*This episode contains strong language from the beginning*
Welcome back to the second season of the Cannabis Health podcast - What's Your Why?
Medical cannabis experts and advocates, Hannah Deacon and Professor Mike Barnes, sit down with some of those at the forefront of cannabis to find out why it matters to them
Join Hannah and Mike as they discover how cannabis has changed their guest’s lives, what makes them tick, why they do what they do and what they think needs to improve for patients.
Forget graphs and commercial outlooks and expect open, honest conversations with those at the heart of the issue.
---
After being educated at Eton, the private school famed for producing politicians and future prime ministers, John Green decided Oxford wasn't for him and was carving a career as a successful DJ, when his mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
There began John's journey with cannabis. Seeing the medicinal properties of the plant first-hand, led to John to become a prominent campaigner. He set up Medical Marijuana UK, an online support group and community, through which he has helped dozens of patients to access medical cannabis.
John, Hannah and Mike discuss the state of medical cannabis access in the UK, the different approaches to improving this and what activists can learn from each other to make things better for everyone.
---
Hannah helped change the law in 2018 after her successful campaign to enable her epileptic son Alfie Dingley to be legally prescribed cannabis medicines. She continues to help other families access medical cannabis in the UK. Hannah is also a director of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society and Maple Tree Consultants.
Mike obtained the first medical cannabis license in the UK for Alfie. He has been involved in the efforts to assist many others and is founder of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society along with Maple Tree Consultants.
Edited by Sarah Sinclair
Artwork by Sophie Dinsdale