About Us

Wholistic Research and Education Foundation

Medical use of cannabis is currently legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia, with a steady increase in both patients and medical practitioners. While CBD is not yet FDA approved for any conditions (with the notable exception of the recent approval of Epidiolex™ as anti-seizure medication), many NIH and international studies have shown promising results for a variety of conditions. These include cancer, acute and chronic pain, PTSD, Alzheimer’s disease, psychosis, insomnia and Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, according to the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), CBD does not have psychoactive properties and has no potential for abuse and no potential to produce dependence.

However, key gaps remain in the clinical and observational research for conclusive evidence on the therapeutic benefits of CBD, understanding of the specific mechanisms involved, and how the outcomes may vary based on generic differences.

As such, Wholistic Research and Education Foundation is dedicated to achieving the following mission:

Applying resources to gaps in existing research, leveraging a multi-disciplinary approach.

Educating the public and health care practitioners with research-driven data.

Driving evidence-based drug policy at the federal level by helping translate research results to impact policy.

“22.2 million Americans, 12 years of age and older, reported using cannabis in the past 30 days, and between 2002 and 2015 the percentage of past month cannabis users in this age range has steadily increased.

Yet, Unlike other substances whose use may confer risk, such as alcohol or tobacco, no accepted standards exist to help guide individuals as they make choices regarding the issues of if, when, where, and how to use cannabis safely and, in regard to therapeutic uses, effectively.”

— The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research, National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine, 2017

Our Objectives

  • Fund research to explore how CBD may impact serious health conditions, including sleep disorders, anxiety and depression, psychosis, inflammation, seizures, autism, neuro-generative disorders and cancer
  • Support the investigation of how genetic variations, modes of delivery, and varying doses of CBD, THC, or other cannabinoids may alter research outcomes for different populations.
  • Serve as a hub of information for the latest scientific research on CBD-rich therapeutics to doctors, patients and the general public to increase awareness.
  • Support the efforts of universities, physicians and other researchers to collect, aggregate, and publish data from patients to determine patterns of CBD efficacy—or lack of efficacy.
  • Conduct training workshops for medical practitioners, health workers and dispensary staff on the benefits and challenges of CBD-rich therapeutics.
  • Work with state and federal legislatures to improve safe and legal access to CBD-rich therapeutics.

Our Values

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Scientific

We will fund clinical and scientific research to explore new treatment avenues and offer efficacy validation on if, how, and why CBD may benefit certain conditions.

Holistic Icon

Holistic

We will explore and support holistic treatment options that address root causes of health issues and achieve synergies from combinations with other natural remedies.

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Change Agent

We will spread evidence-based data on the therapeutic effects of CBD to physicians, patients, industry professionals, legislature, and the general public at large.

“We still do not understand many fundamental cannabinoids mechanisms, such as which receptors in the brain they work through and how they cause changes in brain networks underlying attention, anxiety, pain and mood. Deciphering the personalized effects of CBD and THC will have a profound impact on how various cannabinoids may best be used for medical treatments.”

Jon-Kar Zubieta, MD, PhDChair of Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Utah