Mental health advocate and one half of music duo Rizzle Kicks, Jordan Stephens, is collaborating with medical cannabis clinic, Alternaleaf, to shed light on the role of alternative treatments in supporting mental wellbeing.
Stephens, who is currently touring with Rizzle Kicks as part of their comeback tour, has written and performed a powerful spoken word piece exploring nature’s role in supporting men’s mental health.
Statistics suggest that around 12.5% of men in the UK have a mental health disorder and remain statistically less likely to seek help for mental health concerns, often waiting until a crisis point before exploring treatment options.
The collaboration aims to shine a light on the challenges men face when speaking openly about their mental wellbeing, while also highlighting the role alternative treatments, such as medical cannabis, can play.
Stephens, who has spoken candidly about his own mental health, recently became a patient with Alternaleaf. His performance of the poem ‘The Alternative Path’, filmed in a field outside of London, has been released on Alternative Leaf’s YouTube and social channels through September.
“I’ve been open about my own struggles with mental health and have been diagnosed with ADHD twice,” Stephens commented.
“For me, this campaign is about showing that men don’t need to stay silent about what they’re going through. Speaking up and exploring different forms of support, whether that’s creativity, community, or medical help, can make a huge difference.”
Alternaleaf also rolled out a nationwide billboard campaign in September, which centres on the real-life stories of medical cannabis patients to raise awareness of medical cannabis.
Since medical cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018, awareness and access have grown significantly, though it remains under-prescribed by the NHS. Though this could be set to change – in a recent study conducted by Alternaleaf, almost 7 in 10 (68%) NHS doctors surveyed would consider prescribing medical cannabis for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Nabila Chaudhri, Medical Director at Alternaleaf, added: “Men are often less likely to seek support for their mental health, which can mean many go without the help they need. At Alternaleaf, we want to change that by raising awareness of the options available, including medical cannabis, which has already helped thousands of our patients.
“In a recent survey, 97% of patients reported improvements in their well-being and happiness, underlining the growing role of medical cannabis in patient care. Working with Jordan allows us to bring this important message to a wider audience in a way that feels both accessible and engaging.”
