Tag: cannabis terpenes

What Does Weed Smell Like?

Weed has a signature smell in its various states, raw, cured, or when smoking, and the lingering scent after smoking cannabis flowers. Cannabis odour is its calling card and alerts people to its presence. Weed smell within some jurisdictions is enough grounds for authorities to search premises or vehicles.

The smell of the cannabis plant is unique, with an intense aroma distinct in its musky and skunk smell. Most people can detect weed presence by smell, but does the scent produced by the regular doses from your dispensary have any value? 

 

What Makes Cannabis Smell?

If you are drinking juice or enjoying a broth, you’ll likely identify the primary plant or animal making it. Weed is no exception. When growing, storing, or consuming, coriander plants give out individual aromas and tastes. Different feminised cannabis seeds will produce different plants that have different aromas.

The cannabis plant, like most other plants and herbs, contains compounds that make them have a distinct smell called terpenes. Plants and animals naturally have terpenes that cause them to have district odours. Plants emit odours to either attract beneficial animals or repel predators.

 

What Are Terpenes?

Terpenes are compounds that make many plants have their characteristic smell. They naturally help plants to attract beneficial insects and also repel predators. In industries, manufacturers use isolated terpenes to create flavours and aromas of many products, such as food products, soaps, perfumes, and even agriculture. 

The cannabis plant also produces terpenes. The sought-after cannabis female flower buds of weed plants have the highest concentration of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids. These compounds are also present in other parts of the cannabis plant, like stems and leaves in a lower margin.

What Are the Medical Benefits Of Terpenes?

Animal and test tube studies have identified some therapeutic effects of terpenes. However, studies and research on terpenes are in infancy, and little is done on human trials. Further research is needed to understand more about these compounds. 

Antiviral

Research of antiviral drugs goes around the clock, testing a variety of compounds. Many terpenes show abilities to kill viruses. They include camphor, carvone, caryophyllene, alpha-pinene, and beta-pinene.

Anticancer

The rising number of cancer cases is driving scientists to search for new compounds to help suppress it. There are terpenes, including some found in weed, that help in cancer treatment by suppressing the activity of cancer cells or inhibiting their growth. Examples are limonene, camphor, pinene, beta-myrcene, and terpinene. 

A significant advantage of terpenes is that they have no side effects and are unlikely to affect healthy cells.

Antidepressant

Most antidepressant drugs (20%) are made using herbal extracts because of the terpenes present in those plants. Beta-pinene and linalool are common terpenes sought after in plants used to make antidepressants.

Antimicrobial

Many terpenes may exhibit antimicrobial activity or effectively stop harmful microorganism activity. Terpenes capable of killing or halting microorganisms include alpha-bisabolol, eucalyptol, geraniol, terpinolene, and menthol.

Pain relief

A study on the effects of terpenes plus cannabinoids in pain relief shows that they are effective and have no side effects. Beta-pinene, geraniol, humulene, and linalool are terpenes known to interact with endocannabinoid system CB1 receptors, influencing how the body perceives pain.

 

What Are The Different Types of Cannabis Terpenes?

The common adjectives used when describing the smell of weed terpenes are citrusy, peppery, tropical, earthy, woody, spicy, and musky. These smells correlate with the cannabis terpene chart.

The cannabis plant is known to have hundreds of terpenes; the top most common terpenes in weed are:

Beta-caryophyllene

Terpene is present in many vegetables and herbs, such as black pepper and cloves.

B-caryophyllene may have anti-inflammatory effects on the body that can help reduce pain levels. Its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects may be beneficial in treating chronic pain, and it shows no sign of the body developing tolerance to the b-caryophyllene impacts.

Limonene

Limonene is common and easily recognized by its odour. The terpene gives lemons and oranges their characteristic citrusy fragrance. Limonene’s therapeutic properties are:

• Antioxidant 
• Antiviral 
• Anti-inflammatory 
• Anticancer
• Antidiabetic  

Pinene 

Pinene is another abundant terpene in weed. Cannabis carries both alpha and beta-pinene. Pinene is responsible for the fresh, bright smell of plants like pine, basil, and rosemary. Japanese Shinrin-yoku therapy (forest bathing) involves walks in a forest to soak up the atmosphere.

