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Displaying episodes by topic: science of cannabis

This episode of Reefer Medness - The Podcast features a discussion with a team of experts from BioSource Botanicals, including a pharmaceutical microbiologist, a cannabis clinician, and a pre-clinical research chemist. Kirk and Trevor discuss the importance of mitochondrial health and how the endocannabinoid system plays a crucial role in maintaining it. The experts explain the benefits of using whole raw plant extracts, including the “ensemble effect” where different compounds work synergistically, and how this can be more effective than isolated cannabinoids. Kirk brings a My Cannabis Story from local budtenders and how they provide guidance to customers seeking cannabis-based wellness products.
Sunday, 26 January 2025 15:07

EV1 - Mitochondria Health with Expert Panel

This is our first full length Video episode. Kirk and Trevor talk with the research team from BioSource Botanicals, an international collaboration of independent researchers and experts who are uniting medicine with the wisdom of nature and modern science. Learn how cannabis is essential to mitochondria health and how raw cannabis creates an Ensemble, rather than an Entourage, Affect. In this episode passionate people go deep into the science of their one-of-a-kind therapeutics. https://biosourcebotanicals.com

 

Tuesday, 31 December 2024 18:12

E137 - Ethan Russo - Anxiety, Limonene & CBG

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!

 The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for the discovery of microRNA. It’s too bad we at Reefer MEDness don’t know anything about microRNA. But wait…We do! Hilal Kalkan, a post-doc at Laval University, talks to us about how microRNA and cannabinoid receptors are involved in the side effect of a common cholesterol medication. Come dive deep into the molecular workings of the endocannabinoid system with us!
Wednesday, 16 October 2024 12:23

E133 - Endometriosis and Dr. Genester Wilson-King

Pop quiz! Name a condition that costs $2.5 Billion to the Canadian health care system per year, that causes 1 in 5 sufferers to lose or quit a job at some point during their life because of the disease and that 8 in 10 people with the disease were initially told their pain was normal before diagnosis? Welcome to the under-appreciated suffering of those people who have endometriosis. Dr. Genester Wilson-King MD FACOG, founder and Medical Director of Victory Rejuvenation Center, is a Board-Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist with over 25 years of Clinical experience. We would have loved to pick her brain on Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement, Premenstrual Syndrome, breast-feeding and cannabis and so many other topics, but we don’t have a 14 hour podcast. We had Dr. Wilson-King review for us the causes and symptoms of endometriosis, how it is treated and how cannabis fits into the picture. She dropped bomb-shells on us like: Did you know endometriosis can affect such disparate tissues as the lung and the brain? Our brains are still spinning and you should strap in and listen.
Sunday, 25 August 2024 15:17

E129 - Aldwin Anterola & CHS

You’ve got a PhD with lots of lab and testing experience. It should be easy to start a cannabis testing lab, right? Well, not really. Aldwin Anterola found cannabis growers weren’t always interested in finding the accurate amount of cannabinoids like THC in their products, among other problems. So, Aldwin went back to school. The NIH (National Institutes of Health) have an entrepreneurship program to help scientists learn how to bring their skills and products to market. Along the way, Aldwin learned a lot about Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) and even interviewed our co-host Trevor as part of his NIH entrepreneurship program project.

The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. That is what we learned in high school biology. But what if it is more? What if the mitochondria has receptors on it for cannabinoids? What if mitochondria move around the cell? What if mitochondria help produce chemical signals for the cell? What if mitochondria are involved in such diverse processes as epilepsy, mental health and aging itself? Hunter Land, PhD walks us through mitochondria and cannabinoids and so much more. Our preconceived notions about the powerhouse of the cell were blown out of the water. Let's see if yours are too!

 So many amazing Canna-people, so little time. CannMed 24 was sublime! Here are the another batch of clips we got!

Ben Cameransi – Mingowood Pharmacal, LLC - Dr. Benjamin Cameransi, MD, DABA is a Board-Certified Anesthesiologist, with a entensive background in pain management. He has started four BioTech Companies. He was involved in the development of Ryanodex™, a treatment for Malignant Hyperthermia. But wait, there’s more… Acidic cannabinoids aren’t very stable when they are extracted and purified. Dr. Camersani’s team at Mingowood Pharmacal has a way to fix that.

