Jordan Stephens, best known as one-half of music duo Rizzle Kicks, has partnered with medical cannabis clinic Alternaleaf to launch a campaign highlighting men’s mental health and the role of alternative treatments.
The campaign centres around a spoken word piece titled The Alternative Path, written and performed by Stephens, which explores nature’s role in supporting men’s mental health. The performance, filmed in a field outside London, has been released across social media channels throughout September.
Stephens is currently touring with Rizzle Kicks and last year released the Sunday Times best-selling book, Addiction, Drugs Heartbreak and Dogs. The mental health advocate has been open about his struggles, including being diagnosed with ADHD twice.
The campaign aims to address the fact that 12.5% of men in the UK have a mental health disorder, yet remain statistically less likely to seek help for mental health concerns, often waiting until crisis point before exploring treatment options.
Supporting the spoken word piece is a nationwide billboard campaign launched in September, featuring real-life stories of medical cannabis patients to raise awareness of the treatment option.
Since medical cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018, awareness and access have grown significantly, though it remains under-prescribed by the NHS. However, data from an Alternaleaf survey suggests that most NHS doctors would consider prescribing medical cannabis for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
“Men are often less likely to seek support for their mental health, which can mean many go without the help they need,” said Nabila Chaudhri, medical director 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.”
In a recent social media post, Stephens shared that he had only recently become aware that medical cannabis was “a real (and legal) alternative treatment for many physical and mental health conditions.”
“I’ve been open about my own struggles with mental health and have been diagnosed with ADHD twice,” the star said. “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.”
