Founded by Heather Jackson and Paige Figi in 2013, Realm of Caring (RoC) began as a small, community-driven nonprofit – a lifeline for families seeking hope for their ailing children. Early on, RoC’s founding moms helped pioneer changes in medical cannabis laws across the United States. In fact, in the first 18 months, they helped change laws in 19 states, enabling families to legally access hemp-derived CBD therapies for conditions like intractable epilepsy. What started at the grassroots level in Colorado quickly evolved into a broader movement for education, advocacy, and change. Over the past 12 years, RoC has revolutionized how patients, caregivers, and even lawmakers approach cannabis, chipping away at stigma and influencing policy nationwide. Medical cannabis is now legal in the majority of states – a shift due in part to relentless advocacy by RoC and the families it empowered. This transformation from a local support network to a nationally respected leader exemplifies the theme “From Grassroots to Global,” as RoC’s impact now reaches far beyond its humble beginnings.
Milestones in Research: ORR and Scientific Breakthroughs
A cornerstone of RoC’s success has been its commitment to research. Recognizing the lack of data on cannabinoid therapy, RoC partnered with Johns Hopkins University to launch the Observational Research Registry (ORR) – an online, IRB-approved study tracking health outcomes in cannabis users and non-users over time. Since its launch in 2016, the ORR has grown into the largest cannabinoid therapy research program in the United States. This long-term registry has allowed researchers to gather invaluable real-world evidence on how people use cannabis and hemp-derived CBD, the benefits they experience, and any risks involved. In collaboration with Johns Hopkins, RoC published its first peer-reviewed study from ORR data in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, marking a major milestone in legitimizing CBD therapy with scientific evidence. The study found that participants using artisanal (non-pharmaceutical) CBD reported greater health satisfaction, improved sleep, and lower anxiety and depression compared to non-users. Notably, adults using CBD even saw fewer hospital visits and sick days, highlighting tangible improvements in quality of life. These findings provided hard data to back up what families had been reporting anecdotally for years – that cannabis therapies can profoundly improve well-being.
RoC’s research momentum hasn’t stopped there. Nearly half a dozen papers have been generated or are in progress from the ORR, covering conditions from epilepsy to anxiety and chronic pain. In 2022, for instance, RoC and Johns Hopkins researchers surveyed 808 patients with neurological or pain-related disorders; 77% reported positive effects from medicinal cannabis, including reduced pain (28% of respondents), improved sleep (18%), and less anxiety (22%). Such real-world data are helping to fill gaps in clinical knowledge. It’s no surprise that RoC’s Executive Director Sasha Kalcheff-Korn emphasizes leading with science. As Matthew Lowe, PhD (RoC’s Senior Director of Research) noted, “large-scale research is a necessary, ethical, and essential safeguard to minimize negative side effects and adverse reactions.” – a testament to RoC’s leadership in generating evidence. The registry’s success even led to a federal research collaboration: in 2023, RoC joined as a collaborator to an NIH-funded project awarded to Johns Hopkins to develop a national medicinal cannabis use registry. This project, known as the Cannabis and Health Research Initiative enrolls first-time users in the National Cannabis Study while lending the data to a greater repository, open for academic collaboration. From a grassroots data-gathering effort to a nationally recognized research initiative, RoC has firmly established itself as a scientific authority in the cannabis field.
Advocacy Wins: Championing Access and Policy Change
While building the science, RoC has never lost sight of its advocacy roots. The organization was born from advocacy as parents fought for their children’s right to try a natural therapy. That spirit continues to drive RoC’s work today. Breaking the cannabis stigma has been a central focus: RoC “stands out for its unwavering commitment to empowering individuals seeking cannabinoid therapy” and has a remarkable story of dismantling cannabis stigmas through education and outreach. Each personal story of healing shared, each public presentation or media appearance, has chipped away at misconceptions and fear. The results are evident in shifting public opinion – as Heather Jackson puts it, “…we are seeing this therapy move to the forefront as an option instead of a last one”. Back in 2012, discussing CBD openly was controversial; today, doctors themselves refer patients to RoC for guidance, a clear sign of progress.
RoC has also been on the front lines of policy advocacy. Beyond the early wave of state-level CBD legislation (e.g. “Charlotte’s Web” laws), RoC continues to engage policymakers to ensure safe and sensible cannabis regulations. In Colorado, for example, when an overly restrictive hemp bill (SB 205) threatened patient access, RoC sprang into action “in overdrive to protect access to these life-saving medicines.” Heather Jackson and the RoC team rallied stakeholders and helped get the bill amended to strike a balance – protecting consumers from unsafe products without cutting off access to full-spectrum hemp options. This is just one instance of RoC’s advocacy wins. Nationally, RoC has lent its voice to federal efforts like the push for an FDA regulatory framework for CBD and the call to deschedule cannabis from Schedule I, which would remove barriers to research and access. As a nonprofit, RoC isn’t motivated by profit, but by compassion and justice, speaking up so that no family has to uproot their lives or break the law to get a chance at wellness. Each advocacy victory (big or small) means more people can access cannabinoid therapies without stigma or legal peril.
