194 episodes

The cannabis industry is gaining traction across the world, as new medical discoveries, and multi-billion dollar businesses are grabbing the headlines on a regular basis. Experts predict the worldwide industry could be worth in excess of $300bn within 10 years, with Europe forming the biggest market within that, so there's plenty to get excited about. I want to find out more about what's happening, and I'm bringing you along for the ride. Join me - Anuj Desai - as I speak to a wide variety of guests who are helping to shape this nascent sector. Having interviewed over 100 guests, including patients, lawyers, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and many more, we discover how, and why, this much maligned and misunderstood plant is giving birth to a huge global business.

The Cannabis Conversation | Medical Cannabis | CBD | Hemp Anuj Desai

    • Business
    • 4.9 • 15 Ratings

The cannabis industry is gaining traction across the world, as new medical discoveries, and multi-billion dollar businesses are grabbing the headlines on a regular basis. Experts predict the worldwide industry could be worth in excess of $300bn within 10 years, with Europe forming the biggest market within that, so there's plenty to get excited about. I want to find out more about what's happening, and I'm bringing you along for the ride. Join me - Anuj Desai - as I speak to a wide variety of guests who are helping to shape this nascent sector. Having interviewed over 100 guests, including patients, lawyers, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and many more, we discover how, and why, this much maligned and misunderstood plant is giving birth to a huge global business.

    EPISODE #194 Examining Medical Cannabis in Practice with Franjo Grotenhermen, M.D., Chairperson at IACM

    EPISODE #194 Examining Medical Cannabis in Practice with Franjo Grotenhermen, M.D., Chairperson at IACM

    On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we speak with Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen, Chairperson at the International Association of Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM).
    We explore his journey into cannabis medicine, its diverse uses, and the challenges of its regulation. Together, we look at the importance of patient experiences and the need for a balance between clinical trials and real-world experiences. We also examine the risk profile of cannabis, potential side effects, contraindications, and interactions with other medications. 
    The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.
    Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

    About Franjo Grotenhermen M.D.
    Franjo Grotenhermen graduated in medicine and received his doctorate in Cologne. His fields of practice included internal medicine, surgery and naturopathy. He is head of the Centre for Cannabis Medicine in Steinheim (NRW) with a focus on therapy with cannabis and cannabinoids. Grotenhermen is Executive Director of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Cannabis als Medizin e.V. (ACM) (since 1997), Executive Director of the International Alliance for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM) (since 2000) and author of the IACM-Bulletin, which is published fortnightly in several languages on the IACM website.
    Grotenhermen is an employee of the Cologne-based nova Institute, co-owner of Endoxo GmbH (founded in 2019), a company that produces CBD and other hemp products. He is a lecturer at Dresden International University. He is Chief Medical Advisor of canncura, an internet platform for telemedicine in the field of cannabis and cannabinoids. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the journals Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, edited by Prof. Daniele Piomelli at Mary Ann Liebert Publishing. He received the following awards: Hanf-Preis 1999 of Cannabusiness, IACM 2011 Special Award, ICBC 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award, Robert Newman Memorial Award 2018 of Akzept e.V., Honorary Award GFS-Award 2021 of Gemeinnützige Forschungsvereinigung Saluplanta e.V.


    Resources
    Connect with Franjo on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/franjo-grotenhermen-65624b19b
    IACM’s Website: https://cannabis-med.org/

    • 33 min
    EPISODE #193: Investment in the European Cannabis Industry with William Muecke & Daniel Grözinger

    EPISODE #193: Investment in the European Cannabis Industry with William Muecke & Daniel Grözinger

    On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we speak with William Muecke of Artemis Growth Partners & Daniel Grözinger of Park Lane Capital.
    We look at the European Cannabis Industry from an investment perspective, including the benefits of the legal cannabis market in Germany and France, the potential for mergers and acquisitions in Europe, and Will and Daniel’s thoughts on what’s needed to succeed in this sector in the next few years.
    The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.

    Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/


    About William Muecke
    Will Muecke is the Managing Member at Artemis Growth Partners, a private equity firm with $390 million in assets, specializing in ESG and impact investments within the global cannabis industry.
    He also co-founded CoreCo Private Equity, an ESG-focused fund, recognized as a "Best for the World" fund in 2017, with backing from institutions like the IFC/World Bank and European family offices.
    Previously, he served as global co-head of healthcare services at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York, with extensive networks across Europe, the United States, and Latin America. 
    Currently, he holds the position of Chief Investment Officer at Artemis Growth Partners in London.


    About Daniel Grözinger
    Daniel Grözinger, a Partner at Parklane Capital in Germany, is a seasoned M&A expert with a focus on the tech sector. In 2021, he expanded his expertise into the cannabis market and played a pivotal role in the sale of Four 20 Pharma to Curaleaf in 2022.
    With a background in over 75 M&A deals, Daniel is also a serial entrepreneur. Notably, he co-founded getgo.de, an online ticketing industry leader, and sold it to CTS Eventim AG. He then managed two business units at CTS, generating over 500 million EUR in revenue.
    In 2003, he founded uniquedigital, a top-ranked online marketing agency, later acquired by Syzygy AG in 2008. Daniel has a history of founding and building customer-focused companies, including verwandt.de, Farbflut Entertainment, Emporis, and Animod, among others. He has also invested in various internet companies and startups as a business angel, including Prezi.com and Fiverr, before joining Parklane Capital in 2014.


    Resources
    Connect with William on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wmuecke
    Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/groezinger/
    Artemis Growth Partners’ Website: www.artemisgrowth.com
    Parklane Capital’s Website: 

    • 55 min
    EPISODE #192: The first cannabis flower prescription on the NHS with Mike Roberts

    EPISODE #192: The first cannabis flower prescription on the NHS with Mike Roberts

    On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Mike Roberts, a medical cannabis patient in the UK. 
    We explore Mike’s journey with cannabis, the potential benefits of incorporating cannabis into cancer treatment plans, and his trailblazing story of becoming the first patient to successfully get his cannabis flower prescription reimbursed by the NHS.
    The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.
    Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

    About Mike Roberts
    Mike Roberts is a special needs teacher, musician, and father. His interests include photography, chemistry, and medical cannabis. In 2021 at the age of 43, Mike was diagnosed with incurable cancer. In 2023 he became the first person in the UK to receive NHS funding for cannabis flower.


    Resources
    Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-roberts-42a46122b
    Mike’s Website: https://www.michaelrobertstutoring.com/

    • 26 min
    EPISODE #191: Cannabis Regulation in the UK - Update with Robert Jappie, Partner at Fieldfisher

    EPISODE #191: Cannabis Regulation in the UK - Update with Robert Jappie, Partner at Fieldfisher

    On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Robert Jappie of Fieldfisher - a European Law Firm with a strong Life Sciences practice.
    We explore cannabis regulation in the UK, and overcoming opposition in the industry as well as the wider challenges facing the medical cannabis industry, including political support and lack of research and funding.
    The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.
    Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

    About Robert Jappie
    Robert Jappie is a partner at Fieldfisher, a European Law Firm with a focus on Life Sciences and Tech industries. He is a Regulatory Lawyer and specialises in emerging Life Sciences sectors, providing regulatory and commercial representation to a range of nascent industries. He has particular expertise in Cannabis Regulation, Psychedelic Medicines, Food/Agri-Tech and Healthcare, and is considered one of the foremost legal authorities in the UK on the UK and European cannabis industry. Robert has advised many of the well-established cannabis companies operating in the UK and EU, and has provided regulatory support for a number of M&A and Capital Markets transactions.


    Resources
    Connect with Robert on LinkedIn: https://www.incegd.com/en/our-team-london/robert-jappie
    Fieldfisher’s Website: https://www.fieldfisher.com/en

    • 32 min
    EPISODE #190: Exploring Cannabis Use Disorder with Will Lawn of King’s College London

    EPISODE #190: Exploring Cannabis Use Disorder with Will Lawn of King’s College London

    On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by Will Lawn of King’s College London - an internationally renowned university delivering exceptional education and world-leading research.
    We explore cannabis use disorder, the concept of addiction as a spectrum, as well as the biological underpinnings of cannabis use disorder, potential treatment options, and the link between cannabis and tobacco use.


