Washougal man opens Gorge Family Therapeutics

During the past three years, Sam Rickenbach worked for several Portland-area companies as a cannabidiol (CBD) extraction laboratory director. He generally enjoyed his work, but over time came to believe that most of the businesses in his industry — including his own — were severely overcharging for their products.

The more and more he learned, the more disillusioned he became. He was bothered by the fact that many people with legitimate medical needs for CBD products were quite simply getting priced out of the market.

“It makes me sick to see these products on the shelves that are $60 a pop when I know for a fact that the raw ingredients only cost $3 or $4,” Rickenbach said. “I feel that’s a really dishonest and mean thing to do. As somebody that uses these products and benefits from them, I know that if I didn’t have the access that I do from being part of the industry, I wouldn’t be to see those benefits because I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

So Rickenbach decided to do something about it. Earlier this year, the Washougal resident left his job at a large cannabis company and created his own business, Gorge Family Therapeutics.

Through his website (gorgefamilytherepeutics.com), Rickenbach offers self-produced CBD tinctures which contain 100 milligrams of CBD per milliliter and zero tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Customers have a choice of size — the bottles range in size from one-half ounce to 4 ounces — and flavor, including original, lemon and peppermint. He eventually hopes to also offer salves, lotions and more.

“My products are aimed at making (CBD) affordable and practical for people to use,” Rickenbach said. “(My products are) about two to three times cheaper, but they’re also two to three times more potent. You’re just getting a lot more for your buck. The concentration makes it really easy to dose.”

CBD is a phytocannabinoid, one of one of 113 identified cannabinoids in cannabis plants.

“It generally provides relaxation. It’s really good for anxiety, any form of stress or lack of sleep,” Rickenbach said. “I’m amazed how often I give somebody a tincture and they come back and they’re shocked. One of my mom’s friends couldn’t sleep for months. He was getting one or two hours a night. She gave him one dropper-full and he slept through the night for the first time in three or four months. That’s always impressive when you hear stories like that.”

In the United States, the CBD drug Epidiolex was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018 for the treatment of two epilepsy disorders. Because of the fact that cannabis is a Scheduled I controlled substance in the United States, however, other CBD formulations remain illegal under federal law to prescribe for medical use or to use as an ingredient in dietary supplements or other foods.

“The FDA recognizes the significant public interest in cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, particularly CBD. However, there are many unanswered questions about the science, safety and quality of products containing CBD,” according to a statement on the FDA’s website. “The FDA is concerned that people may mistakenly believe that using CBD ‘can’t hurt.’ The agency wants to be clear that we have seen only limited data about CBD’s safety and these data point to real risks that need to be considered.”

Personal journey leads to unexpected career

Rickenbach had no interest in becoming a scientist when he was growing up in Hood River, Oregon. In fact, his younger self probably wouldn’t be too impressed as his older self’s accomplishments.