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Share your story

If you would be happy to share your story with us, then we want to hear from you. At Releaf, we believe that the most powerful way we can educate people about medical cannabis is through the voices of our patients.

Did you know?

It was the stories of individual patients and their journeys with medical cannabis that led to the change in law in 2018, allowing the first prescriptions of full spectrum cannabis-based medicines to be issues on the NHS.
There remain so many misunderstandings and a great deal of stigma when it comes to medical cannabis in the UK, we know that sharing the journeys of our patients is key when it comes to supporting others with deciding whether medical cannabis might be a suitable treatment option for them. That’s where you come in.

Record a short testimonial

Tell us about your experience with Releaf! How is your medical cannabis treatment journey going? What did you think of your Starter Kit? How have you found the level of care from our team?

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Chloe's Journey

Condition Endometriosis

Subscriber 2 years

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Maxim's Journey

Condition Chronic Pain

Subscriber 2 years

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Jess' Journey

Condition Fibroymyalgia

Subscriber 2 years

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Daisy's Journey

Condition PTSD

Subscriber 2 years

Video thumbnail featuring Daryl discussing Releaf wellness services
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Daryl's Journey

Condition Anxiety & Depression

Subscriber 2 years

Video thumbnail featuring Carla discussing Releaf wellness services
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Carla's Journey

Condition Endometriosis

Subscriber a year

Video thumbnail featuring Wojciech discussing Releaf wellness services
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Wojciech's Journey

Condition Insomnia

Subscriber 2 years

Video thumbnail featuring Hollie discussing Releaf wellness services
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Hollie's Journey

Condition Chronic Pain & Anxiety

Subscriber 2 years

Tips for recording:

  • Use a plain background
  • Wear a light neutral-coloured top
  • Have your phone camera on selfie mode, portrait orientation
  • Place your phone on a stable surface at eye level (use a tripod if you have one)
  • Make sure your face is well lit, ideally by natural light (sit in front of a window if possible)
  • Video should be no more than 45 seconds long

Not sure what to say? Here’s a suggested structure for your video:

  1. Introduce yourself: your name, your condition(s), how long you’ve been a patient with Releaf

  2. Let us know what you love most about being a Releaf patient. Some ideas might include:

    • The care you’ve received from our team

    • Your experience with our prescribing doctor

    • Our online patient platform

    • The Welcome Box and its contents

    • Your Releaf medical cannabis card

  3. How is your medical cannabis treatment impacting your life? Can you do things now that you were unable to do before?

Submit your video

Patient Stories

This patient interview series delves into the personal stories of our patients, shining the light on what life was like for them before they had access to medical cannabis, exploring what it was like to discover Releaf and how their treatment has improved their quality of life.
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Alistair’s story: Discovering the Life-Changing Impact of Medical Cannabis for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

Alistair lived in a small village on the border of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and, until a few years ago, worked in senior management roles for large national companies. However, following a difficult journey with his health, which began following a motorcycle accident when he was just 17, Alistair relied heavily on codeine to manage his symptoms.

Anthony’s story: Making life work around irritable bowel syndrome

Anthony has lived with gastroenterological problems for 25 years, with symptoms significantly affecting his everyday life. Now retired and living in Cheshire, he has tried a range of prescription treatments, over-the-counter remedies, and restrictive diets to manage his symptoms, but nothing seemed to provide long-term relief.

Sonia’s story: Living a more functional life with medical cannabis for epilepsy

Sonia lives in Plymouth, Devon, with two of her children and her cat, accompanied by the occasional canine visitor who she looks after for friends. This, in addition to working nights in a factory, means that Sonia needs to be able to function effectively, which she feels she was unable to do when taking prescribed medications for her epilepsy.

Alex’s story: Living with chronic pain and discovering a new lease of life

After suffering an injury a few years ago, which left him with chronic pain in his left arm, Alex had become disheartened by the lack of efficacy and side effects he had experienced with conventional pain medications. Working in trauma orthorpaedics, he had come across several people who had tried medical cannabis to manage their pain, and when a friend mentioned Releaf, he decided to explore the option for himself.

