Alternative Talk Cannabis Radio

Today on Alternative Talk our host Bear Syvong is joined by Ryan Jennemann. Ryan is an entrepreneur, self-taught master cultivator and breeder of award-winning cannabis strains, and the co-founder of THC Design, the leading breeder and cultivator of premium, safe, organic, estate-grown cannabis in California. Jennemann studied at Oklahoma State. After graduating magna cum laude with a degree in Finance, he immediately began honing his entrepreneurial skills founding a successful sports business with his brother Seth Jennemann. Raised in Oklahoma during a time of cannabis prohibition, Jennemann witnessed his father suffer from major migraine attacks and the negative side effects of powerful synthetic drugs prescribed to him. With little to no access to safe medical cannabis at that time, Jennemann and his father Joe Jennemann grew a single cannabis plant in an effort to help his father’s condition. Seeing firsthand the positive impact cannabis had on his father’s overall quality of life only deepened Ryan’s respect for the plant’s medicinal properties and his desire to help those suffering access safe reliable sources of cannabis cultivated in an organic and environmentally sustainable way.

Today on Alternative Talk our host Bear Syvong is joined by Dr. Michael Mann. Dr. Mann is a cardiothoracic surgeon with particular interest in coronary bypass, valve disease, aortic reconstruction, surgery for heart failure and thoracic cancer. His research interests include the development of molecular therapies for cardiothoracic disorders. While on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, he designed and directed the first clinical program for genetic manipulation during bypass surgery. Mann earned a medical degree at the Stanford School of Medicine. He completed a residency at Stanford University Medical Center and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and a fellowship at UCSF.

Today on Alternative Talk Bear Sayvong is joined by Olivia Clements, a mother, and advocate in the state of Arizona. Olivia's main goal is to bring more attention and funding to treating Autism without pharmaceuticals. Treating common disorders such as ADHD without pharmaceuticals has been something many different outlets have tried to fund with not much luck.Olivia's son's experience with psychiatric drug treatment and Dr's views on CBD and medical marijuana. Not only funding but the stigma associated with CBD and medical marijuana treatment for autism is the main goal in Olivia's life. Listen to her story and learn what it's like on the other side of the medical conversation.

Today on Alternative Talk our host is joined by Vilmarie Narloch. Vilmarie is the Drug Education Manager at Students for Sensible Drug Policy. In this role, Vilmarie oversees the development and implementation of the SSDP Peer Education program, which is a training program for SSDP Members to become certified to deliver our drug education program, Just Say Know, to their peers. Vilmarie is passionate about reforming drug education in the U.S. and abroad, and has dedicated years of study on the topic for her dissertation. Vilmarie has taken on this position because as an organization driven by students with exceptional knowledge on drug policy and other drug use related issues, SSDP is uniquely positioned and qualified to be developing a drug education program. Additionally, Vilmarie educates staff and the network on the current state of research and treatment issues with regard to substance use disorders and mental health. Vilmarie aims to aid in the connection of policy and practice by helping our network understand the impact of policy on access to treatment and care while utilizing the latest research.

Today on Alternative Talk our host Bear Syvong is joined by Socrates Rosenfeld. From his service as an Apache helicopter commander in the U.S. Army, to developing the cannabis industry’s first complete end-to-end marketplace helping local dispensaries compete on a level playing field, to advocating for safer alternatives to opioids for treatment of post traumatic stress Socrates Rosenfeld had always wanted to do two things – help people and immerse himself in the most challenging environments he could find. After operating at consistently challenging levels both mentally and physically throughout his seven years in the Army, transitioning back to civilian life in his hometown of Newton, Massachusetts, Socrates found it challenging to find peace for himself. He felt isolated from the people that he loved most and struggled to connect. It wasn’t until he turned 29 that his wife offered him an option he had been conditioned to oppose due to years in the military and social stigma;, Socrates was introduced to cannabis and it profoundly impacted him physically, mentally and spiritually. Cannabis allowed him to maintain presence in stressful moments and view himself with self-empathy and non-judgment. He wasn’t alone; he had come across countless fellow veterans who were struggling in civilian life, but were not comfortable with trying cannabis for similar reasons that had stopped him in the past: the stigma, the lack of education and limited access to safe and regulated cannabis.

Today on Alternative Talk our host Bear Syvong is joined by Jacob Plowden & Nelson Guerrero. Guerrero, Kamani Jefferson, Jacob Plowden and Sonia Espinosa launched the Cannabis Cultural Association in 2016, after finding that people of color comprise only 1% of the current cannabis industry. The group plans to host instructional seminars for aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs and create partnerships with key players in the business so that minorities can gain a stronger voice in the marketplace. The Cannabis Marketing Lab was founded by Celeste Miranda in 2012 and has become a one-stop shop for companies in all corners of the cannabis industry that need assistance in product launches, website design, social media strategy and more. Celeste hosts the Cannabis Marketing Lab Radio Show podcast and publishes a bi-monthly online magazine that contains industry news, tips for marijuana-related startups and informative guest columns from different perspectives of the cannabis marketplace.