In this episode, Kyla sits down with Bee Mohamed for a deep, behind-the-scenes conversation on health policy, patient advocacy, and the realities of building change inside broken systems.

Bee shares her journey from working in Parliament House under the Minister for Women, to frontline advocacy work during the rise of prescription medication dependency and overdose, to entering the medicinal cannabis sector with a simple hope: access, affordability, and human rights for patients.

Together, Kyla and Bee unpack the difference between “advocacy” as branding versus advocacy as lived experience, why harm reduction conversations can be uncomfortable (but essential), and what brave leadership looks like when profit pressures collide with patient care.

This episode touches on heavy topics including female genital mutilation (FGM) and medication-related deaths with care, context, and a strong focus on how change actually happens.

Content Note

This episode includes discussion of:

• Female genital mutilation (FGM)
• Prescription medication dependency, overdose, and death

Please take care while listening.

What We Cover

• What it’s like to witness “political will” actually create change
• The rise of prescription dependency: opioids, benzodiazepines, and polypharmacy
• Why reforms like real-time prescription monitoring matter (and what they can/can’t fix)
• How Bee entered medicinal cannabis — and what she hoped would be different
• The ongoing barriers for patients: access, affordability, stigma, and driving laws
• Why roadside drug testing debates often miss the point (presence vs impairment)
• What “patient advocacy” really looks like in practice
• The tension between values and commercial structures — and how misalignment shows up in the body
• Can harm reduction exist inside a commercial model?
• “Corporate cannabis” and the missed opportunity to build true patient education
• Grief, integrity, and the moment you realise you can’t self-compromise anymore
• Bee’s definition of brave leadership: remembering why the industry exists at all

Links & Resources

• Bee Mohamed: @mata_gathering
• Harm Reduction Australia: Harm Reduction
• Drive Change campaign (drug driving reform): https://www.drivechangemc.org.au/tag/drug-driving/
• SafeScript / real-time prescription monitoring (Vic): [link]

If this episode hit something in you send it to a friend who’s tired of “just coping.”

And if you’re a clinic, brand, or organisation in this space: come talk to us. Harm reduction doesn’t have to be scary. Patient safety is not optional.

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Connect with Kyla de Clifford
Instagram: @cannacuriousaus
TikTok: @cannacuriousau
YouTube: @cannacurious

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Disclaimer:
We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice. Everything shared here is based on our personal lived experiences and the stories of others. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or wellness routine.