Did you know that the smell and flavor of cannabis can affect your high?

I recently picked up a book from barns and nobles, that quite frankly- made me wet (and shit, I'm a guy.) Now that I have your attention, I'm going to paraphrase it.

(on a side note, none of this was copy or pasted. The first part was written entirely by myself, and the later- the notes I typed from a book. Enjoy!)

So, we all know THC is the driving force behind a good high- what most of us don't know is why certain types of marijuana make you feel and act certain ways; why you're body reacts to certain strains.

First lets keep a few things in mind:
THC- once again, the driving force behind a high.
CBD- A canaboloid found in cannabis sativa and indica
Terpens- what really affects your high (now we're getting somewhere )

When asked why you get couch locked on indica and feel like a 12 year old on sativa, most peoples reaction that are semi-informed on the topic will answer "Well, while sativa has high amounts of THC it's relatively low on CBD, while indica has slightly lower thc and more CBD"
Once upon a time, these people were right in their own minds, and the so called cannabis powers that be minds (IE: even Nevil Shoenmaker)


Now, whats your favorite band? What an odd question to ask!? its almost absurd- but humor me and play along.
Mine would happen to be iron maiden. Now there's something that THC and Bruce Dickinson have in common(the lead singer of iron maiden) Really! there really is!
THC is the main star of the show, or so could the lead guitarist...Irregardless of whichever, THC leaves a packing punch...but take away the rest of the band and all you have a near 50 year old screaming into a mic.

Lets elaborate on this topic.

So, what about THC being the star of the show- and why are you telling me what I already know (SHUT THE HELL UP AND READ.)

There's a chemical in cannabis called terpens, terpens are very very odorous- If you've ever gotten a good bag of dank, or grown a plant you'll know what I'm talking about (insert suddenly glowing light bulb here.) When you reach down into that baggie or smell your plant a range of aromas could reach your nostrils, gentling tickling them and somewhat almost overwhelming them with the huge variety of possible smells.

Wow, this is making really really strange sense, or it will soon.

One bubble I have to burst, a study in 2005 showed CDB had no real psychoactive properties, but it had one very very special attribute to it...it bonded not to cannaboliod receptors in the brain, but rather to the "blood brain barrier" the space of safety between the bloodstream and the brain, quite literally "opening your mind" and allowing THC and terpens to further penetrate it, leaving its mark and a small kiss on your forehead- quite possibly changing your life forever with your first, and single puff of a joint.

Now that's out of the way, on with the science!



TERPENS! hell yeah! TERPENS! yell it, out loud or in your head- the word alone is interesting.
Terpens are present in more than just cannabis, terpens are present in herbs and heavy odor producing plants across the world- to point out a few we'll be crossing over: Lemons, oranges, lavender and pine to just name a few.

And please keep in mind, every plant is different- so they will smell different and affect you differently.




Myrcene-
Is the most prevalent terpene found in the most varieties of marijuana but not found in hemp. Is is also present in high amounts in hops, lemon grass, West Indian bay tree (used to make bay rum), verbena and the plant from which it derives its name, Mercia. Myrcene appears in small amounts in the essential oils of many other plants.
Its odor is variously described as close-like, earthy, green-vegetative, citrus, fruity with tropical mint and nuances of mint. The various odors are the result of slight differences in the overall essential oil makeup.
All of these flavors and odors are commonly used to describe cannabis.
Myrcene is a potent analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic. It blocks the actions of carcinogens.
It is present in small amounts in many essential oils associated with anti-depressive and uplifting behavior. Myrcene is probably a synergist of THC: A combination of the two molecules creates a stronger experience than THC alone. Myrcene probably works in tandem with CBD to affect the permeability of the cell membranes, thus it may allow more THC and fellow terpens into the brain.

Limonene-
Is found in the rind of citrus and many other fruits and flowers. It is the second, third or fourth more prevalent terpene in cannabis resins. Everyone is familiar with the odor of citrus resins.
They explode in the air when a fruits is peeled. The exact odor is determined by the structure of the terpene. Limonene has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-cancer activities. It inhibits the Ras cancer gene cascade, which promotes tumor growth. it is used to synergistially promote the absorption of other terpenes by penetrating cell membranes. Limonene sprays are used to treat depression.
Since limonene is such a potent anti-fungal and anti-cancer agent, it is though to protect against the Aspergillus fungi and carcinogens found in cannabis smoke streams.
Plants use limonene to repulse predators. For instance, flies have a group of receptors similar in function to the taste of buds on your tongues. One of them detects noxious chemicals, and responds to limonene as if it were toxic. It is wired directly to the fly brain. (further linking the association of terpens to chemical defense and quite possibly: weapons.)
In humans, limonene's design facilitates a direct response by quickly permeating the blood brain barrier. The result is increased systolic blood pressure. In one test, participants reported subjective alertness and restlessness. Various limonene analogs can cue the brain to sexuality, buoyancy or focused attention.