Taz Turner - CordovaCann Corp - Taz has the top three attributes we look for in a guest. He knows where Manitoba is located. He’s a finance guy who spoke intelligently during his Capital Markets Panel. He is fun to chat to at a breakfast information session. Taz tells us how it is surprisingly difficult to get investment into the cannabis space in 2024. But, numbers and valuation guys like him (who also speak cannabis) are slowly convincing others that opportunities abound.

Melissa Moore - Professor, Cannabis Horticulture & Biology, SUNY Niagra Community College. Melissa Moore developed some of her horticultural chops in Northern California, but now passes on her knowledge in Buffalo, NY. She was very helpful getting pics of Trevor during his Capital Markets Panel and then she sparked some intense Aspergillus discussions. Professor Moore tells us why cleanliness is next to godliness in your grow room and, hear why Kirk is frothing at the mouth to pick her brain about how to grow plants better.

 

So many fantastic Canna-people to meet and talk to at CannMed 24! Here are the first batch of clips we got!

Ariane Williams & Megan Mbengue – Trusted Canna Nurse - There were so many nurses at CannMed 24! Our slightly biased co-host Kirk was ecstatic. He thinks more nurses makes every conference and everything else better! Ariane is the Director of Patient Services and “The Kind Nurse”. She’ll listen to your needs as a patient and guide you to personalized care. Megan is the Founder and CEO. She is a Social Media Content Queen with all things cannabis and runs the back end of Trusted Canna Nurse.

Jeff Smith -Professor, Strategic Partnership and Outreach Specialist at the Institute of Cannabis Research - Colorado State University Pueblo. The ICR is like the NIH (National Institutes of Health) of cannabis research in Colorado. The ICR funds research related to cannabis such as clinical research, biotechnologies, and economic development associated with cannabis in Colorado. Once the research is done, they publicly disseminate the results.

Clay W. Moore - Drug Discovery Scientist at Rare Earth Genomics. We first met Clay at CannMed 23. He is now a PhD student at Texas A&M. Clay needs bigger goals in life, because he is only trying to cure cancer with hemp extracts. He is also a part of Rare Earth Genomics (REG). REG wants to be your Swiss Army knife of hemp research projects. We talk to Clay about how REG could help Kirk with his potential Hemp-Crete dreams

Friday, 24 May 2024 13:14

E123 - Bob Hill and an Electrical High

 It’s like having a trial lawyer try to explain how cannabinoids interact with endogenous cannabinoid receptors! You know what that is like? It’s, it’s, it’s… actually pretty great. Come hear how a trial lawyer got into the cannabis space, how he thinks the acidic versions of cannabinoids are bursting with medical promise and just come listen to one of our new favorite characters!
Sunday, 31 March 2024 12:46

E121 - Akeem Gardner - Canurta

Akeem Gardner and his team at Canurta are delving deep into the hidden corners of the cannabis plant. They want to know if we extract this cannflavin, this terpene, this cannabinoid, or one of the other thousands of molecules in the cannabis plant, can it treat a disease? Last year at CannMed 23, he talked to us about how cannflavins could be used to treat a particularly nasty brain tumour called glioblastoma. Since then, Akeem has hit the road and brought the gospel of cannabis plant medicine to conferences and other canna-curious folks across North America, Europe, and as far away as the United Arab Emirates.

This year Team Canurta is looking at neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and even aging itself. They are using artificial intelligence to help screen where in the cannabis plant to focus their research. They are partnering with Universities to get academic papers turned into potential treatments. Akeem is one of the featured speakers at CannMed 24 again this year. We’d love to see you in Florida at CannMed 24 in person, and here is a preview of Akeem’s presentation!

Living without alcohol contamination may be an oxymoronic assertion for a licensed producer, specializing in cannabinoids extraction, to make. Typically, alcohol is a common solvent used to extract cannabinoids from cannabis plants. Trevor and Kirk are introduced to a new business in Dauphin. It partners with local hemp farmers to create a cannabis oil. Master Extractor Richard Spatola shares his origin story while sharing a meal in a restaurant. Afterwards, he takes the listeners into his processing plant to explain how he pulls out individual cannabinoids from hemp and cannabis plants to make alcohol-free oils. He and his team believe their process is the future of medical cannabis oils. This episode goes deep into how time, pressure, and temperature are the key components to producing solventless cannabis oils for those consumers preferring products without residual solvents in their medicine.