Community Support and Education: Empowering Thousands
Even as it grew globally, RoC has remained deeply committed to community support. At its heart, RoC is about people helping people. Over 12 years, RoC’s Care Team has provided free, personalized guidance to tens of thousands of clients around the world. Whether it’s a parent desperate for administration support for their child’s seizures, a veteran seeking alternatives for pain management, or an elderly patient curious about CBD for arthritis – RoC’s specialists are there to listen and help. The organization offers one-on-one phone consultations, email support, and an array of educational resources, all at no cost. In fact, RoC has fielded over 260,000 inquiries through its call center, totaling more than 2.5 million minutes on the phone providing support and information, a staggering indicator of both the need and RoC’s dedication. These interactions often turn into relationships; many who once were callers in crisis have become members of the RoC family, celebrating improvements and sharing their journeys.
Education is another pillar of RoC’s mission. The team curates a Research Library and weekly informational blogs, hosts monthly webinars on topics ranging from cannabinoid basics to the latest scientific findings, and even runs virtual support groups and a community book club. All these efforts align with RoC’s belief that knowledge is power. By equipping patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals with evidence-based information, RoC helps individuals make informed decisions about cannabis therapy. The website itself is a rich resource – a hub where you can find dosing guides, FAQs, a glossary of terms, and even a portal for medical professionals seeking education on cannabinoid treatments. This commitment to education and support has built a global community. RoC has become an educational resource for consumers, physicians, scientists, governments and the media, bridging the gap between the scientific world and the public. In doing so, it empowers families to advocate for their health and fosters a compassionate community united by the goal of improving quality of life through plant-based therapy.
Challenges and Hope: The Road Ahead
As we celebrate how far RoC has come, we also candidly acknowledge the ongoing challenges that remain. Despite much progress, legal and financial hurdles still hinder the full potential of cannabinoid therapy. Access and policy are at the forefront. Because cannabis remains a Schedule I substance at the federal level, research is harder to conduct and patients in some states still struggle with limited access or confusing regulations. The stigma hasn’t vanished overnight either; misconceptions linger in some corners, and RoC’s work in educating the public and healthcare community must continue with vigor. Another challenge is research funding. As Heather Jackson has openly noted, RoC is a traditional nonprofit and “needs aligned industry partners, philanthropic donors and the community to invest in our impact if we are truly going to make a big difference.” Unlike commercial enterprises, RoC relies on grants and donations to fund its research and outreach programs – and securing those resources is a constant struggle in an industry that is still finding its footing.
Yet, the tone is overwhelmingly hopeful. Each year on National CBD Day, we’re reminded of how dramatically the landscape has changed in a short time and how RoC’s persistence has contributed to that change. Cannabis therapies that were once considered fringe are rapidly moving toward mainstream acceptance. People from all walks of life are now exploring hemp-derived CBD and medicinal cannabis as wellness options, often at the recommendation of their doctors, which was unheard of a decade ago. The data collected and published by RoC are validating the benefits (better sleep, less anxiety, improved well-being) that early adopters experienced. Policymakers are slowly coming around, evidenced by bipartisan efforts to create sensible regulations and even interest from federal agencies in studying cannabis. The road hasn’t been easy – and there is much work ahead to ensure equitable access, continued research, and the dismantling of outdated stigma – but RoC’s journey so far proves that change is possible when passionate people unite around a common cause.
Joining the Mission: How You Can Help
Celebrating 12 years is not just about looking back – it’s about forging ahead with even greater determination. Realm of Caring’s story is still being written, and you can be a part of its next chapter. How? By lending your support and voice. If RoC has touched your life or you believe in the power of this work, consider making a donation – big or small, every bit fuels critical research and keeps vital education and support services free for those who need them. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, RoC relies on community generosity to continue its programs and to fund groundbreaking studies that could inform the medical community and change policy. You can also directly participate in research: the Observational Research Registry is always seeking more contributors. Enrolling in the ORR (which is open to anyone, whether you use cannabis or not) is a simple but impactful way to advance knowledge. Your anonymous survey data becomes part of the evidence that researchers and policymakers look at when shaping the future of cannabis therapy. And of course, you can spread the word – share RoC’s resources with friends, join its webinars, or become an advocate in your own community.
On this 12th birthday and in celebration of National CBD Day, we at Realm of Caring are filled with gratitude and optimism. Together, we’ve come so far – from a few families searching for hope, to a global community tens of thousands strong. Yet our work is far from finished. By continuing to stand together – scientists, supporters, clients, and advocates – we will push the boundaries of knowledge, overcome the remaining challenges in access and stigma, and ensure that everyone who can benefit from cannabinoid therapy has the chance to do so. Here’s to 12 years of progress and to a future where plant-powered wellness is available to all. Thank you for being part of our journey, and happy National CBD Day!
— The Realm of Caring Team