If you wander in to a marijuana dispensary in California,you will encounter over twenty different kinds of product. The names of these products range from Purple Haze to Northern Lights, to OG Kush, Bubba Kush, White Widow, Sour Diesel, basically sounding like the names of alternative rock bands.
No lab has established guidelines with quality checks on the various marijuana strains, so individuals cannot be certain of buying the identical product between different dispensaries. They would probably be somewhat similar in quality though.
Indica and sativa are the two general strains of marijuana that exist. Most medical marijuana today actually represents some marijuana strain combination. The sativa combinations typically maintain sweet, floral aromas and are said to be inspirational and energizing. They can assist patients in separating one’s mind from their pain.
Blends of indica, on the other hand, have a dry, skunk like odor. They are sedating, relaxing, and stress and pain relieving. Individuals often state that they work well for pain in conjunction with pain medications.
People often think that the various blends work differently because of the varying ratios of cannabinoids in them. Cannabinoids are the mind altering components of marijuana, and THC is the most well known one. Interestingly, research shows that THC is the most predominant cannabinoid by far in all varieties.
The odor molecules found in the essential oils of plants are known as terpenes. These essential oils are used in aromatherapy because they have been seen to modulate mood as well as brain function. Researchers are now of the belief that terpenes affect how medical cannabis works on the body. Assuming this literature is valid, this means understanding what a certain cannabis smells like can predict its effects on the body.
The most common terpene found in cannabis is Myrcene. The quality of Myrcene is fruity, mango, citrus, and earthy. Myrcene’s qualities include strong anti-inflammatory, strong antibiotic, and excellent reliever for pain. In combination with THC, it works well for reducing depression while elevating mood and assisting THC’s entry into the brain.
Another terpene, Beta-caryophyllene, smells like pepper. It contains pain relief qualities, but does not have a mental effect. So it does not maintain psychoactive qualities. Pinene is another terpene that happens to be a large component of turpentine. It has a piney odor and has been shown to increase self-satisfaction, focus, and memory. Terpenol smells flowery with a bit of orange blossom. It has a substantial sedative effect and is excellent for sleep problems.
There are other terpenes that help with improving memory, which is one thing that is typically thought to be adversely affected with existing marijuana strains. One of these is Pulgone, which slows the destruction of memory transfer proteins. It helps keep people alert.
For the most part, patients looking for help sleeping should look for a floral sweet variety of marijuana with Linalool in it. As more research is performed, the different varieties of terpene and its effects on the body will hopefully become more apparent. This will help patients more effectively receiving treatment for their disease.