Written By: Sydney Parlier
Why should we care about Terpenes and Cannabinoids?
The first time I got high was well before any US states had recreationally legalized. My best friend lived in a blended household with 6 high schoolers that we dubbed, “The Brady Bunch House”. If you do not know who the Brady Bunch is, you are probably not old enough to legally consume cannabis. Anyway, it did not take long until we were all smoking black market pot. We cleaned the weed of seeds and stems and took to smoking blunts. I don’t even want to think about how much residue still resides in my lungs from those Swisher Sweets. My first experience being high was exhilarating. We laid on hammocks and listened to Ludacris albums in the basement next to the meat freezer. We laughed, ate an entire boxed cheesecake, and laughed some more. But not every high following that was so pleasurable. Those classic
“Reefer Madness” feelings of paranoia and anxiety crept in sometimes, and I found myself defeated, retreating to my bed to sleep it off.
This led to many canna-complications. I liked cannabis, I wanted cannabis, but I found myself sensitive to it. It was becoming increasingly common to have an uncomfortable experience, but the good ones were so good I just kept on toking. At some point, the market began to change, and we began to buy cannabis with actual strain names. This helped, but it was not until I discovered and understood the profile of cannabis and how it works in the body that I began to fully enjoy it.
THE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM
The endocannabinoid system is not something you can purchase. You come equipped with it at birth, and its receptors are located throughout the body in the brain, organs, connective tissues, and immune system. Think of it as a system of outlets. Each outlet has a different job depending on where it is in the body. Some for pain, some for emotion, for immunity, and so on. The list is virtually endless! These outlets are pivotal in maintaining homeostasis (balance) in the body, and researchers are now suggesting that some people may be deficient in their endocannabinoid system, and that it is the root reason they have health complications.
Guess what comes equipped with the plug for these outlets? You guessed it! Our friend, the cannabis plant.
CANNABINOIDS AND TERPENES
Cannabis is the plant, and the compounds inside each individual & unique strain are the plug. Cannabinoids connect to those outlets in your endocannabinoid system, you get “high”, and relief comes as your body restores balance. Terpenes are there to support the cannabinoids. They help deliver the plug to the correct outlet, and they have been shown to intensify or downplay the effects of cannabinoids. Terpenes are also found outside of cannabis, in essential oils and fruits and vegetables, and have healing properties of their own. Even if you have never tried cannabis, chances are, you have had terpenes in other forms.
CHECK OUT HER PROFILE
I once bought some OG Kush and I fell head over heels in love with how it made me feel. A couple of years later when I ran into it again, I excitedly bought a large amount, and the effects were completely different. I felt betrayed by my best friend, like she changed on me and stole my money at the same time. This happens for several reasons, but the easiest way to understand it is to remember that the cannabis industry is rapidly changing, and the method in which your favorite strain is grown probably is too. You can basically forget what you know about sativa, indica, and hybrids. Start taking a deeper look at the individual plant profile, that is where you will find the tools to tailor your high.
MAJOR TERPENES AND CANNABINOIDS
There are over 150 terpenes and cannabinoids known, and more to discover. Here is a list of the top 5 commonly found in the strains you love.
*REAL LIFE EXCERSIZE: Take a trip down your local produce isle to smell the rind of fruits and vegetables to get familiar with how to identify some of these scents. Use your spice cabinet. Terpenes are what you smell! If you are completely lost on remembering the names of these terpenes, use your nose. Chances are, if you like the smell of the cannabis terpenes, you will like the strain effects as well. Science, b*tch!
Bio.
Sydney Parlier is a writer, homemade edible maker, recovering restaurant worker, traveler, and a mother of (soon-to-be!) two. A lifelong cannabis enthusiast, she works to educate and advocate for women using cannabis as a tool for motherhood, addiction, and recreational use. She currently resides in Illinois with her family and cat, Cheech Marin.
