Accelerating research and public education for cannabis, psychedelics, and other natural medicines by prioritizing lived experience and community engagement.

“I felt very seen and involved with the movement of changing the stigma”

- 2023 Research Participant

The Network of Applied Pharmacognosy (NAP) is a non-profit founded in 2023 by Dr. Riley Kirk, PhD and Dr. Miyabe Shields, PhD that aims to bridge the gap between academic research, the evolving cannabis, psychedelics, and natural products industries, and the community of patients and consumers who benefit from these medicines to amplify the immediate impact of research and education in rapidly evolving spaces.

NAP launches “Stoner Science Breaks the Stigma” - a public education campaign that directly engages the community!

Recent Updates from Our Research, Education, and Advocacy Blog:

Featured
The Emerald Cup
The Emerald Cup
Read More →
Cannabigerol (CBG) and anxiety
Cannabigerol (CBG) and anxiety

Cannabigerol (CBG) is a minor cannabinoid that is on its way to becoming major. Sometimes referred to as the “mother of all cannabinoids,” CBG has recently become more available due to the rise in new genetics and product diversity. Read on to learn more about the new research emerging on CBG’s ability to reduce anxiety!

Read More →
Balance + the Endocannabinoid System
Balance + the Endocannabinoid System

The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) regulates the body by counterbalancing other biological systems. It’s an influential component to maintaining homeostasis in our body. If we can better predict and understand the role of various cannabinoids and enzymes in the ECS, we can in turn more reliably understand their effects on biological disorders and their accompanying symptoms.

Read More →
New Cannabis Research Project Seeks to Learn What’s Behind the “Science of Smokeability”
New Cannabis Research Project Seeks to Learn What’s Behind the “Science of Smokeability”

This two-year, first-of-its-kind research initiative will combine laboratory research with consumer feedback to analyze cultivation and processing metrics to determine the factors that contribute to the most pleasant and least harmful smoking experience.

The Science Behind Smokeability

Read More →
Enzymes - Living Machines that Control Nature’s Chemical Diversity
Enzymes - Living Machines that Control Nature’s Chemical Diversity

If receptors are like switches that control different systems and functions, then enzymes are like different tools in the tool belt to construct, break apart, and modify molecules. All of the molecules in cannabis we enjoy like cannabinoids and terpenes are created by enzymes and this is also going on inside our own bodies too where enzymes play a key role in the endocannabinoid system! Read on to learn more about the amazing, but often underappreciated living machines that control nature’s chemical diversity.

Read More →

Support Independent Research

In order to accelerate research on highly politicized and newly liberated options, NAP is a nonprofit, independent research organization that relies upon the support of our community and collaborations with aligned industry and academic partners. Our research projects prioritize information and feedback from the community, we communicate our findings directly to the general public as a primary focus, and we always investigate social context and framework of the past, present, and future work in our fields of interest. This is in contrast to the standard approach to research and medical science communication and public education. By working outside of the influence of any major university, hospital, or product/private industrial company, we aim to highlight new narratives and democratize the process of research for our communities.

Collaborators and Sponsors: