Terpenes Explained for Beginners | Pop's Cannabis

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Terpenes are the compounds that give cannabis its smell and taste. Cannabis makes more than 150 of them. They sit next to THC and CBD in the plant, but they do not cause a high. Lab reports list terpenes as a percent of weight. 1% terpenes in 1 gram of flower equals about 10 mg.

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What a terpene is

Terpenes are hydrocarbons built from isoprene units. Most cannabis terpenes are monoterpenes with 10 carbons, such as limonene and pinene. Others are sesquiterpenes with 15 carbons, such as beta-caryophyllene. Plants use terpenes to repel insects and to attract pollinators. The same molecules show up in hops, citrus peel, pine, lavender, and black pepper.

terpenes explained for beginners

Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes

Monoterpenes are lighter and reach the nose first. Sesquiterpenes are heavier and stay in the plant longer. This is one reason a flower can smell like citrus at first and pepper later.

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Common cannabis terpenes

• Myrcene: earthy, musky, mango. Found in hops and lemongrass. Common in flower tests.
• Limonene: citrus. Found in citrus peel.
• Alpha-pinene: pine. Found in pine needles and rosemary.
• Linalool: floral. Found in lavender.
• Beta-caryophyllene: black pepper and clove. A sesquiterpene. It binds the CB2 receptor in lab tests.
• Humulene: hops and wood.
• Terpinolene: herbal and pine. Less common than myrcene.

Do terpenes change the high?

Many sellers claim terpenes shape the effects of a strain. The idea is called the entourage effect. Human data on this point is thin. Reviews call it a hypothesis. Aroma can change how a person perceives a product, and that is not the same as a chemical effect.

How to read a terpene label

Look for a lab report from a state-licensed lab. The report should list each terpene as a percentage and a total. Total terpenes in flower tests run from about 0.5% to 3%. Values above 4% are rare and can point to added terpenes in concentrates. Compare percentages within the same product type, not across flower and vape oil.

Percent to milligrams

Multiply the percent by 10 to get mg per gram. A flower test at 1.8% total terpenes holds about 18 mg per gram.

Storage

Terpenes evaporate. Heat, air, and light remove them. Keep flower in a sealed glass jar, in the dark, at 60 to 70 F. Humidity packs made for cannabis hold 62% relative humidity. Do not store flower in a car or near a heater.

Safety notes

Terpenes are flavor and aroma compounds, not a dose of medicine. Concentrates with added terpenes can carry high levels. Some terpenes irritate skin and lungs at high levels. Follow the label and start with a small amount. Rules for testing and labeling differ by state.