For decades, cannabis has lived in a research dead zone. Federal prohibition has blocked meaningful grants, limited clinical trials, and left millions of people with cancer relying on anecdotal evidence for treatment rather than data.
As founders of E.R.I.C. Cancer Playbook, we refused to accept that. If institutions didn’t collect the data, patients and the people supporting them would.
That’s how our journey began seven years ago in Oklahoma, where we distributed more than 20,000 grams of full extract cannabis oil (FECO) to cancer participants through partnerships. What started as a compassionate access effort has evolved into a model for patient-driven research, powered by what’s known as patient-reported outcomes, or PROs.
By recording symptom relief, dosing, and quality-of-life changes, PROs fill in the evidence gaps left by federal inaction—and they’re now one of the best and only tools available to move the science forward.
While the program is still young, about 100 participants have completed the full E.R.I.C. Cancer Playbook protocol so far, each receiving seven grams of FECO weekly. Through our Oklahoma and Colorado partnerships, we’ve saved participants more than $500,000 in medicine costs, distributed 20,000 FECO syringes for a penny each, and proved that compassion and data can coexist.
In Oklahoma, participants contribute just $10 per week. In Colorado, the model is pay-what-you-
can-afford: Participants donate what they can afford to E.R.I.C. Cancer Playbook and receive a coupon redeemable for high-quality FECO at our dispensary partner, Native Roots Cannabis.
The results have been profound. Ninety-eight percent of participants report improved quality of life. Fifteen percent report measurable anticancer effects, such as tumor shrinkage or normalized markers. Ten percent have achieved complete remission, while only two percent report no effect.
Beyond the numbers are stories that defy expectation—a 6-year-old undergoing aggressive chemotherapy who stayed energetic thanks to what he called his “black medicine for my tummy.”
These outcomes are why we keep going.
On Oct. 23, we officially launched the Colorado FECO Program at a packed event at Native Roots’ Colorado Boulevard store. Among those attending was Ean Seeb, the Colorado Governor’s Special Advisor on Cannabis and Natural Medicine.
The program is exclusively available through Native Roots’ store at 2645 S. Santa Fe Drive.
Our team recently presented at the Society of Cannabis Clinicians’ 3rd Annual Medical Cannabis Conference in Denver, where roughly 200 clinicians gathered. Their response was overwhelmingly positive: Many claim our program was one of the most promising innovations they’d seen in years.
Why does this matter? Because PROs give us a path forward when clinical trials can’t. Each participant’s digital “Playbook” merges self-reported data with insights from our 10,000-study meta-analysis to generate personalized recommendations based on real-world outcomes.
These aggregated data help identify effective cannabinoid ratios, dosing ranges, and symptom-specific strategies. They also give physicians a research-backed framework for discussing cannabis use safely and responsibly with their patients.
Through collaborations with the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, Institute of Cannabis Research, xCures, and the Whole Health Oncology Institute, we’re expanding the model to new states—including New York and Florida.
And as we document this next phase in an upcoming docuseries, one thing remains constant: Real-world data will drive real-world change.
The Cancer Playbook encourages patients to consider cannabis as part of their cancer care from the outset rather than as a last resort. Every data point collected brings us closer to understanding how cannabis can be precisely and effectively used in cancer treatment. Their initiative represents a pivotal step forward in transforming anecdotal evidence into actionable medical insight. Cannabis is improving and saving lives for those suffering from cancer, and now the data is finally proving it.
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