Cannabis 101: Terpenes

One of the most common questions that I receive is about cannabis terpenes and the differences between botanical cannabis terpenes and cannabis terpenes.

What are terpenes?

Terpenes are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants and some animals. They’re responsible for the aromas, flavors, and even colors associated with various types of vegetation. In terms of cannabis, terpenes are what make certain strains smell or taste different from others.

They can also be processed into consumer products, like cleaning solvents, pesticides, and dyes. Some even have therapeutic properties which are being used in many wellness products inside of the cannabis industry.

It is a fact that nearly all plants contain terpenes, some of the more common sources people encounter them include:

• cannabis
• aromatic herbs, like sage and thyme
• citrus fruits

What is the purpose of using terpenes? What do they do?

Terpenes protect plants from harsh weather and predators.

The main hypothesis is that the terpene profile — the dominant terpenes — of a strain work in tandem with the cannabinoid content — the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoids — to produce the effects people associate with different strains.

For example, they might explain why two different strains with the same level of THC produce such different experiences.

Do they get you high?

Terpenes won’t make you feel high in the traditional sense. Still, some are considered to be psychoactive, because they affect the brain.

While terpenes aren’t intoxicating on their own, some think they may impact the effects of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the high feeling from cannabis.

Many cannabis connoisseurs and budtenders say that consumers place far too much emphasis on THC content when choosing a strain. Instead, they recommend focusing more on certain terpene profiles to get their desired effects.

How do they compare to THC and CBD?

THC and CBD are just two of over 100 cannabinoids found in cannabis, however they are the two most abundant cannabinoids and the most well studied.

Both cannabinoids and terpenes can give you some clues about what to expect from a cannabis product, but they’re two different compounds.

That said, they all appear to interact with each other in what experts call the “entourage effect.” This is the hypothesis that the “full spectrum” of cannabis, including all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds found in cannabis, work synergistically to produce the sensations and effects of cannabis.

In other words, it’s a hypothesis that a little bit of everything might have more benefit than a lot of one thing.

This is important to consider if you’re using CBD for therapeutic purposes. If you use a CBD isolate (a product that contains only CBD) and find it doesn’t have your desired effect, it might be worth trying a full-spectrum CBD product, which will also contain terpenes and other cannabinoids, including small amounts of THC.

Common terpenes and their effects

There are about 400 known terpenes in cannabis, but experts have only linked a handful of them to specific effects.

Here are some common terpenes and their potential effects:

• Beta-caryophyllene. A major ingredient in cloves, rosemary, and hops, beta-caryophyllene; beneficial for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• Beta-pinene. If you’ve strolled through a coniferous forest, you know the smell of beta-pinene, which could also have potentially both anti-depressant and anti-cancer properties.
• Humulene. This terpene is found in ginseng, which has long been used in folk medicine for energizing effects.
• Limonene. One of the most commonly found terpenes, limonene has distinct citrus notes, anti-cancer properties. to have anti-anxiety properties.
• Linalool. Lovers of lavender as aromatherapy may want to seek out cannabis with linalool, which has been found to successfully alleviate stress.
• Myrcene. Found in mangoes, is known to be antifungal and possess antibacterial properties while providing sedating effects.

Maximizing their benefits

Curious to start exploring terpenes? Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Read the label. Some lab-tested cannabis brands include the terpene profiles (often the three most prevalent terpenes) and concentrations of the product (usually a number that sits around 2 percent).
• Check for freshness. Terpene concentration can diminish over time, so look for products that have a recent package date. If you’re going with flower, give it a sniff if you can. You want something that’s fragrant (indicative of high terpene content), not stale.
• Use caution with cannabis oil. Oil-based vaping products often have added synthetic terpenes. It’s not clear if synthetic terpenes are less effective than natural ones, but they’re often used to create solvents and other household chemicals. Proceed with caution, and be wary of marketing materials that make promises about what they’ll do.
• Lay off the heat. Control temps when you are medicating. Many enjoy dabbing cannabis concentrates which involves high heat, could degrade terpenes, resulting in potentially harmful byproducts. Until experts understand more about how heat affects terpenes, you may want to stick with vaporizing flower at a low temperature, vaping or consuming clean edibles.
• Keep a journal. As you try different terpene profiles, take note of your ingestion method and how you feel. Over time, this can help you pinpoint the best terpene profile for the effects you’re after.

Working With Cannabis or CBD Concentrates

Practically all terpenes and secondary cannabinoids are stripped out during mainstream refining processes for producing cannabis and CBD concentrates. This in turn dissipates most of their flavors and aromas, setting up a less than ideal vaping experience. For this reason, we recommend a 2-5% of the net weight rule when infusing terpenes into concentrates — starting off low, of course.

 In the case of cannabis concentrates, match your terpene profile to the strain for best results (as in Northern Lights to Northern Lights, Jack Herer to Jack Herer, etc.).

When infusing terpenes into CBD concentrates, you get more flexibility in the terpenes or strain profiles you can use. Go by desired flavor, aroma, effects, benefits, or even by price to suit your budget.

Practice (and Experimentation) Make Perfect

As you get a feel for mixing precise ratios and incorporating the use of carrier oils, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), and odorless terpenes as diluents and cutting agents to manipulate viscosity, you'll naturally be able to progress on to more complex processes. One such example would be working with high-ratio tinctures or diluting distillates to make custom cartridges.

If you have any questions about terpenes or adding terpenes to your product line, message me. I am happy to steer you in the right direction.