In this episode, Kirk and Trevor review “The Cannabis Cancer Connection” by Dr. Joe D. Goldstrich. Dr. Joe is a cardiologist who, in his retirement, became a self-descripted “cannabis oncologist”. He now applies pre-clinical cannabis research and his years of expertise and patient experience to his clinical cannabis practice. In his book, Dr. Joe discusses the “Art” of practicing medicine within an evidence-based system. He discusses the limitations of the available science behind medicinal cannabis, while at the same time challenging the medical system to recognize the plant’s potential. He has had successes and failures using cannabis as a therapeutic in cancer care and offers a balanced view of both. This book offers a good introduction to both cannabis and cancer, and will help individuals and families to better understand how cannabis can help those suffering from the disease. Dr. Joe also takes the reader deeper by applying the available knowledge and connecting it to his clinical practice making this a valuable resource to those practicing in the field of oncology.

Wednesday, 20 September 2023 10:26

E112 - A Student of Hemp - Clayton Moore

 

It is safe to say, Mr. Clayton Moore is a growing concern within the hemp industry of Southwestern United States.  As an undergraduate within the Texas A&M Agricultural Soil and Crop Science Department, he has his fingers, hands, and mind buried deeply in growing a better understanding of hemp and cannabis.  He is: a leader within a student lead initiative called CHIL, an advocate for decriminalization of cannabis convictions, the lead researcher within the university Hemp Conversion Program, plus he writes for the local industry focused newspaper.  He is a busy young fellow following the passions of generations within his family of agronomists.  The future of Hemp is in good hands with this student of hemp. 

Saturday, 22 July 2023 17:04

E108 - Terry O'Regan and Brains Bioceutical

Terry O'Regan has spent his career in the pharmaceutical industry. He has worked for several Big Pharma companies including ones that have developed important treatments for neurological diseases like Multiple Sclerosis. Terry had heard there was a class of therapeutics for neurological conditions that pharmaceutical companies weren't working on, cannabinoids. Terry kept hearing from neurologists that cannabinoids held great promise for neurological conditions. Enter Brains Bioceutical. Brains is involved in trials around the world looking at phytochemicals including cannabinoids. Trevor and Terry discuss how cannabis medicine is moving into the pharmaceutical space and how all our "Brains" could be better with the right cannabinoids. Come have a listen.

A short intro for the eminent Dr. Ethan Russo is challenging. Ethan Russo is a neurologist who explored the Amazon rain forest in the 90's to explore medicinal plants with aboriginal tribes. He returned to the USA and became interested in medicinal cannabis. He quickly became an expert in the field, and worked as a consultant for GW Pharmaceuticals. Later, as a Senior Medical Advisor for GW, he was involved with the development of Sativex and Epidiolex. Dr. Russo founded CReDO Science, creating innovative products and services related to cannabis and the endocannabinoid system. Trevor and Dr. Russo discuss Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). It is a relatively rare, but very unpleasant condition that causes some heavy users of cannabis to be very nauseous and vomit a lot. Dr. Russo and collaborators have developed a genetic test that may be able to predict who will get CHS and thus who might want to avoid THC containing cannabis altogether.  Then Trevor and Dr. Russo discuss THCV. Come hear about all the potential indications for this lesser known cannabinoid. Make sure you listen to the very, very end of this episode for a hidden my cannabis story.

We've got another amazing group of attendees from CannMed 23!

One evening they said dinner was on Lanai Beach. In Manitoba, if you are at a conference and someone says dinner is on Lanai Beach, then Lanai Beach is the name of a room. But in Florida, they actually meant dinner was on a beach. That sounds like a lovely idea, unless it is over 30 C and there is no shade. Thankfully, I brought a ball cap for my bald head and I met Dr. Joe Thompson also looking for some shade beside a pole. Dr. Thompson trained as a pediatrician, but now is the President & CEO of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. They have a program where they are going to analyze the data of people who got medical cannabis in Arkansas and see what happened to Health Outcomes. You want to hear about how that study will be done.

