Whether you’ve been enjoying the benefits of cannabis for a few weeks or a few decades, the team at Reverie 73 wants to ensure that you’re as comfortable as possible when browsing our selection of products. Part of being comfortable comes down to understanding—what our products are, how they work and what benefits you can expect from them. We’ll cover a few of the basic need-to-knows below, but you can always ask one of our Reverie 73 Muses for advice or explanations, too!
Tetrahydrocannabinol (a.k.a. THC) acts like the cannabinoid chemicals made naturally by your body. THC stimulates cells in the brain that release dopamine and is responsible for the mind-altering effects that most people associate with cannabis products.
Cannabidiol (a.k.a. CBD) doesn’t get you high, but can help to relieve stress and pain, improve appetite and aid sleep.
In addition to THC and CBD, the trichromes on a cannabis plant also produce terpenes, aromatic oils that contribute to each strain’s color, flavor and scent. While they won’t get you high, some people claim terpenes can be helpful in establishing certain frames of mind like focus or calm.
What is a cannabis strain? Effectively, every strain of cannabis is its own variety, each of which has been created through generations of breeding and has unique cannabinoid, terpene and effect profiles. Most all major lineages and varieties have been given a strain name, several of which are recognized worldwide (like OG Kush, Sour Diesel and Blue Dream). While each of these names implies that the product will produce certain effects, they’re more marketing than anything else and are not always reliable. In many dispensaries and in cannabis culture, you’ll also hear people refer to different strains as being part of one of three species of cannabis: sativa, indica or a hybrid of both.
Sativa strains are noted to be more energizing and uplifting, perfect for creating art or socializing with friends. Sativa plants are tall and skinny with thin, pointed leaves.
Indica has been noted as producing strains that provide full-body calming effects that make you want to melt into your couch and relax. To remember this one, think: in-da-couch. Clever, no? Indica plants are usually short and stocky with leaves that are broad and chunky.
Hybrids, as the name suggests, provide some sort of a combination of effects from both sativa and indica strains. Most cannabis today is a hybrid strain.
In addition to THC and CBD, the trichomes on a cannabis plant also produce terpenes, aromatic oils that contribute to each strain’s color, flavor and scent. While they won’t get you high, terpenes can be helpful in establishing certain frames of mind like focus or calm. Their effects are just like those from aromatherapy.
The combination of terpenes and cannabinoids on each plant interact to create a very niche, specific feeling known as the entourage effect. More and more labs are beginning to label products with their terpenoid profiles so that customers can have a better understanding of their effects. If you’re shopping for a specific experience, try selecting strains based on a combination of their CBD/THC dominance and terpenoid profile for best results.
Terpenes don’t only occur in cannabis plants. They’re present in almost all plants and foods and are responsible for some of what you feel when you eat them. We’re going to highlight some of the most common terpene profiles below, and we’re pretty sure you’ll recognize at least a few of the properties we describe in some foods you eat every day.
Helps With:
r&r, pain relief
Aroma:
earthy, like cloves
Also Found In:
mangoes, broccoli and thyme
Helps With:
quelling anxiety, improving mood
Aroma:
citrus, specifically oranges
Also Found In:
oranges, grapefruits and spearmint
Helps With:
stress relief, sleep, improving mood
Aroma:
floral, spicy
Also Found In:
lavender, coriander and cilantro
Helps With:
pain, inflammation, anxiety
Aroma:
spicy
Also Found In:
cloves, pepper and hops
Helps With:
inflammation, alertness, reducing anxiety
Aroma:
earthy, like a pine forest
Also Found In:
pine trees, basil and dill
Helps With:
sleep
Aroma:
floral, herbal
Also Found In:
apples, nutmeg and lilacs
Most people who have learned about cannabis strains in terms of the traditional indica vs. sativa concept infer that sativa strains have higher levels of THC and indica strains, CBD. This is not the case. There are many indica strains with high levels of THC and low levels of CBD, vice versa. Due to cross-breeding for so many generations, it is considered rare to find a strain that is authentically solely sativa or indica today; most strains are actually some sort of hybrid.
Instead of making purchasing decisions based on the label of indica or sativa, check out the THC, CBD and terpenoid profiles of each strain you’re looking at. This will give you a much better understanding of how the strain may affect you, and it can help inform your purchasing decisions later on as you learn what you do and don’t like.