    The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.
    Get in touch at www.luminorecruit.com/

    About Will Lawn
    Dr Will Lawn is a psychology lecturer and psychopharmacology researcher at King's College London. By taking a multi-disciplinary approach, Will investigates the short and long-term effects of recreational drugs on the human mind and brain, as well as researching the therapeutic applications of cannabinoids and ketamine.


    Resources
    Connect with Will Lawn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-lawn-51724b215
    King’s College London’s Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/

    • 41 min
    EPISODE #189: Patient-Centred Medical Cannabis with Carly Barton, Alex Fray, & Charlie Price

    EPISODE #189: Patient-Centred Medical Cannabis with Carly Barton, Alex Fray, & Charlie Price

    Can the legal cannabis industry provide affordable and high-quality medicine for patients?


    On the latest episode of The Cannabis Conversation, we’re joined by my good friends, Carly Barton from Cancard - the largest patient advocacy group in Europe - and Alex Fray and Charlie Price GLO - a British medical cannabis company headquartered on the Isle of Man.


    We explore the importance of community and patient-centred approaches to medical cannabis, as well as controlling the entire supply chain, from cultivation to distribution, in order to provide patients with choice. 
    Support the crowdfund raise, help them grow, and let's improve patient access to quality medicine! 🌿 https://www.seedrs.com/grow-organics


    The Cannabis Conversation is sponsored by Lumino - a boutique HR and Recruitment Agency specialising in building high performance teams for the European Cannabis Industry. They work in three main verticals: Commercial, Medical and Plant Facing.
    Get in touch atwww.luminorecruit.com/


    About Alex Fray
    Alex has held a range of positions including CEO, CFO and COO in regulated industries over the last 20 years. He is currently a Director within the Isle of Man Government's Department for Enterprise, advising the Government on cannabis and biomedical sectors. Having worked in both start-up and SME environments, he understands how to grow businesses with great culture. He is a qualified accountant with IPO experience.

    About Charlie Price
    Charlie has an academic background with a  BSc, MSc and 6yrs PhD research in integrated farming and Ecotoxicology. A proven entrepreneur having co-founded both a £50m turnover renewable energy imports business as well as a social enterprise that developed horticultural projects in 5 continents and over 20 countries.

    About Carly Barton
    Carly Barton, a former arts lecturer, exhibited at Tate and Saatchi gallery. Health issues led her to discover Medical Cannabis as a more effective substitute for treating Fibromyalgia, lupus, and post-stroke Neuropathy. Now, she advocates for patient access to medical cannabis, advising UK and international advocacy groups. As the first UK patient prescribed herbal cannabis privately since the 2018 law change, she strives for NHS prescriptions to set a precedent. Carly initiated Carly's Amnesty and co-founded Cancard, connecting police, doctors, patients, and MPs to ease fears of interference. Cancard, Europe's largest patient advocacy group, represents over 80,000 registered medical cannabis patients. Carly, dedicated to advocacy, is currently Chief Community Officer at Grow Lab Organics.


    Resources
    Connect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-fray-a1934a11
    Connect with Charlie on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-price-2290901b5
    Connect with Carly on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-barton-11a098181
    Cancard’s Website: https://cancard.co.uk/
    GLO’s Website: https://growlaborganics.com/

    • 40 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
15 Ratings

15 Ratings

oliviabaker13 ,

Educational, engaging, and insightful 🙏

Whether you’re a canna-sseur or just canna-curious - this is a must-listen podcast! Anuj is an excellent host and does a fantastic job leading conversations with thought leaders, scientists, and other experts in the cannabis space. This is an engaging and professional show that covers global legal and business trends, new medical and scientific developments, and the many positives of cannabis! Highly recommend listening and subscribing.

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