Dr. Leah Johnson Pharm D is a pharmacist and we met her in the Poster Hallway. Her Poster was about palliative care patients in California. Her group believes that if patients have access to cannabinoid medicine during palliative care, that will promote a better quality of life for the patients. Dr. Leah helps patients with their cannabis therapy and is a Cannabis Speaker and Educator across the US. She is on the Executive of the Pharmacist Cannabis Coalition of California (PCCC).

I met Akeem during the opening reception of CannMed 23. I didn't know anyone at the conference yet, so thankfully, he came up to me, read my name tag and introduced himself. Soon we discovered we were both from Canada, and we laughed over the fact the sliders were taken away too quickly. He told me he was nervous about a main stage talk he was giving. Now I understand why. He was giving a very technical, science heavy talk to a room full of cannabis doctors and researchers. But he killed it during his talk. He even handled challenges from the audience. I got to collect some audio from Akeem right after his talk. He’s from Mississauga. He’s a huge basketball fan. He has a nephew who Uncle Akeem really wants to become the next Lebron James. But for our story, Akeem is a Canadian lawyer turned hemp farmer turned CEO of the BioTech company Canurta Inc. His talk was about cannaflavins and their potential to treat glioblastoma, a common and aggressive form of brain cancer.

Bruce Mackler was involved with Prairie Plant Systems in Flin Flon when all “legal” Canadian Government Cannabis was grown in a mine in 2000. That became Cannimed in Saskatoon. And that got bought out by Aurora. Former lawyer that fought cases against the FDA. Former immunologist. His company, Ethicann, is developing a sublingual tablet for Multiple Sclerosis as a competitor to Stativex.

Ahmed Labied – Morocco - At the opening reception of CannMed 23, there were all these people with green t-shirts that said Morocco. Trevor introduced himself and was told he had to talk to Ahmed Labied. Ahmed explained that in August 2023 there should be the first legal crop of cannabis coming off the field in Morocco and that they’re organizing a cannabis conference in Morocco in November 2023.

Texas A&M - Everything is bigger in Texas. These tall gentlemen from Texas A&M are all about hemp. Russell Jessup is an Associate Professor Texas A&M. Clayton Moore is a Student Researcher at Texas A&M in AgriLife Soil & Crop Sciences. David Baltensperger is a Professor and the Head of Soil & Crop Sciences at Texas A&M. Listen to hear what Texas A&M has been doing with hemp.

Cathie Hiegel - Hear Cathie’s winding road from cytotechnologist to writing the textbook, “A Microscopic View of Medicinal Cannabis”. It really is a very well referenced, easy to read text on Cannabis.

Markus Roggen - Our Germany, American, Canadian chemist. Markus runs Delic labs at UBC in Vancouver, BC. Although it really has nothing to do with the high-powered chemistry his company does every day, Markus is a little obsessed with cannabis names. He found that every year when he gets new students, he has to re-explain cannabis nomenclature. He wondered if he could develop a new classification system for cannabis. Long time cannabis aficionados may hate this, but the rest of us might really like it.

Wednesday, 19 April 2023 14:10

E101 - Gaized and Convicted with Ken Fichtler

There are very few, if any, reliable methods of measuring cannabis impairment.  Road-side sobriety tests done by trained Drug Recognition Experts are very subjective and workplaces are limited with how they assess employees with safety sensitive jobs.  Back by video evidence, Gaize offers real-time impairment screening within 6 minutes.  This portable AV device is considered accurate, providing objective eye behaviours when deciding when an individual is impaired on Cannabis.  Considered the first impairment detection platform released to the marketplace, Gaize will search for answers by finding the six ways your eyes give you away.  

Wednesday, 02 November 2022 08:48

E94 - Cannabis Drug Interactions with Codi Peterson

I bet you are on drugs right now! Don’t believe me? How long has it been since your last caffeinated beverage? Over 90% of us use caffeine daily. Most of us use alcohol at least weekly. Many of us use prescription medications to treat everything from ADHD to high blood pressure. Now thanks to cannabis legalization, more and more of us also use cannabis. If we use cannabis, it is likely that we are going to have cannabis and other drugs in our system at the same time. Are those combinations bad? Good? Unknown? Listen to Dr. Codi Peterson, pediatric pharmacist and cannabis science expert, walk us through what you need to know.

