug policy, addiction and morality.   

Quotables

If you want sensible regulated reform… you have to find ways of engaging the industry

Resources

Join Katya on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katya-kowalski-38b530114/

Join Paul on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-north-3b6776151/

Voleface’s Website: https://volteface.me/

❇️ 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 

In our latest episode, we’re joined by Elana Goldberg, CEO of The Cannigma - online cannabis content publication with a focus on scientific research and evidence.

We dig into the topic of cannabis misinformation, including what The Cannigma are doing to combat it, why a science-based educational approach to cannabis education is best, and the real difference between sativa and indica.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES:

https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e155


About Elana Goldberg

Elana is the CEO of The Cannigma. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she currently lives in Israel with her husband, two kids and neurotic dog. She has 15 years of experience developing online content products, including publications such as JPost.com, Goodnet.org, and Top10.com, and is passionate about delivering clear, compelling messages that anyone can understand. When she's not in front of the computer or pacing around on the phone, you can find her meditating, lifting weights, or camping with her family.

Quotables

“Personally, I think that pretty much, all cannabis is therapeutic in some way, whether the user knows it or not”

Resources

Connect with Elana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elanakirshgoldberg/

The Cannigma Website: https://cannigma.com/

The Cannigma on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecannigma

The Cannigma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecannigma/

The Cannigma on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecannigma

❇️ 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 

This week, we welcome back Max Simon, CEO & Co-Founder of Green Flower - industry leading cannabis education platform empowering the next generation of cannabis professionals.

We investigate the nuances that define 'craft' cannabis, how it is distinct from mass market flower, and why top quality cannabis products can be so hard to find in legal mass markets.

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:
https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e154

About Max Simon, 

Max Simon’s vision to change the world’s understanding of cannabis led him to create Green Flower, a first-of- its-kind education company, in 2014. Green Flower has since become the recognised industry leader in cannabis education and training, producing the world’s largest library of online cannabis courses; bolstering a network of more than 700 leading cannabis experts; powering the cannabis curriculums of multiple Universities across the US; successfully training cannabis workforces around the world; and creating the esteemed Ganjier Certification, known as the Cannabis Sommelier Certification.

Max’s mission to educate the world about cannabis echoes his earlier work in bringing mind-body wellness and meditation into the mainstream as the Director of Consumer Products for world-renowned self-help guru Deepak Chopra. Max rebranded that company, developed and launched 49 signature products, and helped millions of people improve the quality of their lives along the way.

Green Flower is also a deeply personal mission for Max, who has successfully used cannabis for more than two decades as an integral part of his wellness regime—and to aid in the treatment of his ADHD.

Quotables

‘I have an unwavering certainty that not only cannabis can be used medicinally, but for many different conditions’

‘If you want people to be successful, they need to have good education and training to play that role successfully’

Resources

Green Flower’s Website: https://www.green-flower.com/

Green Flower’s Ganjier Programme: https://www.green-flower.com/certificates#ganjier

Follow Green Flower on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/school/greenflower/

Connect with Max on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-simon-b51161156/

❇️ 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 

This week, we’re joined by Oliver Lamb - co-founder of Óskare Capital. Together, we examine the UK's cannabis startup investment landscape, including available funds, fundraising opportunities, and investor incentives.

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/

📚 VIEW SHOW NOTES AND EXTRAS:
https://www.canverse.global/shownotes/e153

About Oliver Lamb

Oliver Lamb started his career with an AIM listed investment firm focussed on Sub-Saharan Africa, before returning to London to join Morgan Stanley. Since then, Lamb set up a consultancy and accelerator in the Agri-Tech space through which he met, and subsequently joined forces with, the Óskare Capital team. Óskare has recently launched the MEDCAN fund, an SEIS and EIS fund targeting the medical cannabis sector that complements the wider European venture fund that the team is currently raising.

Resources
Óskare Capital’s Website: https://oskarecapital.com/medias/
Follow Óskare Capital on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oskare-capital/
Follow Oliver on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-lamb-66580178/

❇️ 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