Don’t judge a cannabis strain’s effectiveness by it’s classification or THC percentages.
Nothing is more disheartening than when you are trying to help a patient find a strain that will work for them only to have them say “I need Indica only! I can’t do hybrids!” I know it’s not their fault that they have been led to believe this way. Some bud tender with very little real knowledge gave them some really crappy information. This is a sad state of affairs. So what can we do? We must learn for ourselves.
In my study of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils I have learned how important ALL of the constituents of a plant are when it come to it’s effect and healing properties. Even where the plant grows, or how it is grown will make a difference in the outcome as far as its properties go. How then would people not understand that ALL of the hundreds of constituents in a cannabis plant, (including the cannabinoids that have barely been identified, never mind researched), are very important to determine the desired result?
Despite the fact that terpenes are the “newest thing” in the world of cannabis, and are accepted to be responsible for the flavors and aromas that give distinction to the various strains, terpenes are responsible for so much more. The cannabis world is grasping to learn the true value and health benefits of terpenes, but the truth is this; terpenes have been studied for a very long time, and their properties are fairly well known and documented in the world of aromatherapy.
For example – Lavender essential oil has been known for hundreds of years to be an essential oil that will calm and relax. The responsible terpene in lavender that causes relaxation and sedation is linalool, and it is also present in cannabis in varying degrees depending on the strain. It doesn’t matter if the plant is an indica, a sativa or a hybrid, because if this terpene is present in a large amount it will relax you.
Even though certain terpenes may be found more commonly in an indica plant, or a sativa, this doesn’t mean that this is a rule. And it doesn’t mean all indicas or sativas will give results that are thought to be specific to one or the other. Not by a longshot. In fact, there is no clear distinction in effects and no set rule on how a plant will turn out based on a classification that is now understood as being flawed. The cannabis strains on the market have been thrown into indica or sativa classifications based on what the majority of people feel as far as effects. Everything else is being called a hybrid, which is more correct, but the label of hybrid is very misunderstood as well, because people are led to believe that “hybrid” means something in the middle. That isn’t so, because some hybrids can have effects that are more indica-like, or sativa-like than the ellusive full blown indicas or sativas. This is faulty thinking. Regardless of how a cannabis plant is classified, nearly all of the strains in the market are hybrids because of decades of crossbreeding.
Using myself as an example, I don’t really prefer strains tagged as sativa or even sativa dominant. We have a popular strain in Albuquerque that is called Arise. It’s classified as a sativa, but does have indica in its lineage. It tests very high in THC and because of its popularity I decided to try it. I love it, and it doesn’t give me the high anxiety and heart racing that many other strains labeled sativa tend to do to me. If I smoke or vape more than I usually do it acts just as one would expect from a strong indica; it relaxes me and puts me right to sleep. I can’t say this will happen with everyone, but it does offer an illustration to my point. It’s about the terpenes, not the label someone stuck on it. Here’s why.
Arise has a terpene profile that is very different than most strains classified sativa dominant. It has a high percentage of two terpenes that will relax and sedate you; Myrcene and Linalool. While the initial affect of Arise will be uplifting because of the terpenes pinene and limonene, the relaxation and sedation comes right behind the uplift. Not a typical sativa result.
Testing for terpene content in cannabis is required in some states, but that isn’t the norm and it isn’t a requirement in New Mexico, yet. Some dispensaries in our state do test for terpenes and this is very useful information that every patient should have. This is where you should start, if it’s an option for you. Ask your dispensary if they have terpene test results. If not, you will have to use your nose. Be critical in your assessment and write it down or make a mental note. You may detect many different aromas. Don’t just focus on the ones you like. It is important to know what doesn’t work for you as well as what does. You need to know what scent is associated with something that gives you the effects you don’t want, like agitation, stress, sleepiness or headaches. We’re all different.
β-Caryophylene has a spicy scent like black pepper or clove buds.
Humulene smells earthy-green like hops or hoppy beer. (No mistake here. Hops is full of Humulene and is the closest cousin to cannabis in the plant world).
Limonene will smell citrusy, like lemon, lime or orange.
Linalool will smell floral and sweet. Think lavender, which is loaded with Linalool.
Nerolidol will also have a citrus aroma, with an added woody scent.
α-Pinene and β-Pinene will smell earthy like pine needles or rosemary.
Myrcene will smell fruity and sweet, with a distinct back scent of wet earth, like when it just starts to rain or you just turned the dirt in your garden. You may also notice musky/fruity notes like berries, apple and grape.
Terpinolene will have a similar scent to Linalool with an added fruity scent like apple or pear.
Borneol has a scent of camphor, a scent you can often feel in your throat or sinuses, and Cineole is very similar, as are Camphene and Citronellol and Eucalyptol. They all have produce a medicine-like aroma and feeling in your nose and throat.
Some scents that are typical in certain cannabis strains are skunk-like, or may smell like diesel fuel or gasoline. These are not specific terpenes, but are a result of combinations of terpenes found in the same plant. Lots of pine and lemon together may smell a bit like chemicals. Hops mixed with pine may smell a bit of skunk, like bad beer. The combinations are vast. Until you can get terpene profiles from tests, all you can do is trust your nose.
Lesson to learn?
Don’t judge a cannabis strain by it’s classification or THC percentages. Trust your nose, or better yet, trust a terpene test, and go with a strain that you recognize as being something that has worked for you in the past. This is more important as it has ever been with more and more new strains showing up on the market even day as cannabis breeders get more and more creative in search of their “perfect strain”. Another thing to keep in mind is that the new cannabis catch words “entourage effects” applies to terpenes as well as cannabinoids. In fact – aromatherapy is where these catch words came from. Terpenes work together.