Accelerating research and public education for natural medicines by prioritizing lived experience, science advocacy, and community engagement.
The Network of Applied Pharmacognosy (NAP) is a non-profit founded in 2023 by Dr. Riley Kirk, PhD, and Dr. Miyabe Shields, PhD, dedicated to reducing barriers between scientific research, the evolving industries of cannabis, psychedelics, and natural products, and the communities who rely on these substances for wellness and healing. NAP centers its work on real-world use, acknowledging that many individuals—especially those from vulnerable, underserved, and stigmatized populations—use cannabis and other natural products as essential components of their health routines. Through evidence-based harm reduction, inclusive research design, and lived-experience-led science, NAP empowers consumers, patients, and researchers alike to safely explore and understand the therapeutic potential of these compounds within the context of their lives with informed consent and self-determination.
Research that Resonates - Voices from Our Community:
“I felt very seen and involved with the movement of changing the stigma”
“...[participating in] your study directly shows me how much non consumption days are difficult mental health days [...] your work is gonna help so many people gain access to the plant.”
“The rare works you two produce save and enrich lives including my own. What is being done is ground breaking.”
Despite growing public interest and real-world use, cannabis and other natural medicines remain largely excluded from mainstream research and medical frameworks. This gap disproportionately affects underserved populations—those who often rely on these substances for managing chronic conditions, mental health, and neurodivergent experiences when conventional pharmaceuticals have failed or caused harm. Current clinical models are built around standardized pharmaceutical interventions, leaving little room for personalized, plant-based approaches that reflect lived experience. As a result, the voices of those who benefit most from natural medicines are often ignored, stigmatized, or outright excluded from research. NAP exists to shift that narrative by creating space for community-led science that is reflective, inclusive, and based in real-life healing.
Recent Updates from Our Research, Education, and Advocacy Blog:
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.
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