On July 23, 1983 at an altitude of 41,000 feet, Air Canada Flight 143 travelling between Montreal and Edmonton ran out of fuel because of confusion between metric and imperial measurements. However, the crew of the Boeing 767 successfully landed the passenger jet in Manitoba’s Interlake in what is now known as the Gimli Glider. That intrepid flight crew applied their years of training and experience to an unprecedented situation to become heroes. Much like when a PhD with international training in biochemistry, genetics and pharmaceutical manufacturing successfully glides into the cannabis space. Meet Dr. Brent Guppy and BioScision Pharma. This wide-ranging conversation covers sexing plants, topicals with microbial contamination, testing cannabis for heavy metals and our new favorite word to try to say five times fast “nanoemulsions”. Did we mention BioScision’s retail line, Hwy 59 Cannabis, has a vape cart named after the famous unpowered Boeing 767 that landed in a certain Icelandic town?

Most certainly, we have learned Cannabis has benefits but it is not benign. With all medications it is important to understand the risk and benefits. In this episode Trevor and Kirk discuss the cardiovascular effects of chronic cannabis inhalation with an accomplished student of medicine, Dr. Venkat Subramaniam. Although, he admits limited studies are available, his literature review suggests those who start smoking cannabis at a young age, making it a daily indulgence, are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. He makes it easy by comparing cannabis to donuts; reminding us we must consume in moderation.

When you take a prescription medication, it goes into your body, does what it is supposed to and then leaves. Part of leaving the body often involves the medication getting broken down or metabolized by enzymes in the liver. One of the biggest medication metabolizing enzyme systems in the liver is called the Cytochrome P450 enzymes. Why should you care? Because cannabis can effect the Cytochrome P450 enzymes. That could cause there to be too much or too little of a prescription medication in your body to do its job properly. Dr. Lyndsey Anderson and her colleagues at the Lambert Initiative in Sydney, Australia have looked at how cannabis and the Cytochrome P450 enzymes interact. Let's have a listen!

Therapeutic cannabis use is to cancer, as salt and pepper is to the dinner table; ubiquitous yet individualized. In the past 20 years, oncologist Paul Daeninck, MD, MSc, MSc., FRCPC has not only seen cannabis slowly infiltrate personalized cancer care treatment plans, but also how it eventually changed a country’s relationship with an illegal drug. Although we trust the chef to properly season our food, we know why people should not use salt and some people simply will not like pepper. In this episode, Kirk and Trevor sit at the table, feeding on the knowledge of Winnipeg’s Top Pot Doc learning how cannabis seasons his practise. Kirk and Trevor quickly come to understand how this unassuming man is so admired for his leadership, compassion, and research within Cancer Care Manitoba network, which is the provincially mandated cancer agency providing clinical services to both children and adults.

Philippe Lucas from Tilray comes on the discuss the TOPS (Tilray Observational Patient Study).  It looked at around 2000 medical cannabis patients across Canada prospectively and gather tons of data.  Some of the most interesting findings include medicating with cannabis seems to reduce opioid use and the use of prescription medications in general.  Plus, there was no signal that the study participants wanted more and more cannabis which implies limited drug seeking and addition behaviors from medical cannabis.  Numbers, data, cannabis, a great chat with Philippe, are you as excited as Trevor about this one?  Have a listen.

Saturday, 24 April 2021 10:28

E68 - What's in your weed?

Every home grower is proud of their harvest, yet many can only guess at the THC strength and Terpene profiles of their crop. In this episode, Trevor and Kirk explore how to unlock the mysteries of homegrown cannabis by having it analysed by Key Box, a business offering discreet opportunities to know our cannabis better. Certainly, medicinal and recreational growers will like knowing the strength of their THC and CBD concentrations but at the same time, they will become better farmers by understanding the strength of other cannabinoids such as CBG and CBN. In another panel discussion, Trevor and Kirk consider how a mail order business provides home growers a better understanding of their beloved plants.

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Vaporize Cannabis.  Get behind the wheel of a car.  Pull out onto the highway.  This is not the beginning of an accident report.  This is a study Dr. Tom Arkell and team ran on an actual highway in the Netherlands.  Dr. Arkell is from Australia, his research is partially supported by the Lambert Iniative and the driving was done near Maastricht University.  The study looked at CBD vs THC vs a combo of THC/CBD vs placebo.  You definitely want to listen to this multinational study if just to hear what "placebo cannabis" is.  Driving and cannabis and Kirk and Trevor!  What more do you need? 

