Beyond Indica and Sativa: MyTEPI’s New Era for Cannabis
Cannabis saved my life. That’s not an exaggeration—it’s the truth. But that truth is also the foundation of MyTEPI, a company born from personal struggle, scientific innovation, and a mission to transform how people experience cannabis.
My journey began in a conservative Christian home where cannabis was demonized. It wasn’t until an F5 tornado in 2011 left me with crippling grand mal seizures that I reconsidered everything I thought I knew. Traditional treatments failed, and desperation led me to cannabis. By 2016, with a holistic approach, my seizures had completely subsided. Cannabis gave me back my life—but my challenges were far from over.
For the next two years, debilitating health issues left me an invalid at 25. Throughout this ordeal, I used cannabis to minimize prescribed medications, including opioids. Still, I relied on them heavily. But after the seventeenth hospitalization in fifteen months, something in me snapped and I wanted off the pills. Cannabis was the key to accomplishing that feat. By 2019, I had not only freed myself from opioid dependency but also became a nationally ranked 3-day eventing athlete and Head of Investor Relations at CB1 Capital Investments. Cannabis transformed from a medical aid into a catalyst for reclaiming my life and achieving childhood dreams.
This empowerment fueled my advocacy and ultimately led to the founding of MyTEPI in 2021. MyTEPI was created to address a glaring issue in the cannabis industry: the lack of clarity and consistency for consumers. Traditional cannabis classifications like Indica, Sativa, Hybrid offered no real guidance on effects or experiences, leaving users guessing—and often discouraged.
The Science Behind MyTEPI
Enter Dr. Jean Talleyrand, a trailblazer in cannabis science whose work has redefined medical possibilities. A third-generation physician, Dr. Talleyrand risked his medical license in 2014 by prescribing cannabis to a four-year-old girl with debilitating seizures—a decision that saved her life. Once he said to me, “Livi, I’ve seen miracles happen. And God strike me dead if I don’t help these people.” He’s a man with a true heart for his patients, but he also has the research to fundamentally change the game.
In 2015, he and Dr. John Abrams founded the Clinical Endocannabinoid System Consortium (CESC), a non-profit Medical Cannabis research organization. Together, they studied the aroma and chemical profiles of the plant to better understand their unique effects. Six years later, they published a chapter in Advances in Cannabis Science, Aroma in Cannabis: A Foundation for Chemotype Classification, which laid the foundation for our new approach to cannabis.
Last year, Dr. Talleyrand joined MyTEPI as Chief Science Officer, and together we launched Discover Your Color (DYC). DYC is a novel system that translates complex lab data into simple color codes correlating with the top-reported effects of each group. However, we do not focus too much on effect but rather on color. This approach accounts for individual variability. For example, Yellow might energize one person but relax another depending on their unique biology. The goal isn’t to dictate how cannabis should make you feel—it’s to help you find what works for you consistently.
Bridging the Gap Between Science and Experience
For too long, the cannabis industry has relied on inaccurate and subjective classifications—Indica and Sativa—that provide little insight into how products will affect consumers. This lack of consistency has been a barrier for many people who could benefit from cannabis but are discouraged by unpredictable experiences. We’ve all had or know someone who purchased the “Indica” thinking they would sleep soundly only to find themselves frantically cleaning the house instead.
DYC changes that by creating a shared language across the supply chain. Cultivators can label their products with intuitive color codes that reflect their chemical profiles, dispensaries can display these codes prominently to guide consumers, and users can make informed choices based on their unique needs and preferences.
Since its launch, DYC has been adopted nationwide by cultivators and dispensaries eager to improve transparency and trust with their customers. By replacing Indica/Sativa with clear color coding on packaging and displays, DYC gets everyone speaking the same language. From cultivator to consumer, science underpins the network to ensure a consistent experience.
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, we envision a future where DYC becomes the standard for how consumers navigate cannabis—not just in dispensaries but across every touchpoint in the industry. Imagine walking into any store or browsing any website and instantly understanding which products align with your needs based on simple color codes backed by science. From Boston to Los Angeles, a Green is a Green no matter where you go.
This vision isn’t just about convenience; it’s about creating a world where people feel confident exploring cannabis without fear or stigma. It’s about normalizing this plant as part of everyday wellness routines while honoring its potential to heal both individuals and communities.
Cannabis gave me my life back—and through MyTEPI and Discover Your Color, I’m paying it forward every day. Whether you’re new to cannabis or have been using it for years, our mission is simple: to help you find what works for you—one color at a time.
The post Beyond Indica and Sativa: MyTEPI’s New Era for Cannabis appeared first on Cannabis & Tech Today.