Caryophyllne -
Is a major terpene found in black pepper (15-25%), clove (10-20%), and cotton (15-25%). It is found in smaller percentages in many other herbs and spices. It has a sweet, woody and dry clove odor and tastes pepper spicy with camphor and astringent citrus backgrounds. It contributes to black pepper's spiciness. The oil is used industrially to enhances tobacco flavor.
Caryophyllene, given in high amounts, is a calcium and potassium ion channel blocker. As a result,it impedes the pressure exerted by heart muscles. As a topical it is analgesic and is one of the active constituents that makes clove oil, a preferred treatment for toothaches. It does not seem to be involved in mood change.

Pinene-
Is the familiar odor associated with pine trees and their resins. It is the major component in turpentine and is found in many other plant essential oils in noticeably amounts including rosemary, sage and eucalyptus. Many additional plant oils contain minute quantities of pinene.
Pinene is used medically as an expectorant and topical antiseptic. It easily crosses the blood-brain barrier where it acts as once again, an anti-carcinogen and also slows and stops the loss of short term memory caused by THC. It has been used in history to sharpen and regain memory.
Pinene probably gives true skunk varieties, the ones that stink like the animal, much of their odor. The smoke seems to expand in your lungs and the high comes on very quickly since a high percentage of the substance will pass into the bloodstream and brain. It also increases focus, self-satisfaction and energy, which seems counterintuivite, but for the presence of terpineol (see directly below).

Terpineol -
Has a lilac, citrus or apple blossom/lime odor. It is a minor constituent of many plants essential oils. It is used in perfumes and soaps for fragrance.
Terpineol is obtained commercially from processing other terpenes. It reduces mortality--the capability for movement--by 45% in rat tests. This may account for the couch lock effect of some cannabis although that odor is not usually associated with body highs. However, terpineol is often found in cannabis with high pinene levels. [U][B]Its odor would be masked by the pungent woodsy aromas of pinene.[/B][/U]


Borneol -
Smells much like menthol aroma of camphor and is easily converted into it. It is found in small quantities in many essential oils. Commercially, it is derived from artemisia plants such as wormwood and some species of cinnamon. It is considered a "calming sedative" in Chinese medicine. It is directed for fatigue and recovery from illness and stress.
The camphor-like overtones of Silver Haze varieties are unmistakable. The high does have a calming effect as well as its psychedelic aspects. This probably means that there is a large amount of borneol present.

Linalool -
Has a floral scent reminiscent of spring flowers such as lily of the valley, but with spicy overtones. It is refined from lavender, neroli and other essential oils. Humans can detect its odor at rates as low as one part per million in the air.
Linalool is being tested now for treatment of several types of cancers. It is also components of several sedating essential oils. In tests on humans who inhaled it, it caused sever sedation. In tests on rats, it reduced their activity by almost 75 percent.

Pulegone -
has a minty-camphor odor and flavor that is used in the candy industry. It is implicated in liver damage when used in very high dosages. It is found in tiny quantities in marijuana. Pulegone is also an anti-carginogen, it encourages healthy cell death, stopping abnormal mutations from living and lowering risks of cancer.

1,8-cineole -
Is the main ingredient int he oil of eucalyptus. it has a camphor-minty odor. It is also found in other fragrant plant and in minor amounts in marijuana. It is used to increase circulation, pain relief and has other topical uses.
Cinelo easily crosses the blood-brain-barrier and triggers a fast olfactory reaction. Eucalyptus oil is considered centering, balancing and stimulating. It is probably the stimulating and thought provoking part of cannabis smoke stream.




Synned made a similar thread, but with less info on the terpens, but it includes graphs and visual mock-ups of ALL the terpens here, along with a shorter and more organized lists of the various terpens uses (Ie:antibiotic, analgesic ect.)

 

big book of bud volume three.

like 200 pages of pot-head goodness

It has every major seed banks strain cataloged, photographed and provides history on the strain and a few of them have 2 page long stories about them.

best book since jorge crevants.

 

Yeah, I've noticed that...I think its one of those things in life that you overlook...I dunno how to put it; When you take a sip of a coke and go "ahh" afterwards.


I mostly wrote this because I found the information to be...well...informative, but I also found the $22 book to be out of the "need" range of many pot heads- information in this world needs to be cheap.

 

I'm very happy you are all enjoying this article.

I've received multiple pms and rep for this thread- it was fun to write and fun to read.

 

The dark green bar above one of my post with what looks like a scale.

I'm really surprised at how much rep this post has garnered.
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