Thursday, 30 July 2020 10:25

E53 - Does CBD have COVID-19 ACE'd?

What were you doing during the start of the pandemic lock down?  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.

 
 
Saturday, 18 April 2020 21:24

E48 - Doctor Nurse – Lynda Balneaves

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.

Tuesday, 28 January 2020 08:10

E44 - Gaba Gaba High!

Ian Mitchell is an emergency physician, the Site Scholar for the Kamloops Family Medicine Residency Program and is occasionally photographed teaching whole rooms full of people to stick their fingers in their ears while opening their mouths really wide like they are in a silent scream.  He caught our interest with an article and talk he did about gabapentin vs cannabis.  Gabapentin was originally developed as a seizure medication, but it wasn't really good at that.  Now it is routinely used for migraines, back pain, diabetic nerve pain and a variety of other conditions.  There isn't great evidence for gabapentin and all its uses.  Cannabis is just gaining the evidence it needs to show it is good for all different types of pain and other conditions.  But it is still shunned by mainly clinicians.  Is it fair the gabapentin is commonly used and cannabis is not?  Plus we go down a cool rabbit hole into some novel uses of ketamine.
Saturday, 11 January 2020 21:36

E43 - Survey Says: Migraines want Canna-bliss

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? 

Thursday, 19 December 2019 16:12

E42 - PTSD: getting to the Hart of the matter

Kirk and Trevor discuss PTSD with Dr. Mike Hart founder of ReadyToGo Clinic.  Dr. Hart talks about how PTSD, migraines, IBS and some other conditions are due at least in part to an endocannabinoid deficiency.  That means cannabis is an obvious treatment for PTSD.  Also hear how cannabis can also be used in sports medicine and about Kirk's Runners' High on the Columbia Ice Fields.

 
Tuesday, 26 November 2019 08:09

E40 - Autism

Kirk and Trevor talk to Janna Champagne.  Janna was a critical care cardiac nurse thriving in a high pressure, high stakes, life and death work place.  Suddenly her life was derailed by an illness.  Janna discovered how cannabis could help her life and has become a Cannabis-Specialty Nurse to help others.  Along the way, Janna found another benefit of cannabis to her family.  Come listen to how cannabis helped Janna's daughter through an Autism puberty crisis and probably spared her from out of home placement.

 
Friday, 04 October 2019 07:59

E36 - Hempfest the 4th Potpourri

We are looking back on the Summer of 2019.  One of Kirk and Trevor's highlites was going to HempFest in Saskatoon.  We talked to Jodi McDonald of Keystone Labs.  Jodi's company will sell you a "Key Box" to allow you to get lab quality analysis of your home grown cannabis.  And Jodi is infectiously  animated when she explain HPLC and mass spec.  Robert Belanger is a potter whose ceramic pipes are stronger than glass.  Robert gets the unusual complaint that his smoking accessories are too beautiful to use.  Lane Britnell goes deep on growing media.  Lane explains why "Dirt is dead.  Soil is alive."

 
Thursday, 15 August 2019 14:28

E33 - Liver Let Die? A CDB Story

"Marijuana Study Finds CBD Can Cause Liver Damage".  This article in Forbes by Mike Adams blew up on Cannabis Twitter.  What is the truth?  Does the ubiquitous CBD beat up on the poor defenceless liver?  Is this just junk science and hyperbole?  Well...we called up the study authors and asked them.  Get ready to be schooled by Dr. Igor Koturbash , Dr. Bill J. Gurly and Dr. Mitchell R. McGill.  This conversation goes through the basic science involved in toxicology studies for any new medication.  Get ready to nerd out on why mice are really livers with legs, acute vs chronic dosing studies and much more.  Spoiler alert... these highly educated gentlemen don't hate CBD.  They just want there to be more study on what CBD does to the liver and how it might effect other medications a person is taking.  Be mindful in your cannabinoid use and have a listen. 

