What Are Terpenes & Are They UK Legal?

Terpenes, smell, taste and more...

For many cannabis connoisseurs, the terpene profile of a plant is the most important aspect when rating a strain. To put it simply, terpenes are the smell, taste and essence of the plant - albeit this is a very simplified way to describe them. Research is currently being conducted on terpenes and the following issues: 

• Antiseptic
• Anti-Bacterial
• Antifungal
• Inflammation
• Antioxidant
• Muscle Spasms
• Insomnia
• Stress
• Asthma

Have you ever walked into a room, picked up on a certain smell and be thrown back to a vivid memory from the past, dare we say a déjà-vu? There's a good chance that what you experienced there was caused by terpenes!  

What are Terpenes?

Terpenes are organic compounds that are used to create unique blends of tastes and smells. There are over 20, 000 naturally occurring terpenes in nature. 

Terpenes come in liquid form, and are incredibly concentrated. Due to their concentrated nature they are actually highly corrosive and can be used as a liquefier - lending them to be very useful when handling concentrates. 

Cannabis strains typically contain around 100 different terpenes, and the concentrations of those terpenes will dictate the varying smell profiles across different strains.  

Are Terpenes Legal in the UK?

Isolated Terpenes are 100% legal in the UK. They contain no THC or other cannabinoids - they are highly concentrated. 

Unknown to most, terpenes are commonly found in many household products. Ever wondered why your fresh linens smell so good? They contain a terpene called Linalool which is also commonly found in cannabis! Same with washing up liquids that have that same zestiness as Lemon cannabis strains - they both contain the terpene Limonene.  

What Are the Benefits of Terpenes?

Terpenes don't just taste great, researchers are looking into the potential therapeutic benefits that they can pose. 

Studies are now looking into the effects terpenes can have alongside CBD and other cannabinoids. They are unraveling what they call the "entourage effect" - the synergy of cannabinoids and terpenes and how they work together in a positive way. Their studies are showing that the effect of terpenes and cannabinoids like CBD when used together are different from the effects of cannabinoids without terpenes.  

How To Use Terpenes With CBD Products?

Most CBD products in the UK can be improved by adding terpenes to them. This is because distillate and isolate - the pure form of CBD that most products are formulated with - have their terpenes stripped from them in extraction. You can simply drip terpenes into the following products:

• CBD oil
• CBD vape juice
• CBD wax
• CBD shatter
• CBD hemp
• CBD edibles

Because Terpenes are so strong, the total concentration you should ever have in your product is 1-5% terpenes. Never ingest pure terpenes on their own. Work your way up with a drop or more and slowly increase the concentration to see what gives you the best effect.