The naked truth with Tracy Sirrine

For the last decade, plenty of people with questions about medical cannabis and Washington’s medical marijuana authorization process have turned to the same source: Tracy Sirrine. The Spokane Valley resident estimates she has provided answers and advice for more than 7,000 people, including patients, store owners, budtenders, pet owners, and even physicians wanting to learn more about cannabis products or delivery methods so they can offer better recommendations to their patients. This year, Sirrine plans to continue her mission of education but in a new way. She and fiancé Timothy Hedrick own Naked Science, which creates and sells CBD-infused topical creams and tinctures. Naked Science CBD products use a blend of full-spectrum CBD, essential oils and healthy ingredients, and are intended to reduce pain as well as provide other benefits to the mind and body. Sirrine must be careful in her phrasing to not make medical claims but is always glad to share stories from clients around the country who report significant improvements in their quality of life from these products, including less pain and anxiety, fewer seizures, and better mental health. “I can now help more people, including those in other states,” she said. “I feel good about this.” Because Naked Science products all contain less than .3 percent THC, a compound that causes the psychoactive ‘high’ associated with marijuana, they can be sold online and in stores around the country and don’t have to be restricted to cannabis-only shops or medical dispensaries. They can be purchased directly by consumers as well as wholesale if a licensed business has a resellers permit. Sirrine and Hedrick spent the last year working on developing the proprietary formulas for different type of tincture and topical cream. This process also includes testing each batch for safety. They’ve been working closely with Trace Analytics, an independent cannabis testing lab in Spokane, which certifies that their CBD is safe from various contaminants, including fertilizers, pesticides and other impurities. Purchasers can scan a QR code on each jar to learn more about testing results. “We’ve had a lot of people compliment ours and compare it to some of the top topicals on the market,” she said. “They like that ours isn’t greasy and can also help the skin.” Hedrick said quality control is vital, especially for patients dealing with medical conditions with low immune systems. “You can get CBD products anywhere, but 70-90 percent of the stuff out there doesn’t pass safety checks,” he said. “Although some good growers are doing their own testing, Washington doesn’t currently require testing for medical cannabis products.” Sirrine first learned about medical marijuana several years ago while helping care for her sister. Sirrine lived in Seattle and her sister lived in Ellensburg, and at the time, couldn’t find many reliable or safe product or trusted growers on either side of the mountains. After her sister’s death, she went on to do more research, and opened Patients for Patients, an authorization clinic which helped people navigate the state’s medical system, including telling them how to get medical cards. She also made sure health providers have the right information. Patients to Patients was based in Spokane Valley but also had a clinic in Yakima. In the process, she also met Hedrick, a cannabis producer/processor. He suffered from arthritis from years of dirt bike riding, and had done a lot of research into topicals for pain relief. He then started making his own creams, which Sirrine found interesting. “I knew a lot about cannabis but didn’t have a lot of experience with topicals,” Sirrine said. Last fall, she made the decision to shut down Patients for Patients. “I had a car accident and broke my back, so couldn’t run Patients directly anymore,” she said. “But I needed to transition anyway. So these products are also helping me—I’m doing it for selfish reasons!” Now, she and Hedrick are able to spend more time developing and promoting Naked Science products, as well as continuing educational outreach throughout Eastern Washington. She likes to speak at retirement homes and is also working with a medical consulting group which has asked her to share seminars with doctors about safer options for pain management beyond opioids. “We’ve already have had a good response and some good engagements with physicians,” Sirrine said. “A lot of them don’t know much about this.”