What’s the Deal with Terpenes?
The world of cannabis is vast. We’re still learning all sorts of new things about this amazing plant. Which is great, because no matter if you’re brand new to cannabis or have been smoking it for a while, there’s always something new to explore. Cannabis terpenes have become a bit of a hot topic lately, and we wanted to give you a brief intro to the wonderful world of terps.
What are Terpenes?
Terpenes are not unique to cannabis. If you explore terpenes on Wikipedia, you’ll find that they’re described as “...a large and diverse class of organic compounds, produced by a variety of plants, particularly conifers, and by some insects such as termites or swallowtail butterflies, which emit terpenes from their osmeteria.” Terpenes are useful in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, food, essential oils, and makeup. In other words, they’re everywhere.
Are Cannabis Terpenes Different?
According to Herb.co, “...terpenes are the oils that give cannabis plants and flowers their unique smell. Terpenes originate in the same glands of the cannabis plant as THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids.” These terpenes are exactly the same sort of chemicals found in non-cannabis and hemp plants. They’re what give certain strains their unique aromas and can change from harvest to harvest. What’s even more interesting about terpenes is that while they don’t have psychoactive properties themselves, they work with cannabinoids to create something called “the entourage effect,” which may enhance the benefits of using cannabis in all sorts of ways. For more information, check out Project CBD’s article on this phenomenon.
Talk to a Budtender
There are all sorts of different terpenes. Limonene smells like lemons and may have anti-inflammatory properties, while Delta 3 Carene has a piney or earthy aroma, and is also anti-inflammatory, and Terpineol has a pine/clove feel and may have antioxidant properties. The point is, there are so many to explore.
Stop in and ask one of our budtenders what strains might be good to try if you want to check out how different terpenes affect you. We're located at 9107 N. Country Homes Blvd. Unit #13 Spokane, WA. Our store is open Sunday-Thursday 9am-10pm and Friday & Saturday 9am-11pm. You can even check out our menu before you head on over. Weed love to see you soon!