James’s story: Why I choose medical cannabis over painkillers

When you couple ligament damage with arthritis, the resulting inflammation and pain can be almost relentless. James felt it in both knees, every time he climbed the stairs, every time he knelt on a job, and even just when he tried to keep pace at work.

Phil’s story: Tackling depression and managing pain with medical cannabis

Phil Lofty, a veteran of 16 years with the Royal Signals, has struggled for many years with anxiety and depression, as well as chronic pain from arthritis and undergoing a knee replacement. Having initially dismissed the possibility of securing a medical cannabis prescription, he was relieved and surprised to discover the benefits that medical cannabis could offer him.

Natalie’s story: Overcoming anxiety and PTSD with the “beauty of medical cannabis”

Natalie lives with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) and an anxiety disorder, which, as for many people, worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the years, Natalie has tried several treatment options, which, while effective in lowering her anxiety levels, were often associated with intolerable side effects.

Ryan’s story: Supporting cancer treatment with medical cannabis

Ryan works in a plastics manufacturing factory in Lincolnshire, where he is also co-parenting his son and daughter. Since recovering from an initial cancer diagnosis a few years ago, he has been able to enjoy golfing, going horse riding with his daughter, and go-karting with his son.

Carol’s story: Managing fibromyalgia and chronic pain with the power of nature

Carol Hawkes has suffered from fibromyalgia and chronic pain since a traumatic surgery fifteen years ago. While she has been prescribed several types of medications to manage the pain, she was never able to find a solution that worked for her without impacting her life and well-being.

Shane’s story: From lifting in the gym to lifting pain with Releaf

For Shane, mental and physical fortitude have always been part of her life. She grew up in a family of weight trainers and competed in bodybuilding, which pushed her body to the limit.

Jackie’s story: Sleeping, swimming, and walking again thanks to prescribed cannabis oil for fibromyalgia

Some say that nurses make the worst patients, but for us Jackie has been a dream - and her very real transformation has been nothing short of remarkable. Now using prescribed medical cannabis oil to manage her fibromyalgia symptoms and restless leg syndrome, Jackie is able to enjoy the things she loves like long walks with dogs, and she has even been able to take up a new hobby: open water swimming.

Matt’s story: Managing Tourette’s, arthritis and anxiety with a Releaf prescription

Being diagnosed with Tourette’s in your 40s is not something any of us ever expect to face. For Matt, it arrived totally out of the blue during the isolation of COVID, reshaping his health, his work, the way he saw himself, and his ability to be comfortable in social situations. Added to the arthritis and anxiety he was already managing, it became a turning point that pushed him to explore alternative, holistic treatment options.

Adrianne’s story: Gaining patience, balance, and energy while living with ADHD

Like many, Adrianne has lived with ADHD all her life, but the path towards an actual diagnosis was anything but straightforward, and only came a few years ago.

Steven’s story: How medical cannabis helped battle PMR pain and walk freely

For Steven, Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR), fibromyalgia and a gout-like condition ensured every day was filled with pain. As a retired school teacher, business owner and former carer for his parents, Steven said he’d lived ‘a rich tapestry of various experiences’, but at 71 he found himself having to say goodbye to hobby after hobby. From DIY, to walking, to gardening, Steven found himself struggling to keep up with daily life, let alone with the things that made his heart sing.

Tory’s story: From policing to finding myself again with medical cannabis

Tory had always been able to manage with life’s hurdles and complications. As a long-serving police officer, she’d seen a lot, heard a lot, and felt a lot - but her mental health eventually started to falter during a painful divorce. Turning to her GP, Tory was prescribed antidepressants, but they left her feeling like it was impossible to connect with herself, let alone those who relied on her at work.

John’s story: Why a retired doctor chose medical cannabis treatment

John is a retired medical doctor and pharmacist living in Leeds. Over the course of his long and varied career, he worked across the NHS and private sector, taught at two universities, and specialised in clinical research and clinical trials. 