Friday, 10 May 2019 09:15

S3E7 - Cannabis is for Kids

You don't give cannabis products to children, right?  Or what about that Charolette's Web stuff for seizures? Dr. Robert Sealey is a physician from Victoria with extensive cannabis experience.  He see children and has recommended cannabis for some of them.  From ADHD, to childhood schizophrenia, to Dravet syndrome this wide ranging conversation covers many pediatric cannabis topics.  Come learn with Kirk and Trevor about kids and cannabis.  Are three year olds different from thirteen year olds? And don't forget the chocolate milk!  It's all about the chocolate milk. 

Thursday, 18 April 2019 15:26

S3E5 - Healing Communities - Part 2

 In Part 2 Kirk leaves Vancouver Island and visits Gimli, Manitoba.  He discovers how a family doctor becomes a Cannabis consultant. Dr. Shelley Turner (@TheShelleyT) discusses how a deep interest in addictions directed her practice toward Cannabis.  Her new clinic, Ekosi, will teach patients and professionals alike to discover the harm reduction benefit of Cannabis. Dr. Turner's journey with her Cree and Settler heritage, her progression from ambulance driver to nurse to doctor is fascinating enough on its own.  But her passion for data, evidence and her patients in all things cannabis is something you'll want to hear.  From Newleaf Outreach and Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club in Part 1 to Ekosi in Part 2, the common thread in these three stories is how healing communities are people caring for each other. Is Cannabis an exit drug? Should peers and individuals direct their own Health Care? How can western medicine help with creating healing communities? Kirk and Trevor discuss these questions and offer up some canna-curious opinions.

 

 

Sunday, 10 March 2019 14:21

S3E3 - Cause Agnostic

What is impairment?  What does it mean to drive a car impaired?  Kirk and Trevor talk to PJ Barclay CEO of DriveABLE (@DriveABLE).  DriveABLE has tools that look a impairment and cognition.  But the impairment can be from opioid pain medication, muscle relaxant, lack of sleep, alcohol or cannabis.  Legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada changed many things.  Let's talk about impairment and how everyone can stay safe on the roads. 

 
Friday, 01 March 2019 06:49

S3E2 - CannaCurious

 

Are you CannaCurious?  What cannabis strain works best for a 47 year old woman in Manitoba for MS related spasticity?  There is an app for that.  Kirk and Trevor talk to long time podcast sponsor, Strainprint about their app and the many, many places Strainprint has gone lately.  David Berg (@DaveBergSP ), the President and Chief Technology Officer of Strainprint Technologies geeks out with Kirk about endometriosis studies, migraine studies, software to help pharmacists find interactions between medications and cannabis, partnerships in Israel, partnerships with Duke University, the new Strainprint Community and frankly so many other cool things I'm getting tired just writing out this description.  Go Listen! 

 

Friday, 15 February 2019 07:50

S3E1 - Team Wellness

Did you know some nurses could write prescriptions?  Kirk talks to Nurse Practitioner Erin O'Shaughnessy about her practice.  Erin works for Nalanda Health and prescribes cannabis for clients in need of help.  Trevor talks to Carl Byrne a pharmacist at Nalanda Health who acts as a cannabis educator for Erin's clients.  What does a medical cannabis clinic look like post legalization?  How do these health care professional work together? Why shouldn't you just go to a recreational cannabis store and try some cannabis for your medical condition on your own.  Listen and hear what Trevor and Kirk find out!

Plus a new My Cannabis Story from Jaqui Childs! - find her on @jacquichilds on Instagram.

 

Saturday, 12 January 2019 06:35

S2E9 - Hemp Hemp Hooray!

What's the difference between hemp and marijuana?  What's up with all these "hemp derived CBD's"?  Kirk and Trevor talk to hemp pioneer Martin Moravcik, and hemp farmers Don Dewar and Chris Federowich.  Martin has been a hemp promoter since the early 1990's.  Chris and Don grow hemp on a large scale today and Chris is the Vice-Chair of Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers.  Hemp can provide fiber for textiles, food and maybe medicine.  There is a lot of interest in getting CBD's from hemp, but it isn't as easy as you would think to scale up to a farm sized plot of hemp.  Clare McBride, also a farmer, works at the office of the Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers.  She updates us on the latest hemp regulations including what types of plants Health Canada will allow. Kirk likes to say he goes for bike rides south of Dauphin just to smell the hemp fields.  Come jump on your bike for a warm summer evening ride. You are passing acres and acres of tall green plants as Kirk and Trevor chat in your ear.