The air within a healthy forest contains a high concentration of pinene which makes it therapeutic. Pinene is a bronchodilator, and it eases breathing. When inhaled, it has anti-inflammatory effects and may act as an antimicrobial on some infectious microorganisms.

 Linalool

Lavender has the highest levels of linalool, giving the plant its rich perfume. Linalool is highly used in aromatherapy because of its calming effect.

Linalool may affect your body in several ways because of its many properties, including:

• Antimicrobial 
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-anxiety
• Neuroprotective
• Anticancer
• Antidepressant

Although linalool appears to have multiple effects on the body, more research is needed to understand how we can use it medically.

Myrcene 

Myrcene terpene is common in plants such as thyme, hops, and lemongrass. Cannabis flowers also contain myrcene.

From the studies conducted using myrcene, it shows capabilities of working as:

• Antioxidant 
• Anti-inflammatory and may prevent the breakdown of specific cartilage cells
• It may work as an alternative treatment for patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke

Humulene 

Humulene is highly present in the hop plant. Other plants that have humulene are ginger clove and weed.

Preliminary studies conducted on humulene terpene show positive effects in:

• Preventing respiratory allergies and asthma
• Guarding against cancer

As we mentioned, studies on weed terpenes are minimal, and these findings are inconclusive as more research is needed.

 Another prominent aroma in good weed is thiol, a sulfur-based derivative occurring naturally in the cannabis plant. It is also found in onions, rotten eggs, skunk spray, and garlic. Skunk-smelling weed is a good thing, as thiols are a good antioxidant.

What Are the Common Weed Smells?

If you are keen enough, you will notice that weed has varying smells when harvested, cured, and smoked. As chemical composition changes during weed transition to different forms, so does the scent.

During growing, weed has an intense, complex, and earthy smell. The smell is more potent when buds bloom as more trichomes are ready for pollination. The smell fades after harvesting, and the cut plant will start having a weed-like scent. The change occurs because of terpenes oxidation and degradation.

Good curing of cannabis helps to preserve terpenes and maintain the uniqueness of a strain’s flavour and scent. Protection of terpenes is possible when curing is vital to preserving potency.

When smoking weed, the signature marijuana smell is more profound in the smoke. As weed is burning, other fragrances are added: fire, ash, and rolling paper which may alter the scent. Marijuana smoke clings to the skin, surfaces, clothing, and hair.

 

What Weed Smells Shows That Something Is Off?

Poorly cured weed can grow moulds, or if you store your bulk purchase in an area with moisture. When shopping for your batch, the nose can guide you in avoiding suspicious weeds. Moldy cannabis has a repugnant scent and is not safe for consumption. 

The fungus spores, when inhaled, can lead to respiratory infections. So, if you sense the weed smelling like a sweaty locker room, unaired closet, or urine, avoid it altogether because some mould spores may grow on the batch. 

If you are looking to buy cannabis in the Greater Toronto Area, Highest Farmacy is for you. Or, if you are looking to buy on the west coast, same-day cannabis delivery in Vancouver is for you.  You can find some of the most popular cannabis flowers for sale.

 

References

Jon J.(2020, March 6) What to know about terpenes. Medical News Today. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-are-terpenes

The Seed Pharm. (2023, April 1). Buy Cannabis Seeds Online. Available at: https://www.theseedpharm.com/

Emma S.(2021, November 10) What are cannabis terpenes and what do they do? Leafly. Available at: https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/terpenes-the-flavors-of-cannabis-aromatherapy

Daily Edibles Delivery. (2023, April 1). Enjoy the Best Deals On Same-Day Weed Delivery in Vancouver. Available at: https://dailyedibles.io/

Lesley N.(2022, July 6) What does marijuana smell like? Weedmaps. Available at: https://weedmaps.com/learn/products-and-how-to-consume/what-does-marijuana-smell-like

WeedSmart. (2023, April 1). Canada’s Best Marijuana Dispensary | Online Dispensary Canada. Available at: https://weedsmart.cc/