Archive

Karlie Starchuk is an actor with cerebral palsy and is a graduate from Sheridan College’s Preparation of the Performing Arts Program (2012) and St. Lawrence College’s Musical Theatre Program (2015). She discovered the benefits of cannabis 4 years ago and has been using it to treat complications of her condition including muscle spasms, anxiety and depression. The use of this medicine has enabled her not have to rely on opioids for pain and has reduced the amount of prescription anti-depressants by half. Unfortunately due to increased taxes on her medicine, she has been forced to under-dose in order to finance her medicine while being on disability. Cannabis is the only prescription medicine that is taxed in Canada. Eliminating this tax would allow Karlie to dose appropriately as prescribed. Karlie is now advocating with the #donttaxmedicine campaign so that others like her are in a financial position to obtain the medicine…

I’m Emily Cleland, born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. I was the quiet, shy kid that did what I was told and was bullied throughout school. When I was in my teens, I realized my shyness was anxiety, it worsened and with it came depression. In my early twenties I was hit by a car and was lucky to have survived. After that I was unemployed, terrified, and basically a shut in because of my suffering. When I finally went to the doctor for my mental health it was the single biggest accomplishment of my life thus far. With a low dose of anxiety medication and referral to Cognitive Behavioural Group Therapy my freedom started to unfurl. It was during this self-help journey when I was asked to join MMJ Canada. I was scared out of my mind! My first real job at nearly 30 years of age in this…

Jennifer Cameron is a BSc Neuroscience graduate from Brock University who possesses a unique set of skills. Motivated by her own mental health journey alongside a genuine need to help others, she has combined her education background in scientific knowledge, her passion for mental health advocation and over a decade in customer service, all together to make a difference in patients’ lives through alternative medicine. Being diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder and Depression herself, she became discouraged after taking many different types of antidepressants with a minimal therapeutic index. After being turned down for a prescription for medical cannabis by her family doctor, she was able to obtain a prescription through Hello Cannabis. Registered with two licensed producers, Jennifer still found herself seeking alternative cannabis products from black market shops. As a strong advocate for improved and equal access, she began as a Cannabis Consultant for MMJ Canada in 2018….

Jessica (Jess) is a seasoned Marketing & Communications expert with over 17 years of industry experience. As the Director of Marketing & Communications for Strainprint Technologies Ltd. Jessica has seen first hand from North America’s leading source of medical cannabis data how the plant is helping hundreds of thousands of patients. Cannabis has personally benefited a few of her close family members. She looks forward to the day where medical cannabis is presented at the forefront as a viable therapeutic option for patients, worldwide. Jess’ passion for Communications combined with her years of experience allow her to help continue to break the stigma of medical cannabis throughout the media landscape. Jess is also a PR in Canada Top 40 Under 40 recipient and has a passion for networking and mentoring other canna-communicators.

Pauline Garrard is an advocate of medical cannabis and a patient since 2014. After being diagnosed with arthritis, she became discouraged after taking many different types of pain medication, because of dangerous side effects. After being turned down for a prescription for medical cannabis by two doctors, she went on a journey to navigate the Health Canada system. She was finally able to obtain a prescription, and use this natural medicine. She began to assist others to navigate the system. That is when Canna Relief Consulting Canada Inc. was founded. The company started as a resource for patients to get assistance to access the Health Canada system by getting a prescription from a doctor. Their goal is to be experts in the options available to patients and to counsel patients in a compassionate and non-judgemental environment. In April 2017 the company opened their first Canna Relief storefront location in Mississauga,…

Carlen Costa is The Everyday Goddess, a Sexologist and OCSWSSW Psychotherapist. She empowers people to embody an unapologetically passionate lifestyle through her teachings and support in intimacy, sexuality, sensuality, self-worth, body-image and, relationships. Carlen encourages us to become sassy, sexy and switched on, through a holistic approach in her private practice available to individuals and couples (in-office or online), speaking nation-wide about sexuality and cannabis, as well as in her growing women’s only Facebook group, The Everyday Goddess Gang and, with her lifestyle brand, The Everyday Goddess. Carlen is also the founder of The Goddess Foundation, which seeks to fund initiatives by women, for women, across Canada. A portion of every sale of The Goddess Collection for The Everyday Goddess brand is contributed to The Goddess Foundation.

Murray Reid lives in a small coastal community in Cape Breton Island with his wife, and five children. He is one of five siblings, and has over 30 nieces/nephews, along with being a grandfather to two. On December 3rd 1990 Mr. Reid started his position as a pipe layer with the municipality of Cape Breton Island and began his day working in volatile conditions laying pipe as deep as 8 to 10′ feet in the ground. As the walls began to cave from heavy rain falls, Mr. Reids employer did not correct the situation and continued to have his employees work in unsafe conditions that evidently lead to in Mr. Reid being buried into a ditch resulting in severe spinal cord injuries. Following the incident Mr. Reid underwent surgery to relieve the symptoms of a bulged disc at just the age of 21. Mr. Reid went on to work for…

Corey Favell is the Founder and Director of Favell Fitness/The Performance Lab. Corey is also a medicinal cannabis patient and a strong advocate for finding alternative solutions for individuals suffering from chronic pain, addiction and/or mental illness. Favell is a key member and founder of a not-for-profit organization called Parent’s for Care which focuses on helping individuals with children or family members suffering from addiction and/or mental illness,creating a community for support and hope not just for the patient but also for the parent, guardian or caregiver. Corey’s daughter (Zoe) is a survivor of the opioid epidemic who was misdiagnosed at an early age and prescribed highly addictive medications that would lead to years of destruction. Corey’sdecision to introduce his daughter to medicinal cannabis became a positive game changer with her conditions, but would also create a backlash of resistance from medical professionals alongwith negative support from parents regarding Corey’s…

Water Rau is a Veteran of 27 and a half years of service to the Army and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) having done six tours overseas in Camp Mirage and Afghanistan. Attributing from his service, Mr. Rau became affected with PTSD and back injuries. In 2016 Mr. Rau was medically retired from the RCAF and after much research began using medicinal cannabis upon learning about the strains of cannabis and its effects to help with his pain. Mr. Rau is passionate about helping, and informing his fellow brothers and sisters in arms and other patients about the benefits of medicinal cannabis.

Ashleigh is a medical cannabis patient and passionate advocate for the rights and education of her fellow Canadian Cannabis patients. In 2017, still a new patient herself, she founded a social media community alongside a handful of other patients. This community, named SheCann, was created with the intention of providing information, resources and support to prospective and existing ACMPR patients. Although it is geared towards women, SheCann also welcomes supportive and respectful men, and members of industry, including legal clinics and Licensed Producers. SheCann’s primary goal is to create a compassionate space for patients to speak openly about their journeys as cannabis patients. Ashleigh works alongside advocacy groups like CFAMM (Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana) to advocate for accessible and affordable access to medical cannabis. She is a member of Cannabis Canada’s Patient Advocacy Committee, and has recently joined the Strainprint Technologies team as their Community Manager and…