Andy’s Story: Building better days with a Releaf medical cannabis prescription

Meet Andy, a long-term Releaf patient who has found positive health outcomes through medical cannabis treatment for not just his rheumatoid arthritis, but also found that it helped ease the complex set of health issues that followed. 

Paul’s story: From stigma and fines to safety and peace of mind

Paul’s story is one of struggle, persistence, and eventual relief. A workplace accident left him with lasting damage to his back and leg. Surgery followed, but instead of recovery, he was left with constant pain that shaped every part of his life. Work became impossible, and the toll on his well-being grew heavier with time.

Kelly’s story: from pain and fatigue to rest and routine

Kelly’s world is rarely quiet. Between full-time work in the homeless service and a home shared with four dogs and a cat, she’s never short on responsibility.

Hollie’s story: from backstreet cannabis to safe, legal, effective treatment with Releaf

After 5 years of chronic pain due to a major spinal injury and complications with surgery, Hollie faced a daily regimen of heavy painkillers that caused nothing short of horrible side effects. That was until she saw an advert for Releaf, and decided to see if medical cannabis could help. 

Harry’s story: From slipped discs to working, walking, sport, and travelling again

Harry’s story begins with a work injury that changed everything. Three slipped disks in fact, an extremely debilitating injury which regularly resulted in him not being able to physically show up for his role as a substance abuse nurse, and also gave up the activities that once defined his week. Football, rugby, and gym sessions slipped out of reach, and with them came weight gain and a growing sense that life was shrinking.

Davids’ story: Healing childhood trauma with medical cannabis

Like many of us, and for most of his life, David has carried the effects of childhood trauma and heavy anxiety. After losing his father far too early, in an age when grief just wasn’t acknowledged or spoken about in the way it is in 2025, he was left to navigate the weight of that loss, to a certain extent, alone.

Chris’ story: From post-polio pain to peace of mind with Releaf medical cannabis

When chronic pain is your baseline, it takes away so much and eventually shapes your entire sense of self. It’s not just the pain, but all those everyday losses that come with it.

Charles’ story: A soldier, a master builder, a dad - and now a medical cannabis success story

Charles is a master builder, a Royal Army veteran, and now a new dad living off-grid in Cornwall. He’s also one of a growing number of patients who no longer see cannabis through the lens of stigma, but as a considered part of looking after both body and mind.

Simon’s story: Migraines, misery, and the medicine that moved me forward

Simon’s life has always been shaped by sound. A musician (and later a DJ) since he was able to pick up a guitar, his passion for music led to a long career performing, teaching, and sharing music with others.

Lisa's story: The fight against fibromyalgia with medical cannabis

Battling a serious, long-term health issue (especially one that comes with intense, unpredictable pain) is hard enough on its own. But when it takes years to get an accurate diagnosis, and medical professionals lack a full understanding of how to test for or treat your condition, it can feel like a never-ending uphill battle.

Joe's story: The treatment that transformed my life

When Joe first considered medical cannabis, he was a little sceptical. He’d heard the stereotypes and misconceptions, and even though he’d tried cannabis in the past, he wasn’t sure if cannabis-based treatments were right for him, or, if they’d even work.

Darren’s story: The unexpected solution that transformed my sleep

After trying meditation, over-the-counter sleep aids, and natural supplements (unfortunately with no consistent results), Darren found himself stuck in a cycle of restless nights and groggy mornings. As a company director with a demanding job, two children, and wanting to maintain an already active lifestyle, the impact of chronic sleep deprivation was becoming increasingly difficult to handle.

Matthew’s journey: A new approach to managing anxiety and depression

From a very young age, Matthew has struggled with his mental health. Traditional pharmaceutical options were prescribed to treat his anxiety and depression, but they were accompanied by side effects that left him feeling worse. Finding a long-term solution felt impossible.

Peter’s story: How medical cannabis helps me manage daily life

For many adults on the spectrum, navigating daily life comes with unique challenges, from processing information to managing sensory overload. Peter, a Releaf patient since June 2024, has found that medical cannabis has helped him approach life with more patience and ease.

