Maximum Yield Cannabis USA February/March 2018 | Page 68

enjoy
Using Terpenes and Scent
to Choose Cannabis Strains
by Will
Tremblay
Terpenes do more than make cannabis smell like citrus, earth, or fuel;
they also contribute specific characteristics and medical benefits to
the overall high. This is why you can actually use your nose to help
decipher which strain is right for you. Will Tremblay explains.
W
hile cannabinoids like THC and
CBD have garnered much of the
limelight in cannabis research, there
are other compounds contributing to
the plant’s desired effect. Terpenes are
the fragrant organic compounds that
give strains like UK Cheese or NYC
Diesel their distinctive aroma and flavor.
There are more than 200 terpenes found in
cannabis, and these compounds account for
about 10 per cent of trichome content and
less than one per cent of the actual flower.
However, terpenes are likely
contributing more to the experience than
a notable bouquet.
Today, as cannabis research delves deeper
into the plant’s chemical composition, many
in the industry are subscribing to the
notion of the entourage effect. Basically,
the entourage effect explains how
varying combinations of cannabinoids
and terpenes work as a team to produce
different psychoactive and physical results.
“Clinical cannabis demonstrates
herbal synergy and is more
than simply a vehicle for THC
administration,” Dr. Ethan Russo, a
Washington State-based cannabis
researcher, writes in a letter to the
Journal of Psychopharmacology.
“Terpenoid cannabis components
probably also contribute significantly
to clinical effects of cannabis and boil at
comparable temperatures to THC.”
Scientifically, the entourage effect hasn’t
met the benchmark of testing to qualify as
fact. However, the vast amount of anecdotal
information pointing to strain-specific
effects is hard for even sceptics to ignore.
So, while there’s nothing wrong with
selecting a grape-rich nug to satisfy your
palate, there’s more to consider than flavor
preferences when selecting the right
strain. In fact, a simple nose test may help
discover the strain that’s therapeutically
suited to your needs.
“THERE ARE MORE than 200 terpenes found in cannabis,
and these compounds account for about 10 per cent of trichome
content and less than one per cent of the actual flower.”
68
grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
myhydrolife.com