Cannabis is complex, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Getting the experience you want begins with knowing how cannabis works— and it’s not just strains and formats, either.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
True or False:
You can get a good sense of a strain’s effects from whether it’s indica-dominant or sativa-dominant.
You’re right! Dominance is just one of many potential clues.
Not so fast. There’s a lot more than dominance that determines a strain’s effect.
Cannabinoids, one of the compounds found in cannabis, get you high.
Sorry, we tricked you. Not every cannabinoid gets you high.
You’re pretty smart, aren’t you? Correct: Not all cannabinoids get you high.
What’s CBN?
Sorry, no drama here—just one of many cannabinoids we’re still exploring
You really know what you’re talking about, don’t you?
What is the “entourage effect?”
Nailed it. Again.
Close, but, you’re thinking of the Entourage effect—capitalization matters
Where does cannabis get its smell?
Yes, and so do lots of other things—from lemons to rosemary.
Say it with us: I will study my cannabis. I will study my cannabis. I will study my cannabis.
Not too shabby…
You got /5 right, but there’s always room to learn more. Keep reading or jump to a section you’re feeling particularly fuzzy about using the menu below.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The low down on the high
Cannabis contains a variety of powerful compounds, which interact with your endocannabinoid system (ECS) to produce a broad range of effects, everything from increasing appetite (munchies, anyone?) to decreasing pain. The two most important are terpenes and cannabinoids, which work together (in what’s called the entourage effect) to affect the ECS.
CANNABINOIDS
Hard to pronounce, but easy to understand
Cannabinoids are compounds that interact with the ECS. You’ve heard of two of the most common—THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol)—but there are more than a hundred known today, each of which lends its own effects.
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
The primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, it contributes to the high you feel, it also may help to reduce nausea, pain, and inflammation
CBD
Cannabidiol
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
A non-psychoactive compound that may help relieve pain, inflammation, and anxiety
Cbg
Cannabigerol
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
A non-psychoactive compound that may reduce nerve and deep tissue pain
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
The primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, it contributes to the high you feel, it also may help to reduce nausea, pain, and inflammation
CBD
Cannabidiol
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
A non-psychoactive compound that may help relieve pain, inflammation, and anxiety
Cbg
Cannabigerol
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
A non-psychoactive compound that may reduce nerve and deep tissue pain
TERPENES
The real magic makers
Terpenes are aromatic oils that give cannabis its taste and smell, as well as contributing to its therapeutic and medicinal effect. You’ll recognize many of them not by their name, but by the other places you’ve found them—in the items you use every day. You can explore some of the most common below.
Put plainly, a cannabis “strain” or “cultivar” is a variety with its own unique characteristics—often due to the unique mix of cannabinoids and terpenes they contain. Some produce balanced effects, while others lean in one direction.
The person working at your local dispensary, revered for their knowledge of cannabis (yeah, we said it)
CONCENTRATES
Cannabis concentrates are the product of distilling down the most desirable parts of the plant—removing the impurities leaving behind the cannabinoids and terpenes
DANK
A word that’s often used to describe cannabis that’s sticky, stanky, and with a high quality
EDIBLES
Edibles are food products infused with cannabis oil or butter, they can range from gummies, and chocolates to drinks, and capsules
HYBRID
A cross between two or more strains of cannabis, often producing its own effects
PHENOTYPE
Growers talk about a plant’s phenotype, its physical characteristics (like height, color, configuration of leaves, etc.)
PRE-ROLL
A marijuana cigarette that can be purchased pre-rolled from a dispensary; you might also call it a joint
TRICHOME
The glands on cannabis that give it its fuzzy look, and where many of a plant’s cannabinoids are produced
TINCTURES
Cannabis tinctures are alcohol-based cannabis extracts that can be administered orally, sublingually, or mixed in foods or beverages
TOPICALS
Topicals are cannabis-infused lotions and balms, they are a great way to get the pain-relieving benefits of cannabis without getting high
