Modern medicine in the U.S. and cannabis haven't always been friends. In fact, it's only been roughly 30 years since the first state-adopted medical cannabis (California in 1996). Since then, 41 other states and Washington D.C. have joined California by developing and launching medical cannabis programs, most recently in Kentucky, earlier this year. In 2023, ten states still have no medical cannabis program, although some states, like North Carolina, have legislation in the works to get closer.
Dr. Bridget Cole Williams is a practicing physician. Years ago, she came to an inflection point in her career practicing medicine, which led her to explore cannabis as a more holistic means of treating her patients. If you're reading this blog, chances are the concept of medical cannabis is not new to you. However, keep in mind it is for millions of people living in those ten states with no program, and Dr. Bridget decided to explore medical cannabis before it was mainstream.
Now Dr. Bridget is sharing those stories in her book series, "Courage in Cannabis: An Anthology of Stories Written by Heros." During our conversation with Dr. Bridget on the latest Move the Stairs podcast episode, a few things became clear to us.
Dr. Bridget believes in the healing power of the plant
There's still a lot of stigma surrounding the use of cannabis, recreationally or medicinally
The cannabis industry still has work to do to educate relevant audiences about the plant
You can listen to our conversation on the Move the Stairs™ podcast here. Or check out our top three Move the Stairs™ takeaways from our discussion with Dr. Bridget below.
Move the Stairs Moment 1: The patient experience matters, and it's not being talked about enough
Dr. Bridget is no stranger to changing the lives of her patience by prescribing medical cannabis, especially for those who are looking for an alternative, holistic approach to treating their medical issues. However, as Dr. Bridget discusses in the podcast, not enough people are putting emphasis on the patient experience and why that matters. This alone, as she outlines above, is the motivation for her publishing.
Move the Stairs Moment 2: Don't sweat interviews. Do be yourself, not a character
Sometimes it's easier said than done but when you're being interviewed, it's always best to be your most authentic self. Dr. Bridget explains it beautifully in the snippet above.
Move the Stairs Moment 3: Build brand resilience by diversifying your audience
Dr. Bridget hits the nail on the head with our final Move the Stairs moment. As an industry, we must do a better job reaching and educating people not in our own echo chamber. She explains how she's working to accomplish this tactic.