Associate Professor Vicki Kotsirilos is a respected general practitioner based in Melbourne with over 30 years of clinical experience. In 2016 she was honored to receive a Queen's birthday Honors award [AM] for Integrative Medicine, Health Practitioner Standards and Regulation, Medical Education and the Environment, and in 2017 received an Australia Day Environment Award. In 2007, Dr Vicki was awarded the General Practice Excellence award by AGPAL. Vicki is an adjunct Associate Professor with the University of Western Sydney, Monash University and La Trobe University, Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences. Vicki has served on a number of state and federal Government committees, such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration. She continues to work for the Medical Board of Australia (AHPRA) as a Performance Assessor and Auditor, and for the Professional Services Review. In her medical practice, Vicki integrates evidence based holistic therapies such as acupuncture and nutritional medicine with mainstream healthcare. She keeps up to date with the research in these areas and for lifestyle. For many years, Vicki has been a regular writer for Medical Observer publishing a monthly column on Integrative Perspectives and circulates research updates for Australian GPs. Vicki has successfully obtained 7 permits for Medicinal Cannabis to date and will discuss how she has managed to achieve this to help other doctors prescribe Medicinal Cannabis for suitable patients as well.

Professor Nicholas (Nick) Lintzeris is an Addiction Medicine specialist who has been involved for over two decades in clinical service delivery, research, professional education and policy activities in the field. He is internationally recognised as an expert in the treatment of opioid dependence, and has clinical and research interests in benzodiazepine, cannabis and psychostimulant use.

Joël Murray is a public policy writer who specialises in HIV, gay men’s sexual health and harm reduction. He works part time as Living Positive Victoria’s Senior Policy Officer and part time for his consulting firm Neophile. His current work includes medicinal cannabis access for PLHIV on behalf of NAPWHA and the removing barriers project for ASHM. He has been living with HIV since 2010.

Dr. Schecter is a Canadian expert in clinical aspects of cannabinoid medicine. He is the co-founder of the Cannabinoid Medical Clinic - Canada's first and largest clinic network dedicated to assessing patient suitability for cannabinoid medicine. Dr. Schecter is involved in numerous research and educational initiatives, and maintains a busy practice following thousands of patients using cannabis based medicines. He has lectured nationally and internationally and is a frequent visitor to Australia in his capacity as Chief Medical Advisor to Auscann.