Lukas’ story: Easing physical and psychological trauma with medical cannabis

Lukas’s journey with medical cannabis is a little different from most. A retired police officer, he began searching for an alternative treatment after finding little relief with conventional pharmaceuticals.

Marlyse's story: Roller skating, resilience, and recovery - my journey with medical cannabis

Next in our series of patient stories, we meet Marlyse. Prior to arriving at Releaf, Marlyse had endured months of agony after a freak rollerskating accident left her with intense injuries. Although various conventional treatments such as opiates and even spinal surgery were prescribed and offered some relief, Marlyse’s pain continued to disrupt almost every facet of her day-to-day life.

Debs' story: After 40 years of nursing, medical cannabis helps manage MS.

As a career army nurse turned psychotherapist, Debs has dedicated decades of her life to the care of others. She’s seen her fair share of battles, but a few years ago she faced one of her toughest and most personal challenges yet: a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

Scott's story: Sleeping through the night and taking back control

For almost a decade, Scott battled seemingly relentless neuralgia pain, cycling through ineffective medications with no real relief. Doctors prescribed antidepressants, blood pressure tablets, and other pharmaceuticals, all of which were promised to bring some semblance of peace to Scott's frayed nerves, but nothing worked.

Gerard’s Story: From opioid dependence to effective relief with medical cannabis

Gerard's story is one of perseverance, determination, and an unwavering commitment to finding a solution that works for him. Despite facing a literal onslaught of health challenges, he never gave up and has now found a treatment that not only manages his symptoms effectively but adds to his overall quality of life.

Jodie’s story: Natural solutions for menopause symptoms

Meet Jodie: a resilient Reiki Master Practitioner who courageously battled breast cancer a decade ago. Although her treatments with cancer medications and chemotherapy were successful, they also led to the discovery of other serious conditions like lupus, and triggered premature menopause, which she’s been dealing with ever since. For years, Jodie has suffered with chronic pain, anxiety and severe insomnia, usually only managing to get a few hours of sleep every night.

Kim's story: From sceptical school teacher to medical cannabis advocate

Next in our continuing series of patient stories, we meet Kim, a retired art teacher who has been living with a painful spinal condition for nearly 40 years.

Louise’s story: Cancer, courage, and compassionate treatments.

For Louise, life changed forever in April 2022 when she discovered a lump on her chest. The next two and a half years were a whirlwind of doctor's appointments, surgeries, aggressive treatments, and a host of unexpected setbacks that affected not only her health and wellbeing, but also her wedding, which had to be postponed due to surgery complications.

Kieran’s story: Tackling arthritis and breaking stigma

Living with arthritis since his late 20s, Kieran's journey to effective treatment has been anything but straightforward. From misdiagnoses and unhelpful medications to the daily pain that impacted his work and well-being, he struggled to find relief.

Isabelle’s story: A pathway to clarity and calm with medical cannabis

Isabelle’s story is a reminder of the complexity of the human experience, and a true testament to how, when given the right tools, overwhelming long term health challenges can quickly become manageable.

Amber's story: Fighting chronic pain and insomnia with a personally tailored treatment plan

Amber is a mother of three who moved to the UK from Canada 14 years ago. Since she was a child, Amber faced a myriad of health challenges, including joint pain, stomach issues and insomnia linked to a chronic connective tissue disorder.

Jean’s Story: A life of purpose and service while living with MS

Jean’s story is one of quiet resilience, a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to adapt and thrive even amidst life’s unavoidable struggles.

Eric’s story: Ending a 13-year battle with insomnia with medical cannabis

After a car accident triggered his Restless Leg Syndrome, Eric was trapped in a cycle of insomnia, fatigue, and frustration that affected every aspect of his life.

Matt’s story: Healing the mind and body after a life-changing plane crash

After a catastrophic plane crash shattered his shoulder, Matt’s entire life changed.

Jackie’s story: Persistence through pain and the power of medical cannabis

Jacqueline's health journey has been one of setbacks, surgeries, and ongoing struggles with arthritis and chronic pain, both of which contributed to mental health challenges.

