How Dr. Riley Kirk Is Using Science to Dismantle Cannabis Stigma
From toxifillers.com with love
Dr. Riley Kirk is a cannabis research scientist and educator dedicated to transforming our understanding of natural plant medicine. With the release of her debut book, Reefer Wellness: Understanding Cannabis Science, Culture, and Medicine, she has created an all-encompassing book that’s a natural extension of the content that made her a prominent figure on social media, where she breaks down complex cannabis chemistry for everyday consumers with a blend of rigorous yet easy-to-understand science and cultural reverence.
In this interview, Dr. Kirk shares her origin story from TikTok science and cannabis advocate to published author, why she believes cannabis culture can’t be separated from its medicinal value and how education is the most powerful tool we have to reduce stigma and use the plant more effectively.
Making Cannabis Chemistry Accessible
When Dr. Kirk started sharing cannabis chemistry on TikTok (@cannabichem), she says she wasn’t trying to become a science communicator but was filling a knowledge gap. “I was inspired to start sharing information online because I didn’t see anyone else doing it,” she says. “So I knew there was definitely a need for it.”
At the time, Dr. Kirk was helping teach a university-level cannabis chemistry and pharmacology course, which cost students thousands of dollars. “I think this information should be free and accessible to anybody who’s consuming cannabis,” she says. “That way, we have a better idea of how this plant works in the body and can better tailor this medicine to our own body and brain.”
Dr. Kirk’s social media advocacy work began one day when she was “bored and curious,” she opened TikTok and hit record. “From the first video I posted, it started to take off, she says. ” Viewers quickly engaged, asking questions and requesting topics, which led her to build a steady stream of content. “I’ve never run out of things to talk about on social media, and I don’t think I ever will. That’s the beauty of cannabis; there’s always something to talk about.”
That initial curiosity and passion for accessible education eventually evolved into her debut book, Reefer Wellness: Understanding Cannabis Science, Culture, and Medicine. Dr. Kirk says the idea was sparked when a literary agent (and longtime follower) reached out with a publishing proposal.
“She said, ‘Hey, I’ve been following you for a long time. I think people would really love to see this information in book form.’” At first, Dr. Kirk turned her down. “I was like, no, thank you. I’m not ready for that.” But a few years later, the agent reached out again—and this time, she said yes.
The resulting book is a deeply personal, science-based guide to cannabis education with a deep connection to preserving cannabis culture. Dr. Kirk says that even the original working title, Reefer Wellness, came to her during a creative haze. “I got really high and created a mood board with all the different words I was thinking about including in the title,” she says [laughs].
Though the title changed before publication, she says the original idea was to flip the fear-based messaging of Reefer Madness on its head. “The title was born from using science to reverse the stigma,” she says. “Reefer Madness runs deep. People are still regurgitating outdated information from 30 years ago because they don’t know we have 30,000 new publications talking about the science behind cannabis.”
Writing for Her Younger Self and a Wiser Community
Dr. Kirk says she wrote the book with her community in mind, grounding the content in feedback from her audience. “When creating the outline, I made sure to hit on everything I’ve talked about on TikTok, especially the heavy-hitting subjects where consumers said, ‘I needed this information. This really helped me lock in my cannabis use,” says Dr. Kirk.
She also used the writing process to explore topics she hadn’t covered on social media. “Like cannabis and fertility or dry herb vaping, I realized there were things I hadn’t discussed but knew fit into the vibe of what I’d already talked about.”
Ultimately, Dr. Kirk wrote the book for her younger self. “I wish I had this resource when I first started using cannabis,” she says. “It’s not financially accessible for someone to try 50 different strains and five consumption methods to figure out what works. So it’s about pairing daily consumer knowledge with science to reduce barriers and give people a good starting point.”
Respecting the Roots: Cannabis Culture Is Medicine
Making cannabis chemistry digestible for a general audience has become one of Dr. Kirk’s strengths. Her approach? Being herself. “I started as a stoner and became a scientist, so I was already part of this community. I look and talk and act like a stoner.” That authenticity builds trust. “It’s not like I’m a scientist asking people, ‘Tell me how you’re consuming.’ It’s all of us working toward this together.”
For a long time, cannabis research lacked public trust. “Most of our studies are government-funded, and the government has not been on our side with cannabis—and still isn’t,” Dr. Kirk says. She believes independent researchers must step up. “We need people who are ancillary, who are outside of the government, who the community can trust, to share these stories, to do research and say, ‘I’ll protect your data, your name, your legacy, but help me help the community.’” People want to contribute to something bigger than themselves, she says, and many “believe in this plant because it improves their quality of life so much.”
In Reefer Wellness, Dr. Kirk explores cannabis not just as a plant but as a cultural and medical phenomenon. “You cannot take the culture out of cannabis,” she says. “You have a completely different respect for the plant and the people behind it when you learn about its history. A lot of this culture is about methods of consumption, like learning how to roll a joint properly, learning what strains you like.” She believes cannabis was “meant to be shared” and used communally, something lost in its commercialization.
That commercialization is also why Dr. Kirk emphasizes education as a harm-reduction strategy. “As consumers become more educated, they understand it’s not just THC; each strain has different medicinal value,” she explains. “When we isolate THC and jack up the doses, that’s when we start to see adverse effects.” Her goal is to guide people toward whole-plant products. “Cannabis isn’t like a pharmaceutical. You need a chemistry and pharmacology lesson just to understand its nuances [laughs].”
Dr. Kirk believes that the more educated people become, the more they think about quality and that awareness can ripple into other areas of wellness, like food and supplements. “Once you dive in, you get obsessed because it makes you feel better or more social… like you’re blooming.”
Science for Everyone, From Breeders to Budtenders
Reefer Wellness also explores cannabis science topics, from the entourage effect to minor cannabinoids for breeders and advanced consumers. This is in part to help educate readers about the complexities and nuances of different cultivars from terpene, cannabinoid and flavanoid profiles. “I hope they take away that cannabis is complex. I always say: weed is not weed is not weed. It’s not all the same.” Understanding cannabis as personalized medicine requires listening to your body and educating yourself. “I love budtenders. They’re some of the nicest people in the world. But it’s not their job to teach you how cannabis works in the body.”
One of the most pressing issues Dr. Kirk sees in the space is the need to move away from the focus on THC. “We need to return to whole plant medicine not just to reduce adverse effects but to ensure the plant always has a place at the table,” she says. She’s a staunch advocate for the right to grow cannabis at home. “It should be a fundamental right,” she says. “There’s nothing dangerous about growing this plant. I don’t know where that misconception came from,” she says.
So, how does Dr. Kirk help people tune into their personal cannabis journeys in an increasingly commercialized market? “Cannabis helps you feel more in tune with your body,” she says. She encourages people to journal, noting whether a strain helped them sleep and tracking details like compound content and grower. “That helps with intention. It helps you understand your body better. Cannabis can teach you a lot, but you have to be listening in order to learn,” she says.
A Tabletop Companion for Cannabis Curiosity
At its core, Reefer Wellness is designed to be accessible. “There are these little ‘nugs of knowledge’—little consumer insights—throughout the book,” Dr. Kirk says. “It’s meant to be a tabletop book you can open at any point and still learn something, whether you’re a seasoned consumer or brand new.”
More than anything, she hopes the community feels seen by it. “I hope the community loves it as much as I loved writing it.”
Reefer Wellness: Understanding Cannabis Science, Culture, and Medicine is available now.
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