One thing that makes cannabis a popular choice as medicine is that it can be a natural alternative to pharmaceutical medication. Many believe this natural purity can be best enjoyed by vaping your cannabis flower – where your bud’s natural compounds can be taken in without being burned.
But when it comes to taking in the natural goodness of cannabis through vaping – not all options are the same.
The majority of THC oils available today are distillate oils. THC distillate oil is highly purified and is created by extracting a specific compound of the cannabis plant. Heat is used as part of the distillation process to vaporize cannabis oil and capture the desired cannabinoids, like THC.
A major drawback of THC distillate oils is that they are low in terpenes. This means you could end up leaving potential benefits on the table. We’ll explain what we mean in a bit.
First let’s consider what full spectrum means.
What Is Full Spectrum THC?
Full spectrum means the THC oil is extracted from the whole cannabis plant – allowing the oil to maintain the full profile of active compounds in the plant. This includes terpenes, flavonoids, sterols, and cannabinoids like THC, CBD, CBG, and CBN – giving you access to the full spectrum of potential benefits from your cannabis oil.
This is why full spectrum cannabis extracts are also called whole plant extracts. Why does this matter?
Well, when it comes to enjoying the full potential of the active compounds found in cannabis – taking in a wide range of cannabinoids and terpenes, could open the door to potential benefits that can be achieved through what is known as the Entourage Effect.
Terpenes and the Entourage Effect
An often overlooked element in unlocking the true potency of cannabis is striking the right balance of cannabinoids and terpenes for you and your endocannabinoid system.
Terpenes are aromatic compounds naturally produced by plants. They’re what give plants like jasmine, lemongrass, and cannabis their unique scents. Terpenes are bioactive, and depending on their concentration and how a person uses them, could offer potential health benefits such as being anti-inflammatory, anti-seizure, antiviral, and gastroprotective.
What Is the Entourage Effect?
In addition to their potential health benefits, terpenes play an important role in helping to create what is known as The Entourage Effect. By striking the right balance of cannabinoids and terpenes for your endocannabinoid system (ECS), it can create a special synergy that results in a more complete cannabis experience.
And, this special synergy is what is known as the Entourage Effect. It is believed that the power of the cannabinoids and terpenes is amplified when they are allowed to work together.
In addition to providing a more harmonious experience that can amplify the positive effects of your weed, the Entourage Effect could also have potential health benefits, and not just physical benefits either. For example, the entourage effect could be helpful for those facing certain mental health ailments.
Can the Entourage Effect Help Improve Mental Health?
Not only can the entourage effect result in a more complete cannabis experience, but it may have the potential to help treat certain mental health disorders. A study from February of 2020, examined the potential of terpenes coupled with cannabinoids for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.
The results of the study were presented in a review article entitled, “The Entourage Effect: Terpenes Coupled with Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders” – which was published in Current Neuropharmacology.1
The study concluded that: “The use of various cannabis-derived compounds opens the arena to the option of avoiding the adverse effects of the available antidepressants and mood stabilizers while treating mood disorders. This may be particularly important for patients who are non-responsive or non-adherent to conventional treatment.”2
Although we still have a lot to learn about what’s possible when we strike the right balance of cannabinoids and terpenes, these findings seem to indicate that the entourage effect could be helpful for those battling depression, anxiety and other mood disorders – where traditional medicine has failed.
It is especially exciting that the entourage effect has the power to help millions avoid the undesirable effects of pharmaceutical antidepressants – since mood disorders are the most prevalent mental health condition encountered in psychiatric practice.
This is just one example of how powerful the active compounds of cannabis can be when we enjoy them as nature intended.
Effects Will Be Different for All
The way terpenes and cannabinoids in cannabis interact with our endocannabinoid systems will be different for all. That’s why it’s possible for cannabis strains with similar THC percentages to affect two people differently.
Learn more about: What Gets You High – THC or Terpenes?
Full Spectrum Oil
Full Spectrum THC oil is just one way to enjoy the potential benefits of the Entourage Effect. And although there are many options available to vape cannabis oil, one common way is through a full spectrum vape cart.
What is a full spectrum cart? Let us explain.
Full Spectrum Cartridge
One method of vaping marijuana oil that’s popular today is with a vape pen. Some refer to vape pens as THC oil pens or weed pens. Vape pens have two key components: a battery and a cartridge, or “cart” for short.
The cartridge is the part that contains cannabis oil and attaches to the battery.
When it comes to the type of oil found in vape cartridges, the most common type is distillate oil – which is low in terpenes. Not only could you miss out on the entourage effect, but you may end up consuming terpenes that have been added back into the cannabis oil.
You see, some companies will add terpenes back into their cannabis oil. Sometimes these terpenes come from cannabis and other times they are synthetic or come from other types of plants. So, if you are looking to keep your cannabis vape experience as natural as possible, you’ll want to avoid these types of vape carts.
Learn more about:
THC Vape Carts.
Full Spectrum THC Vape Carts
Full spectrum THC vape carts, on the other hand, give you access to the wide range of active compounds found in cannabis. Full spectrum oil vape carts also tend to maintain the natural flavor and aroma of the cannabis plant.
Since full spectrum THC vape carts are filled with THC oil that includes cannabinoids and terpenes – they offer access to the enhanced experience that’s possible through the entourage effect.
Does Full Spectrum CBD Have THC In It?
When it comes to CBD, there are basically three types:
- CBD Isolate: the purest form of CBD, contains zero THC.
- Broad Spectrum CBD: contains the natural compounds of the marijuana plant. Although manufacturers try to remove all of the THC, it can still contain trace amounts.
- Full Spectrum CBD: contains all of the natural compounds found in the plant, including THC. But, in order to comply with FDA regulations, the amount of THC must be less than .03%.
Although full spectrum CBD contains less than .03% THC that might be enough to allow users to experience the enhanced cannabis experience known as the entourage effect.