SANTA ROSA, CA – The Network of Applied Pharmacognosy (NAP) is a fiscally sponsored
nonprofit organization focused on studying the real world applications of cannabis and other
natural products from the lens of patient and consumer priorities. Their inaugural survey is the
first fully inclusive, longitudinal study aimed at evaluating the positive benefits of cannabis use
over time.
The study is a collaboration between NAP and MoreBetter (creators of the Releaf App), a
software, data, and research company lowering the barriers to collect and understand Real
World Data. The goal of this study is to ask consumers their daily use patterns for two weeks,
along with a baseline questionnaire taken to gather participants for future collaborative studies.
“There’s a need and opportunity to bring the cannabis community together to crowdsource
better insights on the use and impact of different cannabinoids, terpenes, dosing regimens, and
administration forms,” says Tyler Dautrich, COO at MoreBetter. “This campaign will lay the
groundwork for important work in the future.”
This anonymous survey will be used to inform researchers about real-world data and trends
within the cannabis community. This includes difficult questions that have not been asked before
like cannabis use and pregnancy, cannabis and driving, cannabis and pharmaceutical use, and
cannabis and neurodivergence.
The founders of NAP are two radical stoner scientists who met on TikTok. Both Dr. Riley Kirk,
PhD and Dr. Miyabe Shields, PhD have their PhDs in pharmaceutical sciences, but each
specializes in their own step of the drug discovery process.
“We’re like the two halves of the major components of drug discovery: the molecules are Riley
and I’m the target in the body,” said Shields in a 2022 Forbes article.
The two worked together in the cannabis industry researching cannabis smoke and now hope to
advocate for cannabis consumers who are an underrepresented population in scientific
research. By increasing access to the drug discovery process through transparency of their own
experiences, Kirk and Shields are bridging the gap between the close-knit academic research
community and the millions of cannabis consumers who want to participate. Together they have
created a community of nerdy, informed, and responsible cannabis users, many of whom are
advocates in their communities. They consider themselves first and foremost part of the
cannabis community and have a combined following of 675K.
“I think that’s why [Miyabe and I] work well together,” said Kirk. “We both share a vision for the
future of cannabis science to be more practical and tangible to our community which is why
everyone on our scientific advisory board is someone who facilitates change.”
The inaugural scientific advisory board includes both Kirk and Shields along with Dr. Allison
Justice, PhD, The Dank Duchess, Marné Garretson, MPH, and Dr. Paloma Lehfeldt, MD.
The team’s first peer-reviewed scientific case study on the use of rare cannabinoids to help with
anxiety has already gone against the grain of traditional research conventions. The data from
the largest population of cannabis users from this current survey will inform us of real world
consumption patterns and guide future studies to be more impactful and relevant to the
community.
NAP is launching a major crowd-sourced fundraising campaign called “Stoner Science Breaks
the Stigma” to prove that there are alternative perspectives that should be included in the
science. To learn more or contribute a donation visit appliedpharmacognosy.org
The Network of Applied Pharmacognosy is a fiscally-sponsored 501(c)3 non-profit whose fiscal
sponsor is Inquiring Systems, Inc – EIN: 94-2524840.
The Network of Applied Pharmacognosy:
https://www.appliedpharmacognosy.org
info@appliedpharmacognosy.org
Socials: @cannabichem @miyabephd
MoreBetter (Creators of ReLeaf App):
https://www.linkedin.com/company/morebetter-ltd./
https://releafapp.com/research/
Socials: @relefapp
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