Episode 8 - Maybe They’re Just Getting High?

Welcome to Sessions by the Her(B) Life. We are back for season 2 with a new lineup of people who have made cannabis their business. Between advocates, industry professionals, influencers and creatives, we’ll be showcasing some of the industry's best and brightest in a new episode every Thursday.

Y2K feels like it was just yesterday, but as you know, soon we’ll be entering the third decade of this millennium. Barring a cataclysmic event, it’s reasonable to assume that the popularity of cannabis will continue to grow. Thus far it has done a stellar job of creeping it’s way back into the mainstream,, once again embedding itself as a staple ingredient for a happy and healthy lifestyle.

Yet with all the hubbub around recreational cannabis, it was it’s medical potential that paved the way for this dramatic shift in public opinion. Alas, there’s still a lot of scepticism and confusion around medical cannabis. All too often I hear questions like, “isn’t it just a placebo? Does it really even work? Are people just getting high?

Which is why this episode on chronic pain management and cannabinoid therapy is a must for anyone who’s ever pondered “what the hell is medical cannabis?”

We’re very lucky as this Session we have Dr Sana-Ara Ahmed hosting, a practicing clinical Anesthesiologist, Interventional Pain & Cannabinoid Medicine Specialist in Canada. She is the owner and operator of Alberta based medical clinic Genuvis Health, which provides integrative and compassionate chronic pain management for Calgarians. The successful incorporation of medical cannabis into her practice for treating chronic pain, anxiety, depression, functional sleep disorders and opioid related issues has well established Dr. Ahmed as an expert in the field.

She is joined by Shabana Safari, colleague and nurse at Genuvis Health who has been working with Dr Ahemd for more than a year. This episode they addresses that big green elephant in the clinic; when is comes to understanding medical cannabis the wider medical community is rather uninformed.

This leaves many patients vulnerable and open to harm caused by unchecked biases and misinformation, as well as diminished treatment options. Dr Ahmed’s clinic is one of just a few that utilise cannabinoid therapy, and she is one of just a few doctors that are specialising in this treatment modality.

Interestingly both Dr Ahmed and Shabana entered the world of medical cannabis with biases toward the plant. Like many, there was an underlying distrust as well as a big dose of scepticism towards the concept of cannabis as medicine. Both women reveal how it was their first hand experience interacting with and seeing the incredible transformations of patients that ignited their passion for the plant.

A must listen episode for all healthcare professionals, tune in as Dr Ahmed and Shabana speak frankly about their experiences treating patients with cannabis.

The Her(b) Life Sessions podcast is committed to broadening the cannabis conversation by highlighting the women working in the industry. Each episode we have a new set of hosts discussing contemporary cannabis issues, giving you a direct line into the evolving cannabis landscape. Don’t miss out on the next Sessions episode and subscribe now.

This session is brought to you with the help of Sundial Cannabis, the natural alternative for modern wellness.

If you want to know more about this Sessions host you can find her via the below links.

Dr Sana-Ara Ahmed via her Twitter @drsanaara

Dr Sana-Ara Ahmed via her Instagram @drsanaara

Sessions, by Her(B) Life is a production of Blue Dream Media.

Produced by Tiyana Matliovski and Executive Producer, Gill Polard.