Always Read the Ingredients

The most important thing you can learn about with regards to cannabis – in my opinion – is that the effects of cannabis can vary extensively based on the chemical makeup of the product you are consuming. Input ingredients produce an output effect, seems logical, right? Well for new consumers that are unsure of the nuances of this amazing plant it can often be overlooked. Cannabis remains a new industry and with any new industry, a great amount of education is needed before we can truly appreciate this amazing plant for how versatile it is. 

Cannabis and you

Cannabis is made up of hundreds of active components that interact with your body, the most well studied of these are the cannabinoid and terpene classes of compounds. While THC is the primary psychoactive component of cannabis there is a multitude of other ingredients that work together to produce an effect. The entourage effect is the theory that these cannabinoids and terpenes interact synergistically together to produce the desired effect, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Before talking about cannabis, it’s important to understand the endocannabinoid system – the endo prefix meaning “within”. Within your body, there is a complex chemical communication network known as the endocannabinoid system with the purpose of regulating homeostasis (equilibrium) through the activation or blocking of endocannabinoid receptors. Binding affinity and extent of activation with these receptors is mediated by the chemical structure - think of it like a puzzle piece except it is not all or nothing, there are different degrees of binding affinity that produce different degrees of effects. Your body naturally produces endocannabinoids that interact with this communication network to maintain homeostasis and cannabis naturally produces cannabinoids that interact with your endocannabinoid system to modulate this communication network. As an interesting aside, the discovery of THC-mediated cannabinoid receptors helped lead to the discovery of your naturally occurring endocannabinoids.

Cannabinoids - more to the equation than THC

The most common component of cannabis and the primary psychoactive component of cannabis that people associate with getting “high” is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC interacts with your body by partially binding to your naturally occurring CB1 and CB2 endocannabinoid receptors. Because of its psychoactive properties’ THC has often taken the spotlight when it comes to cannabis and especially in the recreational cannabis market, we are seeing a push towards higher THC products almost leading to a false floor at 20% THC for cannabis flowers. The drawback to THC is that it is also the primary anxiety-causing component in cannabis. This is where we need to remember that there is a wide range of effects between high and not high; while THC is the main player, there are 113 known naturally occurring cannabinoids. Cannabidiol (CBD) has become a focus recently for its standalone properties and ability to modulate the effects of THC, even potentially decreasing the anxiety associated with THC. Do you want to get the highest or the best high?

While there are 113 naturally occurring cannabinoids, I would narrow this list down to the more well-studied cannabinoids THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, and CBC. Although I’m certain many would disagree with my list and want to include more or exclude some depending on the person; this is my list and I’m sticking to it.

All cannabinoids are naturally produced in their carboxylic acid form, so when you see “THCA” this is just the acid form of THC. When you decarboxylate THCA (or any cannabinoid) you remove the acid group and render the final product more bioavailable. As we study cannabinoid acids, we are finding more potential benefits.

Terpenes

Terpenes are the aromatic oils that are responsible for the aroma that accompanies your favorite cannabis cultivars. There are more than a hundred naturally occurring terpenes in cannabis and they also happen to be the oils that are responsible for much of the benefits associated with aromatherapy. Ever smelled the scent of lavender and felt more relaxed? Or walked into a yoga studio and immediately felt the calming effect of incense burning? It is the volatile terpene-rich oils produced naturally in plants that cause these effects and cannabis just so happens to produce a ton of them.

The Instaleaf product database features 23 terpenes but it’s important to note that these are only the primary terpenes found in each product, if you were to look at the certificate of analysis (COA) from a lab you would find many more. The most common terpenes found in the Instaleaf database are caryophyllene, myrcene, pinene, limonene. A terpene profile is the list of primary terpenes found in a particular cultivar and it can influence the aroma, flavour, and effect of a particular product.

In-da-couch or sativa

Sativa, Indica, or neither…. You may have come across the Sativa and Indica dichotomy that associates effects with a particular subspecies of cannabis. While this classification is useful in structurally identifying and growing cannabis it does not necessarily correlate to effects. You may get an Indica cultivar that makes you feel energetic and uplifted and you may get a Sativa cultivar that gets you locked in your couch. The reason that this classification system may not be completely accurate when trying to determine effects is that there is no clear rule with regards to the chemical makeup (ingredients) of a Sativa or Indica plant.

Why does it matter?

I’m passionate about this topic because I’m curious about the dynamic range of effects that cannabis can produce on a consumer. Personally, I believe this marketing push to simplify cannabis and only focus on THC is damaging to the cannabis industry as a whole and more likely to turn away new consumers. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy high THC products occasionally, but when you learn that there is a dynamic range of effects based on the type of product consumed you can begin to target certain effects or certain situations and the world opens. I know firsthand the positive benefits that this plant can have when used properly and the goal behind this platform is to help the cannabis community make better decisions by aggregating our shared experiences. The new terpene cannabis science is finding that these terpenes can also modulate the effects of your cannabis, when chosen properly you may be able to target specific effects more accurately by curating your cultivar choices based on cannabinoid and terpene profiles. In the end, it’s about increasing the positive experiences and decreasing the negative experiences with this plant because at Instaleaf we truly believe that this plant can make the world a better place when used properly.