The AusCannaPodcast

The AusCannaPodcast: The Truth About Medical Cannabis in Australia | Research, Regulation & Reality w/ Matt Shales

What happens when the science is advancing, patient numbers are growing, and outcomes are improving... yet stigma and misinformation continue to dominate the conversation? In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, Christina sits down with Matt Shales, Founder and CEO of MediCann Health and MediCann Clinics, for a wide-ranging discussion about the current state of medicinal cannabis in Australia and where the industry may be heading next. From patient access and clinic models to prescribing trends, product quality, education, and policy reform, Matt shares his unique perspective from the front lines of one of Australia’s leading medicinal cannabis clinic networks. They also explore some of the emerging research that isn’t getting nearly enough attention, including promising studies involving CBD and endometriosis, concussion recovery, and why real-world patient outcomes often tell a very different story from headline-grabbing laboratory studies. Along the way, they discuss: 🌿 Why high-THC products aren’t always the answer 🌿 The growing disconnect between experienced patients and traditional healthcare models 🌿 How stigma continues to influence policy, prescribing, and public perception 🌿 Why Australia’s driving laws remain one of the biggest barriers facing patients 🌿 The role education will play in the next phase of industry growth 🌿 What a truly patient-centred cannabis system could look like in Australia Most importantly, this conversation explores a question that continues to shape the future of medicinal cannabis: How do we bridge the gap between what the evidence is showing, what patients are experiencing, and what the broader community understands? Whether you’re a patient, healthcare professional, industry stakeholder, or simply curious about the future of medicinal cannabis, this episode offers an honest, balanced, and insightful look at where we are today and where we may be headed tomorrow. Chapters: * Rapid Fire (3:17) * The Endometriosis Trial No One’s Talking About (16:00) * Cannabis & Concussion: New Research (19:20) * Cannabis Stigma in Science & Medicine (21:00) * From Diver to Cannabis Founder (23:00) * Why Matt Started a Cannabis Clinic (25:25) * Are Clinics Actually Helping Patients? (26:58) * Managing Patient Expectations (Reality vs Hype) (29:15) * “We’re Not the Gatekeepers” (32:31) * When Doctors Get It Wrong (34:15) * The Truth Behind Product Recommendations (36:00) * CBD vs THC: What Patients Get Wrong (37:00) * The Future of Over-the-Counter CBD (39:00) * Aussie Growers Are Struggling (40:00) * The Ideal Cannabis System… Matt’s Vision (44:02) * Driving Laws vs Reality (49:45) * Matt’s Call to Action… Hemp for Animals, Environment & More (56:01) Show Notes: * Ananda Hemp and Ecofiber [https://anandahemp.com.au/pages/endo-relief-cream-consumer-medicine-information] * Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics [https://www.sydney.edu.au/lambert/] * Hemp Brothers [https://www.hempbrothers.com.au] * Cannabinoids in Traumatic Brain Injury Study [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10026409/] (Funding for this project was provided by MediCann Health Aust Pty Ltd.) Where to Find Matt Shales: * Matt on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-shales-57b29b1a3?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_android] * MediCann Health Website [https://www.medicannhealth.com.au] Where to Find Christina: * @AusCannaReviews on SubStack [https://auscannareviews.substack.com] * @AusCannaReviews on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/auscannareviews] * @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/AusCannaReviews] * 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email AusCannaReviews@gmail.com [AusCannaReviews@gmail.com] * 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/auscannapodcast] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit auscannareviews.substack.com [https://auscannareviews.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The AusCannaPodcast: Why Australia Still Criminalises Cannabis with Miles Hunt