Martin's story: Embracing medical cannabis to manage chronic pain

Living a healthy, active lifestyle has always been a top priority for the dad of four and full-time illustrator and printmaker, Martin. But due to the chronic pain from Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) and spinal arthritis, each day is a balancing act between managing his symptoms, pursuing his creative work, and getting all the other day to day stuff done.

Mary’s story: Living life to the fullest in her golden years

As more mainstream research shows the benefits of medical cannabis in treating chronic illness, the surrounding stigma in the UK is steadily declining. At Releaf, we’re seeing an increasingly diverse range of people of different ages, religions and ethnicities come through our doors looking for holistic solutions for chronic health issues.

Peter's Story: Opioids vs. medical cannabis for chronic pain — A paradigm shift

Like so many people in the UK looking for alternative treatments for chronic nerve pain, Peter wasn’t aware that medical cannabis had been available in the UK on prescription since 2018. For years, he suffered with trigeminal neuralgia, an excruciating nerve condition, until a chance encounter that led him to Releaf’s doors, where he connected with doctors who understood the complexity of his condition.

Georgia's story: From misdiagnosis to managing ADHD

Misdiagnosed with anxiety and depression in her early teens, Georgia spent years on medications that she never felt quite addressed the root of her struggles.

Ethan’s story: Reclaiming mobility after a work-related back injury

Ethan was an active hiker and mountain biker before a back injury robbed him of his mobility, making it hard for him to move around his home and perform simple, everyday tasks—let alone walk the trails of the Scottish Highlands.

Ollie's story: ADHD solutions for a father of three

Ollie is a 38-year-old father of three whose diagnosis with ADHD came only a year ago, sparking a profound reflection on the coping mechanisms he had adopted throughout his youth—most notably, his battle with alcoholism that led to a life-altering arrest for drink-driving at the age of 25

Hannah’s story: From pharmaceutical panic to plant-based positivity

At Releaf, we recognise just how much courage it takes to break free from social and societal norms and begin to advocate for your own healing.

Elisei's story: A father turns to medical cannabis to heal from a work-related injury

Have you ever been forced to work through an injury? To just grin and bear it? This is a decision that thousands of people in the UK face every day. For so many of our patients suffering with chronic pain, taking months off work to heal from work injuries was never a realistic option.

Chaos’s Story: From Fibromyalgia Pain to Relief with Medical Cannabis

For years, Chaos has lived with the debilitating effects of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. Fibromyalgia is only just starting to be properly recognised in the conventional medical community, even though it affects millions of people worldwide.

Maruis’s Story: Stability and Relief with Medical Cannabis Treatment

Maruis’s story is one of trauma, struggle, and resilience in the face of seemingly relentless health challenges. Diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, along with osteoarthritis, he faced exhausting day-to-day battles, such as bouts of vivid night terrors and debilitating, life-limiting side effects from an exhaustive list of prescription drugs.

Ben’s story: Freedom from pharmaceuticals with medical cannabis

Ben had been battling anxiety and depression for nearly two decades when, seven years ago, he was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Despite years of being prescribed pharmaceutical treatment options like SSRIs and opioids, he still felt weighed down by their side effects.

Omar's story: How treating both mind and body led to IBS solutions

Omar, 31, is a theatre director who, for years, has battled chronic pain and discomfort due to Irritable Bowel Syndrome. His story is an important one, because it highlights the difference between the holistic approach to healing that Releaf provides, and the conventional one that focuses on physical symptoms.

Carla's Story: Music and medical cannabis: Regaining control after years of pain and anxiety

I've actually been on this journey since about 12 years old, when I first started getting my period. From my very first period, I experienced more than normal levels of pain, and I was bleeding throughout the month.

Thomas’ Story: Allowing himself the space to relax through the fog of anxiety

Most of us love nothing more than a bit of rest and relaxation. That feeling of letting everything go, and just being in the moment. But for 36-year-old Thomas, finding the mental space to relax can be a bit of an issue.

Into the Woods: Ryan’s story of pain and perseverance

Ryan’s passion is the outdoors, and there’s nothing he loves more than a long hike through the forest with his trusty dog. For years, Ryan’s pain disconnected him from the natural world. Now, his recent treatment with medical cannabis is finally offering hope.