 
Thursday, 06 December 2018 15:39

S2E7 - Expo Exposed

Trevor and Kirk went to the Cannabis and Hemp Expo in Winnipeg Sept 30, 2018.  They talked to lots of fascinating people!  They brought you 4 stories.  Savethedrive.com's CEO Chanel Graham was a home care nurse when she saw a need for getting cannabis to people who couldn't leave their homes.  Brad Pattison of Brad Pattison Pet Wellness stops cats from launching aerial attacks on their owners.  Dr. Brent Guppy of Synthase Genetics can help producers identify the genes to make better cannabis strains.  Nathan the VP of Community Outreach with the Winnipeg 420 group talked about 420 in 2019.  Recreational Cannabis is legal, but will everyone at the event at the Leg now be fined? 

Thursday, 29 November 2018 13:44

S2E6 - The Chemist and The Pharmacist

 

My cannabis is labeled 17% THC.  What dose that mean?  Emily Kirkham, an analytical chemist, talks to Kirk and Trevor about cannabis potency testing, cannabinoids and terpenes.  She also gets into pesticide testing and micro-contaminants like lead. 

Ever wondered about the alphabet soup of regulations like the MMAR, ACMPR and how they came to be?  Mike Boivin, pharmacist and designer of cannabis continuing education programs, gives us a great history lesson on the lawsuits that got us from 2001 to 2018.  He talks about how proper use of medical cannabis can reduce polypharmacy and clinical pearls like if a medical patient feels high all the time on their cannabis try something different like a new strain or dose.

As an extra bonus, if you live in the Winnipeg area....go see Reefer Madness the Musical Dec 6-16, 2018!  They provided us with the music this episode, and it will be a very fun and educational show!

 
Thursday, 08 November 2018 02:24

S2E5 - The Endocannabinoid Researcher

What is the endocannabinoid system?  Did you have that friend in high school with the hemp shirt who told you, "The body was designed to smoke pot, man!"  That is not as crazy as it sounds.   Trevor and Kirk talk to Dr. Robert Laprairie.  He is a pharmacologist who studies the endocannabinoid system.  Your body produces its own cannabinoids and has receptors that can accept external cannabinoids like  THC and CBD.  But just because cannabis is natural doesn't mean that it shouldn't be used with caution.  Dr. Laprairie also discusses interactions with prescription medications and other thing to watch for.  But in general Dr. Laprairie is very positive about cannabis research in a post-legalization Canada!

 
 
Tuesday, 31 July 2018 21:26

S1E9 - The Doctors

 How is cannabis prescribed?  Do American prescribers practice differently than on the Canadian side of the border?  Kirk goes South to talk to Dr. Karen O'Brien a Naturopathic doctor in Arizona. Trevor stays North to talk to internist Dr. Blair Hrabarchuk.  Listen as they explore medicinal cannabis on both sides of the 49th parallel.

 
Thursday, 24 May 2018 06:28

S1E6 - The Advocates

 You've decided to try medicinal cannabis.  Now what?  If only there was some support out there.  We talk to Ashleigh Brown, the founder of SheCann, a Facebook Community of medical cannabis advocates.  Then, you track your steps and sleep with a FitBit.  You track you calories with a diet app.  What if you could track your medicinal cannabis use?  We talk to Stephanie Karasick the founder of Strainprint.  Yup.  There is an app for that.  And we think it is pretty cool.

 

Sunday, 06 May 2018 20:46

S1E5 - The Scientist

What does cannabis do to the brain?  What is the "entourage" effect?  Does having no receptors in the medulla make cannabinoids safer than opioids?  Dr. Mike Namaka schools Trevor and Kirk about the neuroscience behind cannabis.  What do we know?  What do we not know?  Where is the science taking us?

 
Sunday, 08 April 2018 16:16

S1E4 - Pharm Phacts

 Should cannabis be sold in pharmacies? Is there a difference between recreational and medicinal cannabis?  Should an ER Doc have a record if a patient is using medicinal cannabis?  Trevor the Pharmacist thinks medicinal cannabis belongs in a pharmacy.  What do you think?