Cannabis reform in Australia is no longer a fringe issue… but why does meaningful change still feel so slow? In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, Christina sits down with lawyer, activist and former Senate candidate Miles Hunt for a wide-ranging conversation about cannabis prohibition, harm minimisation, politics, stigma and the future of reform in Australia. Miles shares his journey from working inside the legal system to becoming a public advocate for cannabis and drug law reform, including the personal risks and stigma that can come with speaking openly about cannabis in Australia. Together, they discuss: 🌱 Why prohibition has failed ⚖️ Medicinal cannabis driving laws 🏛️ Why politicians may privately support reform but publicly avoid it 🧠 Media fear mongering and public perception 💊 Pill testing and harm reduction 🏡 Hemp industries and sustainable futures 🔥 Why MardiGrass remains so important for the movement 📈 Whether Australia could legalise cannabis within the next decade This episode is thoughtful, honest, hopeful and deeply grounded in the reality of where cannabis reform currently sits in Australia. Chapters: * Rapid Fire (3:06) * From Lawyer to Drug Law Reform Advocate (13:22) * Why Adult Use Markets Reduce Harm (16:01) * The Risks of Public Cannabis Advocacy (17:39) * Parenting, Stigma & Speaking Publicly (19:00) * First Impressions of MardiGrass (23:40) * Stigma vs Science in Cannabis Prohibition (26:38) * Why Does Australia Still Criminalise Cannabis in 2026? (29:01) * Media Fear Mongering & Public Perception (31:31) * Pill Testing & Harm Reduction (34:50) * Why Australia Needs Federal Cannabis Frameworks (36:36) * What Realistic Reform Looks Like (39:39) * Hemp, Sustainability & Economic Opportunity (41:44) * What Keeps Miles Optimistic (45:12) * Final Thoughts & Where To Follow Miles (49:01) Show Notes: * On The Road - Jack Kerouac [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Road] * Thievery Corporation [https://thieverycorporation.com] * Eathan Nadelmann MardiGrass Talk [https://www.facebook.com/nimbinmardigrass/videos/if-you-missed-sundays-hemposium-talk-with-ethan-nadelmann-entitled-its-not-all-a/1291430049112082/] * Drug Law Reform Australia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_Law_Reform_Australia] * Unharm Website [https://www.unharm.org] * Sydney Morning Herald Article from 2013… Lawyer: ‘I’ve used drugs’ [https://www.smh.com.au/national/lawyer-ive-used-drugs-20140413-36ljv.html] * Hempcrete [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hempcrete] Where to Find Miles: * Miles on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mileshuntsenatecandidate/] * Miles on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MilesHuntNSW/] Where to Find Christina: * @AusCannaReviews on SubStack [https://auscannareviews.substack.com] * @AusCannaReviews on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/auscannareviews] * @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/AusCannaReviews] * 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question? Email AusCannaReviews@gmail.com [AusCannaReviews@gmail.com] * 💚 Want to support the podcast? Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/auscannapodcast] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit auscannareviews.substack.com [https://auscannareviews.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The AusCannaPodcast: Creating Space: Kyla de Clifford on Cannabis, Community & Curiosity

This episode of AusCannaPodcast was recorded fresh off the back of Nimbin MardiGrass 2026. Christina sits down with Kyla de Clifford from CannaCuriousAus and Ruby Mary Botanicals to unpack the real heartbeat of MardiGrass beyond the headlines, including the very first Women’s Morning Tea, a space Kyla had dreamed of creating for years before finally bringing it to life this year. Together, they explore the cannabis community, women’s health, stigma, perimenopause, cannabinoids, patient education, storytelling, and why emotionally safe conversations matter just as much as access itself. This episode moves between laughter and vulnerability as Kyla opens up about her own changing relationship with cannabis, the importance of journaling and understanding your body, and the power of community in an industry that can still feel isolating and heavily male-dominated. More than anything, this episode is about connection. About the spaces we create for each other. About fighting stigma through honesty. And about the people quietly holding the cannabis community together behind the scenes. 👉 Got a Rapid Fire? Email them to AusCannaReviews@gmail.com. 💚 Want to support the podcast? Tap the Buy Me a Coffee link in the show notes! Chapters: * Rapid Fire (2:40) * Why 2026 MadriGrass Felt Different (8:20) * The Story Behind the Women’s Morning Tea (9:15) * Buddy Systems, First-Timers & Finding Your Place (10:45) * Hempcrete, Hemp Farming & The Future of Hemp (12:30) * Why Women Need Different Cannabis Conversations (15:14) * Dry Vaginas, Shame & Safe Spaces (24:01) * The Hidden Labour of Cannabis Advocacy (27:11) * Politicians, Grassroots Movements & Changing Perspectives (30:12) * Why Nimbin Still Matters (35:33) * The Things You Learn During End-of-Life Conversations (38:29) * People Need Better Access to Feeling Understood (40:39) * Everybody Needs Cheerleaders (42:30) * Kyla’s Hopes For Women In The Future (45:00) * Final Thoughts (47:40) Show Notes: * Chumbawamba - Tubthumping [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5uWRjFsGc&list=RD2H5uWRjFsGc&start_radio=1] * Nimbin MardiGrass [https://nimbinmardigrass.com] * High on Hormones: Women, Sex and Cannabis [https://www.facebook.com/nimbinmardigrass/videos/964876993138282/] Where to Find Kyla de Clifford: * @CannaCuriousAus on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/cannacuriousaus] * Kyla on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyla-de-clifford-81182758] * @CannaCuriousAus on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@cannacuriousau] * Ruby Mary Botanicals Website [https://www.rubymarybotanicals.com.au] * The Canna Curious Podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/2tTghWFeRmvAoml4yE2WwC?si=8316f18fba7747ef] Where to Find Christina: * @AusCannaReviews on SubStack [https://auscannareviews.substack.com] * @AusCannaReviews on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/auscannareviews] * @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/AusCannaReviews] * Email AusCannaReviews@gmail.com [AusCannaReviews@gmail.com] * Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/auscannapodcast] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit auscannareviews.substack.com [https://auscannareviews.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The AusCannaPodcast: The Future of Women’s Health Cannabinoid Therapy

