As the cannabis industry evolves, so does the science behind it. Cannabis cultivators are discovering new information behind Mary Jane every day and consumers are finally starting to realize there is a lot more to weed than just THC content. These days, our team cares more about a strong terpene profile than any heady THC percentages.
Not familiar with terpenes? Thats ok.
They’re still new to most of us veteran smokers too.
Terpenes are the fragrant essential oils that exist in all plants and the skin of fruits. If grown right, cannabis flower can be brimming with smelly terpenes that may affect the experience of smoking it.
Have you ever smoked and tasted distinctive flavors like lemon, orange, blueberry, mint, or pine? Those flavors came from the terpenes of the cannabis plant. It is important to note that all plants actually have terpenes and some of them you might be familiar with. Linalool is most known for lavender, pinene for pine scents, and limonene for your classic lemon or lime.
Early on in the legal cannabis days, Leafly.com created a strain and terpene wheel that helped explain some info as well as bridge the gap for people trying to understand terpenes and cannabis at a higher level. You might notice that certain strains and “flavors” tend to fall in line with other similar terpene profiles.
Located in the same glands that produce cannabinoids like THC and CBD, terpenes are the oils that bring cannabis to life. Cannabis can be noticeably better from one producer to the next, and oftentimes it has little to do with overall THC. It has to do with their ability to bring the terps in their strains!
The Entourage Effect
The cannabis plant contains over 100 cannabinoid compounds. Aside from THC and CBD, there are several other compounds that each strain produces that may play a supporting role in how it affects you. The idea that all of the cannabis compounds work together (terpenes included) to create unique benefits and effects is called the “entourage effect.” With anything you eat or drink, the smell and taste of it play a huge role, so the same naturally applies to weed.
The next time you’re looking to get the most potent buds, we suggest asking your budtender about the terpene profile and really taking what they say into consideration. Keep your bullshit detector on high alert though because many budtenders aren’t able to try the most expensive or best stuff in the store that often and that means that many of the staff are selling products simply because they have them available.
