Dr Callie Seaman, a leading UK plant scientist and co-chair of the Cannabis Industry Council, joins Hannah Deacon and Professor Mike Barnes for the latest episode of the What’s Your Why podcast.
Callie is a formulation chemist with over 20 years experience in the hydroponic industry. Whilst completing her degree in biomedical sciences she worked for GlaxoSmithKline within the drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics department, before going on to complete a PhD in fertiliser chemistry and setting up a liquid fertiliser manufacturing company.
Now an established professional in the field of medicinal cannabis, working with cultivation facilities across the globe, Callie recently set up Sunnyside Consultancy, helping new businesses navigate the cannabis space.
As she shares in this episode, Callie sees this as much more than a job or a career, but her life’s ‘mission’, the seeds of which were first planted when she was diagnosed with epilepsy over 20 years ago.
In this episode, Callie shares how her dad made the decision to grow cannabis to help manage her condition and the huge impact it has had on her life since then.
As a patient Callie is passionate about educating people about cannabis and helps to support patients as a voluntary director of Medcan Family Foundation and on the advisory board of a number of patient groups.
Callie speaks to Hannah and Mike about the moment she first realised she no longer needed to feel ashamed about using cannabis as a medicine and her efforts to tackle the stigma and advocate for wider access ever since.
“If society is going to accept it as a medicine, we need to give that terminology, we need to use that language to make people feel comfortable, we’ve got so many old age pensioners who would benefit so much. The focus needs to be on the patients who need that support, who need clinicians to guide them through it.”
And in her role as the Co-Chair of the Cannabis Industry Council she shares some of the work being done closely with the UK sector and government to bring about much-needed change.
“I would like to see a minister for cannabis, I would like to see a whole department for cannabis, which encompasses everything, and those people become experts in it. We are going to be putting more papers forward, we’re looking at GP prescribing and making sure patients have a voice and can connect with industry.”
Hear more from Hannah and Mike’s interview with Callie below or via your usual podcast app.
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