The AusCannaPodcast S4 | E3 : Reach One, Teach One: A Nurse’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis

In this episode, I’m joined by Deb Ranson, a Registered Nurse and Clinical Nurse Consultant who has spent her career championing patient-centred care while supporting and educating healthcare practitioners. We dive deep into the endocannabinoid system and why every healthcare professional should understand it, the challenges and barriers created by hospital and facility policies around medicinal cannabis, and the practical ways Deb is helping clinicians navigate these complexities through her platform, Bodhi Nurse.Deb shares her insights on bridging the gap between policy and practice, ensuring both patients and practitioners have access to accurate, evidence-based information, and advocating for changes that truly reflect patient needs. Her motto, “reach one, teach one,” guides her work and highlights how small shifts in education can create real, systemic change.Whether you’re a practitioner, a patient, or simply curious about cannabis in healthcare, this episode is packed with practical advice, advocacy strategies, and compassionate guidance for navigating this evolving field.👉 Got a Rapid Fire question you want me to ask a guest? Email them to [email protected]. 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 (2:17)* Who is Deb Ranson? (17:05)* What it was like to first become involved in the cannabis space (19:16)* 2016 was the year things changed… Cannabis education enters the hospital setting (22:20)* Reach One, Teach One (26:15)* Explaining the ECS (33:22)* The power of rebalancing your ECS… Happy Go Larry (39:22)* When the driving laws force patients to choose (41:11)* When the TGA wants evidence (43:17)* Working together so that patients are functional members of society (45:20)* The biggest challenges in hospital and facility policies around medicinal cannabis (49:27)* Don’t have a policy? Make one! (50:30)* Examples of facilities that are getting it right (54:50)* Hospital drug vault sigmas with no key (59:53) * Medications in a school setting… no touching! (62:01)* Where would we be without nurses? (65:05)* Deb’s call to action (69:01)Show Notes:* Dr Peter Grinspoon Books* Rocky Horror Picture Show * Requiem for a Dream* Cannabis Queens Book* Chico Babies * United in Compassion (UIC)* Drive Change* The Endocannabinoid SystemWhere to Find Deb Ranson:* Nurses’ Green Health Education Website* Bodhi Nurse* Email [email protected] to Find Christina Mc Mullan:* @AusCannaReviews on SubStack* @AusCannaReviews on Instagram* @AusCannaReviews on Twitter/X* Email [email protected]* Buy Me A Coffee/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