In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, Christina McMullan sits down with pharmacist Neda Beric from CannCompounding to explore the evolving role of cannabinoid therapies in Women’s Health. Neda works directly with prescribers and patients to develop and refine compounded cannabinoid formulations tailored to individual needs. Her approach is grounded in real-world patient feedback, where treatment is continuously adjusted based on lived experience, symptom response, and quality of life outcomes. This episode highlights a shift in Women’s Health care towards more responsive, individualised treatment models, where patient experience is not an afterthought, but a core part of clinical decision making. 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question you want me to ask a guest? Email them to AusCannaReviews@gmail.com. I love including questions from the community! 💚 Want to support the podcast? Tap the Buy Me a Coffee link in the show notes! In this episode, we cover a lot of topics, including: * Rapid Fire (2:16) * Why Women’s Health Needs More Attention (10:19) * How Compounded Cannabis Actually Works (13:45) * A Real Patient Journey (Start to Adjustment) (15:01) * Hormones, Cycles & Why Timing Matters (18:05) * Perimenopause & Unpredictable Treatment Needs (20:01) * When Treatment Isn’t Working (And What to Do) (22:50) * Small Tweaks, Big Changes (25:02) * The Role of Patient Feedback (26:00) * Why Patients Just Want to Feel Normal Again (28:00) * What Patients Wish Doctors Understood (31:30) * The Future of Cannabis in Women’s Health (32:18) * Fast-Acting Formulations & Nano Tech (33:40) * Don’t Give Up: Finding What Works for You (37:00) * Reducing Stigma & Final Takeaways (41:00) Show Notes: * Alan Watts [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts] Where to Find Neda and Cann Compounding: * Cann Compounding on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/canncompoundingpharmacy?igsh=bnZzN3E1ZTcwOWdh] * Cann Compounding Email Compounding.sa@cannhg.com.au [compounding.sa@cannhg.com.au] * Cann Compounding on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cann-compounding-group/posts/?feedView=all] * Cann Compounding Website [https://www.canncompounding.com.au] Where to Find Christina: * @AusCannaReviews on SubStack [https://auscannareviews.substack.com] * @AusCannaReviews on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/auscannareviews] * @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/AusCannaReviews] * Email AusCannaReviews@gmail.com [AusCannaReviews@gmail.com] * Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/auscannapodcast] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit auscannareviews.substack.com [https://auscannareviews.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The AusCannaPodcast: Before the Patient: Genetics, Trust, and the Future of Cannabis

What if the most important part of your cannabis experience happens before the plant is even grown? In this episode of the AusCannaPodcast, I sit down with Chase, founder of Umami Seed Co., to explore the world of cannabis genetics, phenohunting, and what it really takes to create a cultivar worth building around. With over 20 years in the space, Chase shares how a single decision early in his growing journey sparked a lifelong obsession with breeding, and why today, that same process can take years to refine. We unpack the reality behind phenohunting, why most cultivars never make the cut, and what separates something that’s simply “good” from something that truly stands out. But this conversation goes deeper than genetics. In an industry where patients often don’t see what happens behind the scenes, we explore the role of trust, how much of the cannabis experience is shaped at the genetic level, and why flavour, terpene profiles, and subtle chemical differences can completely change how a product feels. From the early days of weed to global expansion across medical markets, this is a grounded, honest look at the evolution of cannabis and the people shaping its future. 👉 Got a Rapid Fire question you want me to ask a guest? Email them to AusCannaReviews@gmail.com. I love including questions from the community! 💚 Want to support the podcast? Tap the Buy Me a Coffee link in the show notes! In this episode, we cover a lot of topics, including: * Rapid Fire (2:28) * Falling in Love with Cannabis Genetics (15:15) * From Brick Weed to Boutique Bud… It’s a Stark Difference! (18:45) * Trust, Genetics & Industry Transparency… Is Cannabis Built on Trust or Blind Faith? (22:50) * No Compromise Philosophy (29:15) * What Keeps Chase Up At Night? (30:12) * The Reality of Pheno Hunting (33:55) * Terpenes, Flavour & the “Umami” Concept (40:01) * What Makes a Cultivar “10/10” (42:00) * Patient Perspective: Effects vs Genetics (44:58) * Global Cannabis: Regulations & Chaos (52:01) * Prefecting Craft Cannabis on a Global Scale (53:44) * Classic vs Modern Breeding… Why both can coexist (56:30) * Passion Over Profit (60:02) * Where to Find Umami (64:00) Show Notes: * Umami Seed Co YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@umamiseedco] * Terpene of the Month: Terpinolene [https://open.substack.com/pub/auscannareviews/p/terpene-of-the-month-terpinolene?r=24t34k&utm_medium=ios] Where to Find Chase: * Umami Seed Co on Twitter/X [https://x.com/Umamiseedco] * Umami Seed Co on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/umami.seed.co/umami] * Umami Seed Co on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/umami-seed-co-tm/] * Umami Seed Co on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/umamiseedco/] * Umamai Seed Co Website [http://www.umamiseedcompany.com] Where to Find Christina: * @AusCannaReviews on SubStack [https://auscannareviews.substack.com] * @AusCannaReviews on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/auscannareviews] * @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/AusCannaReviews] * Email AusCannaReviews@gmail.com [AusCannaReviews@gmail.com] * Buy Me A Coffee/AusCannaPodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/auscannapodcast] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit auscannareviews.substack.com [https://auscannareviews.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]