PRODUCTS and MEDICINES:
Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid? (From Smells Like Business Podcast with Tom Petit)
This is a short transcript from a recent Smells Like Business podcast entitled “What is The Endocannabinoid System?”
In this portion, we discuss why using sativa, indica, or hybrid terms are not as important as the final active ingredients in finished cannabis products. Full podcast link is provided below.
Dr. Z: With the market analysis, this distinction of cannabis sativa, indica, or hybrids, or even the names of strains, say, Purple Haze, does not mean as much as the actual finished product and the active ingredients that finished product contains. In particular, let’s use an example of one strain, Purple Haze, which is popular around the world, but it will have a different chemo output or chemical output. It will produce slightly different cannabinoids and terpenes, depending on where it is grown, and how it is grown. Whether it is grown in Hawaii, East Coast, West Coast, Afghanistan..
Tom: Indoor, outdoor.
Dr. Z: That’s right. And what temperatures and what stress [the plants experience]. Because when plants get stressed, they produce terpenes as their response to [for example] insects, protective response to nature, it’s a deterrent a lot of times..
Tom: Ahhh, I didn’t know that, interesting.
“Most of these plants are no longer sativa or indica, they are hybrids.”
Dr. Z: Genetics of the plant are coded to produce cannabinoids and terpenes and the market is seeing that most of these plants are no longer sativa or indica, they are hybrids. They are all different strains and even different growers of the same strain can have a different [chemical] output from that plant.
So the [cannabis] market is now looking how to organize standardize, and quantify all of this. A solution that is emerging [suggests] that it is important to list cannabinoids and major terpenes [on cannabis products]. Terpenes are not only responsible for the sense of smell [of cannabis]….[I discuss how terpenes affect brain activity and the limbic system in the brain.]
“Terpenes and cannabinoids are equally as important in finished products and the market is recognizing that we need to track the[se] active ingredients.”
Terpenes and cannabinoids are equally as important in finished products and the market is recognizing that we need to track the[se] active ingredients…. Terpenes are very important!
Now comes another complication. Some of the labs are testing for 25 terpenes [and cannabinoids] in cannabis products and cannabis flower. Some are testing for 40, 50 terpenes/[active ingredients]. So, when is that information still relevant? There is not really a clear-cut answer on this question. Right now the market is focusing on the five most dominant terpenes, or at least [suggesting to] list them. And I would say, you know what – wrong.
Let’s [instead] focus on the five most prevalent terpenes in that product.
Tom: In that product, not in general?
Dr. Z: Right! …My point is the market should standardize products based on the active ingredients in the [final] product.
For the full podcast, click here: Smells Like Business - What is the Endocannabinoid System +
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