An interview with Len May, CEO of Endocanna Health.
When asked about why he chose to commit his time and energy to understand the endocannabinoid system, Len May, Chief Executive Officer of Endo·dna, doesn’t hesitate to share his story.
Len May: “I am a patient first of all. I consume cannabis as my medicine, and had a really long and interesting relationship with cannabis for many years since I was a teenager.”
Diagnosed with ADD as a child, Len was put on a variety of prescription medications that did little to help with his symptoms. Through his own self-discovery, he found cannabis as a helpful alternative to address his ADD. Despite his positive experience with the plant, his parents weren’t happy with his choice.
Len May: “My parents really didn’t care for that too much, so they ended up at some point kicking me out. Actually calling the police on me, they had me arrested, and then kicked me out.”
With firsthand knowledge of the healing power of cannabis, Len became an activist first. He was President of the Cannabis Action Network, fighting for the rights of others who needed cannabis as their medicine, but were restricted due to Federal laws and regulations.
Learning through experience.
Later Len found himself in the dispensary business, where he noticed that different cannabis plant cultivars would affect people in different ways. It didn’t matter what the cultivar or strain was supposed to do, because his customers were consistently reporting different effects. Fascinated, he started to do more research.
“I started diving deep into the science and understanding and learning as much as I possibly could about the endocannabinoid system. I was meeting with people a lot smarter than me. A lot of scientists. A lot of researchers found that this system is sort of like salmon swimming upstream… the unique thing about this system is that it regulates all the other regulatory systems. So instead of getting information from a neurotransmitter into the synapse out to the body, it does the opposite to get signals from our body upstream to the neurotransmitters. It makes modifications, understanding what’s going on in our bodies to help to regulate different systems.”
As Len’s knowledge grew, so did the number of people coming to him for advice about cannabis. Patients, doctors, and activists alike all sought him out for his expertise and ability to suggest cultivars that effectively treated chronic health conditions and symptoms of illness or medical treatments like chemotherapy.
Cannabis, DNA and making things personal.
With a business background that includes working for PriceWaterhouse, venture capital firms and real estate, Len also spent time with medical companies and scientists that were exploring the genetic components of cannabis. He helped develop a cannabis cultivar library and through his research, he saw a pattern.
Len May: “I started seeing that I could collect ten samples of Blue Dream [a cannabis strain] and a few of them would kind of cluster genetically around Blue Dream, two more are on the fringe and the rest are not genetically at all related to Blue Dream…That started me on the journey of trying to look at how human genetics and the genotypes actually affect the phenotypes and how they work together.”
As a result of his and tireless dedication to understanding the role of human gene expression and the endocannabinoid system, Len co-founded Endocanna Health and set to work creating a DNA test that could identify cannabis strains most likely to help individuals.
The result is a breakthrough DNA test powered by a patent-pending super-chip that analyzes unique genomic markers. The information from the DNA test is then turned into a report that gives consumers personalized information about their unique genetic expressions. From there it provides suggestions about cannabis formulations that match what’s called individual endocompatibility.
Endocompatiblity is an intersection between your unique genetic code and the properties of cannabis plants. Each cultivar has a distinct ratio of CBD to THC along with a host of other cannabinoids and terpenes, each interacting with your body in a unique way. The personalized results from the Endo·dna test are like nothing else on the market, offering consumers an incredible array of science-backed reports about their health and wellness.
Supporting others on their wellness journey.
When asked about what gets him excited to get up each morning, Len says:
“I am super grateful that I get to be directly part of the cannabis business in the way that I am…I am just super, super proud and I pinch myself every single day going to work. I’m not really going to work. I’m just doing what I always did…We work, we work hard but It’s amazing. It’s an amazing opportunity. With where we’re at in history, there is no other industry that had the trajectory in the last few years than that of the cannabis industry. We’ve gone from complete prohibition to it being legal in more than three-quarters of the country.”
Len has made getting personalized cannabis information into the hands of consumers his mission. He says:
“Our intent is number one, to avoid an adverse event with cannabis. You can have an optimal experience because cannabis is personal and that’s really, really what we want to portray to people. Everybody has a personal experience with cannabis and two people can take the same exact thing and have a completely different effect. So that’s really what I want to get out. Everybody needs to understand that cannabis is personal and everybody can have their own personal experience with cannabis and it can be a really good one.”
With over 25 years of experience in the cannabis industry and unrivalled expertise, Len’s leadership and vision for the future of Endo·dna promise more breakthroughs in understanding endocompatiblity. Customers can continue to expect groundbreaking new research and information about their unique DNA that helps them chart their own path to wellness.
To start your own journey with Endo·dna’s breakthrough DNA test, click here.
Endocanna Health is a biotechnology company committed to helping consumers find the right cannabinoid products to enhance their health and wellness. Using our breakthrough DNA test, Endo·dna, we empower you to take control of your health with access to over 55 different health reports that include suggestions for the best CBD and cannabis products that match your unique genetic code. Visit us here to find out more!
