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Synthetic vs. Natural: Are All Terpenes Created Equal?

Synthetic vs. Natural: Are All Terpenes Created Equal?

Dr. Amanda Reiman, Miss Grass Scientific Advisor

Being fully informed is essential to advocate for your own health and wellness. But when it comes to navigating the evolving science, limited research, and misinformation out there, seeing what’s up and what’s downright dangerous can be pretty challenging.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with internationally recognized cannabis expert, plant and health advocate, Chief Knowledge Officer for New Frontier Data, and founder of Personal Plants, Dr. Amanda Reiman, to break down science, debunk the myths, and arm you with everything you need to consume consciously and safely.

First up, Dr. Reiman’s take on the rise of synthetic terpenes.

 

Now that terpenes are all the rage, we’ve seen a significant rise in synthetics and brands adding terps to their tinctures, oils, ointments, beverages, and edibles. There are even companies, like Altria (the tobacco giant behind Marlboro), trying to capitalize on the step change by creating designer strains with specific terpene concentrations.

If we’ve learned anything from the problems of processed foods and synthetic chemicals in the products we consume, it’s that being conscious of what we put into our bodies matters.

But unlike mindful food consumption with standardized labels, pages of reviews, and easily researched products, there remain a number of unanswered and under-researched questions on cannabis additives and how they may or may not impact our health.

Here’s what we know *so far* on the difference between synthetic and botanical (natural) terpenes, and what you should look for when choosing a product based on terpenes.

Synthetic terpenes are made in a lab using chemical manipulation to create “theoretically perfect” terpenes. Like other food additives, synthetic terpenes may be “food grade,” but they do not come from a plant.

In food terms these are the GMOs, or more simply, the juice concentrates—full of flavor, lacking the same nutritional value, and created using a blend of artificial and natural ingredients. If you’ve ever had lemon flavored candy and thought, what in the fake lemon flavor is this? You can see the limitations of imitations.

Botanical terpenes are naturally produced by plants to repel predators or seduce pollinators. You’ve probably encountered these aromatics in a body lotion with lavender’s calming linalool, or if you’ve ever walked through a pine forest (that’s pinene). Think of them as organic whole foods. Botanical terpenes extracted from plants other than cannabis can be found in topicals, so if you have an allergy to certain essential oils, be sure to check the ingredients.

Cannabis-derived terps also fall in the botanical bucket. Really, they’re the same, and there’s no difference from the myrcene you’d find in mangos and the myrcene you find in cannabis. In analogous terms, consider these the cold pressed juices of the world that preserve terpene content by flash-freezing buds right at harvest. Like cold pressed juices they retain more beneficial compounds, but are also less common because of the costly methods to extract them (it takes a lot of good, hard grown bud to make a little bit).

So if terpenes are naturally occurring, why would anyone go through the effort and costs to design their own?

Cannabis capitalism. Tobacco behemoth Altria recently began making moves to patent designer strains with specific terpene concentrations that offer specialized flavor and aroma profiles. They hope these strains will create consistent nuanced entourage effects and associated therapeutic benefits that would make any marketing department giddy with glee.

The net net?

Proceed with caution, especially with consuming synthetic terpenes which are often found in vape cartridges and products that use distillate or isolate.

While synthetic terpenes may end up being entirely safe, just like GMO foods there is always a risk of health effects from synthetics and their chemical residues left behind. Unlike GMO foods, there’s currently no research on cannabis additives, and it’s still unknown how well synthetic and natural terpenes interact together and with the body.

The technology is also still under development and many of the professionals behind it don’t yet fully understand botanical and synthetic terpenes. Until we have more answers, you should look for terpenes derived from other plants and products labeled as “whole plant,” which tells you that the content of the product is as close to the original cannabis plant as possible.

And when in doubt, ask.

Ask the budtender. Ask the dispensary. Ask the company who produces a product what’s in it, does it contain botanical or synthetic terpenes, along with whether they’re adding essential oils too.

Whole plant products with all of the cannabinoids and terpenes intact are still your best bet.

Someday cannabis will follow food, and there will come a point when brands are required to be more transparent and list all ingredients. Until then it falls in our hands to set the standard and demand high quality, safe, transparent, and effective products with our dollars.

Quick Hits—Hemp 101

What is Delta 9?

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), is the primary psychoactive compound found in the c*nn*b*s plant. It is responsible for the traditional "high" feeling associated with consuming c*nn*b*s.

Is this "real" THC?

Whether derived from high-THC plants on a licensed farm or a low-THC plant categorized as hemp, THC is THC. Our ingredients are tested for safety and potency to ensure consistent experiences. Per the 2018 Farm Bill rules, Jewels contain <.3% THC by weight, per gummy.

Is this legal?

Jewels follow federally legal guidelines per the 2018 Farm Bill, each piece containing less than .3% Delta-9 THC by weight. Some states have limited and/or banned hemp-derived THC with individual laws, check our shipping policy to see if your state is affected.

Will hemp make me high?

Although hemp plants contain less Delta-9 THC, in isolation, the compound hits the same.

Is this Synthetic?

The word "synthetic" is used in c*nn*b*s regulations to describe compounds “not naturally occurring in the plant.” But that definition gets confusing when most of the hemp-derived Delta-9 THC products are made by synthesizing Delta-9 THC out of  CBD extracted from the plant. It is coming from real plant material, but it has been altered.


The THC in Jewels is Delta-9 THC derived from CBD extract.

Isn't hemp-derived THC sketchy?

The hemp-derived scene is largely unregulated, resulting in a mixed bag of people who put profits first and people who put just as much care into the safety and efficacy of their hemp products as they do in the licensed, state-legal space. (Miss Grass proudly falls in the latter group).

What's the difference between this and what's sold at a licensed dispensary?

Hemp products are not legally required to undergo the same testing and tracking requirements as state-licensed THC products. In our case, we subject our products to the same testing and tracking standards as those we sell in a dispensary.

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