What’s in Medical Marijuana?

Cannabis growers create catchy names to describe the various cultivars they’ve bred, but these names aren’t necessarily useful for medical marijuana patients who first and foremost wish to know what strain will best treat their conditions.  As the plant medicine grows in popularity and becomes more accessible, it could be beneficial for producers to find new ways to approach the labeling.  The cannabis plant contains a multitude of chemical compounds, which produce psychoactive and/or medicinal potentials, therefore, getting to know the plant medicine beyond sativa or indica labeling is crucial.  Currently, patients are most familiar with THC, CBD and Delta 8 products, which patients find to be very helpful when they wish to achieve or avoid psychoactive effects.

All of the phytocannabinoids found in the cannabis plant are produced by the plant in acidic form; CBD-A is a precursor to CBD, CBG-A to CBG, THC-A to THC and so forth.  It is only when they become decarboxylated upon heating/processing that the compounds change form.  These days, many of the cannabis plant compounds are being extracted and studied for their individual medicinal properties.  With this in mind, consumers may find it much easier to navigate the market if the variety of strains are categorized based on chemical composition.  “Knowing why some strains are similar to others, may help growers maintain a diverse product line and may also help consumers identify strains, or groupings of strains, that they prefer based on similarity.”

Recently, THCA has been a hot topic of discussion as it’s becoming more prevalent in labeling, however, consumers don’t know much about it or how it might affect the potency of the medicine.  The reason that THCA is gaining recognition is that the content found in the plant ultimately produces “THC-max;” the total available THC in any particular strain.  To put it simply, “If you multiply the amount of THCA by 0.877 and add the amount of already ‘active’ THC, you find the maximum amount of THC remaining after complete decarboxylation.”  As it stands, inconsistent labeling might be off-putting to patients and from a medical perspective, could lead to unwanted outcomes.  With a high concentration of the neuroprotective cannabinoid Δ9‐THCA, the Guala cultivar may offer consumers relief from conditions such as inflammation and seizures.  Guala is a premium cannabis flower and patients report feeling a balanced spectrum of revived and relaxed. It is also a great daytime strain and helps to increase the appetite.

While strains with names like cookies, cheese and gelato conjure up some mouthwatering senses, they certainly don’t provide any insight into the medicine contained within them.  “Considering the historically clandestine nature of cannabis breeding, it’s unsurprising that labelling would have been relegated to more subjective methods, like smell, rather than a more consistent system that reliably distinguishes strains.”

It isn’t necessarily important for medical marijuana patients to know everything about the plant compounds, but with a more thoughtful system of categorizing, patients would be able to easily choose strains with similar effects if they run out of their current favorite.  The specific cannabinoid profile of each cultivar will determine how strong the effects are, however, it’s the terpenes that dictate what those effects will be. For example, strains that contain more than .5% of myrcene are likely to induce a sedative, “couch-lock” effect which are typically attributed to indica strains.

What are the most common terpenes in cannabis?

• Myrcene
• Caryophyllene
• Pinene
• Linalool
• Limonene
• Humulene
• Terpineol
• Terpinolene
• Phellandrene

Terpenes are another key chemical component of the cannabis plant and many of them are found throughout a range of strain profiles.  For example, caryophyllene, the most abundant terpene found in cannabis acts as a cannabinoid within the endocannabinoid system (ECS). It “can support the immune system, relieve pain, reduce inflammation and can help to soothe and relax the patient.  In addition, β-caryophyllene has been found to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may be used to relieve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).”  Strains dominant in caryophyllene with the addition of limonene and humulene (a-caryophyllene) create the profile for popular strains including Purple Punch, “Glue” and “Cookie” cultivars.

Medical marijuana strains that carry a composition with somewhat balanced proportions of myrcene, caryophyllene and limonene terpenes are abundant and are typical of many strains including Wedding Cake and Kush Mints.  This profile may provide patients the most support for conditions like insomnia and movement disorders.  Popular varieties of MAC, Critical Haze and Gelato are rich in the limonene terpene. These hybrid strains tend to produce feelings of happiness and upliftment, therefore offering patients relief from anxiety, depression and stress.  As medical marijuana grows in popularity, you can see why it’s important to get familiar with the medicine that works best for you.