Maxim’s Story: A Path Through Chronic Pain

I’m Maxim, a 20-year-old from Haywards Heath, with a passion for sales. I’d say I’m a pretty outgoing, yet, ordinary person. I’m enthusiastic about work, and I love to be sociable and meet up with my friends or go out with my girlfriend, like most twenty-something's do.

James’ Story: Sleep Solutions - journeying back to calm and clarity

At Releaf, we are dedicated to providing safe, effective treatments that enhance the quality of life for those navigating chronic health conditions. James’ story is an important one, because it draws attention to one of the most common and debilitating conditions faced by many of our patients: severe, chronic insomnia.

Coming into Focus: How a retired filmmaker found relief for his chronic pain without the use of opioids

The growing evidence of medical cannabis’ effectiveness in treating chronic pain is slowly reshaping how we approach health and wellness. However, many GPs in the UK are still quick to prescribe addictive medications like opioids and benzodiazepines before looking at safe, alternative solutions like medical cannabis.

Laura & Harry’s story: How medical cannabis changed Harry's life

For mum Laura, helping her son Harry through a number of health challenges has been a journey filled with ups and downs. Finding the correct diagnoses was a long and frustrating process, as has been managing Harry’s ongoing medical needs.

Rhona's story: From chronic pain to finding strength for gardening and living

Rhona's story is one of resilience and determination. After years of battling through chronic pain and sleeping issues without being able to find a real diagnosis, Rhona was coming to the end of her rope.

Educating through experience: How Hollie uses medical cannabis to manage her chronic pain

One of our primary goals at Releaf is to remove the stigma associated with medicinal cannabis, and that’s why Hollie’s story is so important.

Josh’s story: Fighting back after a surgery gone wrong

Having your health taken away from you, through no fault of your own, is terrible - especially for someone so used to being extremely active.

For my kids: A proud dad’s battle against anxiety

Daryl is a young dad who suffers from anxiety and depression. For his kids, he knew he had to find a solution. After conventional medicines only made things worse, Daryl reached out to our clinicians at Releaf and began his journey with medical cannabis.

Brandon's Comeback: influencer boxing and his fight against chronic anxiety

Brandon is a 27-year-old who has faced the challenges of anxiety, autism, Asperger's syndrome, and ADHD throughout his life. For many years, he felt isolated, and his conditions often prevented him from engaging in social circles and made him a target for bullying.

Lauren’s Story: Freedom from anxiety and arrest

For far too many patients in the UK, finding legal treatment options that are effective and without the burden of heavy side effects can be difficult. To add to the struggle, navigating the complex healthcare and legal systems can often leave patients feeling lost and alone.

Matt's Story: From curly kale to medical cannabis, how Michelin star chef Matt manages his MS

As humans, we like to learn from others because we feel inspired by them, because there is strength in numbers, and that’s something we’re naturally comforted by. And, at Releaf, sharing patient voices and their experiences with medical cannabis is something we’re committed to, for exactly these reasons. We want to champion our patient’s voices to diversity the conversation, covering all sorts of health conditions treatable with medical cannabis, by speaking to patients one on one about how their health, life, and overall wellbeing, has changed since becoming a Releaf patient.

Daisy’s Story: Prejudice, professionalism, and PTSD

As human beings, it's part of our intrinsic, instinctual nature to learn from those around us, and to use the experiences others have had to help guide or inform our own. And in the world of medical cannabis, this is no different.

If you would like to share your perspective with us, get in touch today.

Are you a content creator?

Whether you’re a patient with Releaf already or interested in beginning your journey with medical cannabis, we’re on the look out for influencers and content creators to help us share the patient experience. Want to get involved?
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Chloe filming a video about Releaf medical cannabis treatment
Chloe filming a video about Releaf
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Mari filming a video about Releaf
Person filming a video about medical cannabis treatment at Releaf
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Zoe filming a video about medical cannabis treatment for Releaf
Zoe filming a video about Releaf