Cannabis-Derived vs Non-Cannabis-Derived Terpenes
Within all the cannabis species, more than 200 terpenes have been found. However, terpenes can also be found in other plants, flowers, and fruits.
Cannabinoids are essentially odourless and tasteless, whereas terpenes provide a unique taste and aroma profile to each cannabis strain. This is the reason why you can find terpenes on the market from both cannabis plants and other sources.
What are the Differences between Terpenes and How are they Extracted?
Similar to the way essential oils are extracted from plants such as lavender or eucalyptus, terpenes can also be extracted from various plants and fruits, including cannabis.
The labs used by Cali Terpenes have the technology to detect and isolate terpenes in plants and fruits, for then extracting only those individual terpenes that they’re looking for, to later faithfully recreate other cannabis terpene profiles.
As we’ve already mentioned, there are two main terpene categories:
- Derived from cannabis: These are extracted directly from cannabis plants.
- Not derived from cannabis: Obtained from other plants, or created in a lab.
Within this second group, non-cannabis terpenes are divided into two different types:
- Synthetic terpenes: These are NOT sourced from plants and are instead crafted in a lab using chemical ingredients.
- Natural/botanical terpenes: These terpenes are extracted from plants, flowers, and fruits.
Pros and Cons of Cannabis-Derived Terpenes
| PROS | CONS |
| During inhalation, these terpenes allow you to enjoy the taste of each cannabis strain. | They might be illegal in certain countries, where the use of cannabis is not permitted. |
| Guaranteed entourage effect | The cost of production/sale is very high because of the steep price of cannabis, along with a low return from the extraction process. |
| Identical product batches can’t be guaranteed because the plants aren’t always the same, and the terpene profiles vary according to the conditions they’re exposed to. | |
| They may be perceived as “harsher” and more irritating to the throat when vaporized, because they sometimes contain moisture or traces of water. | |
| They usually don’t have technical or safety data sheets indicating their composition and usage limitations, which complicates their use in various industries. **Additional info provided by Cali Terpenes |
Pros and Cons of Non-Cannabis-Derived Terpenes
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| They don’t produce any known psychoactive effects since it’s 100% certain they don’t contain any cannabinoids. | Despite being identical, the scent and taste may be slightly different from that of cannabis-derived terpenes due to the absence of non-terpene residue. |
| They are cheaper than cannabis-derived terpenes. | They may have a stronger aroma due to their higher concentration, which means you need a lower amount to achieve the same result. |
| They are as effective as cannabis-derived terpenes because they’re identical at molecular level. | The full entourage effect is only found in brands that reproduce the terpene profile accurately. |
| They can also activate the cannabinoid receptors. | |
| The steam distillation process is standardized, not only to obtain pure and high-quality terpenes but also to guarantee identical batches over time. | |
| They’re legal in most countries worldwide. |
Are Terpenes Legal?
Given that terpenes extracted from cannabis plants fall under the “cannabis” category, cannabis-derived terpenes are deemed illegal in most countries.
However, cannabis-derived terpenes are legal in states where cannabis is legal, be it for recreational or medical use.
The good news is that non-cannabis terpenes are legal in most countries because they don’t come from cannabis but from completely legal vegetables and fruits; and they also include all the necessary documentation for use in different sectors.
Why Choose Cali Terpenes?
Cali Terpenes’ terpenes are extracted naturally from botanical sources and isolated in a lab. They can faithfully recreate the terpene profile (or aromatic profile) of the most famous and special cannabis strains, such as Super Lemon Haze or Jamaican Dream.
The resulting product is a pure and high-quality scent that offers numerous advantages: it’s legal, standardized, and effective, just like cannabis-derived terpenes; and less quantity is required because of its purity.
Cali Terpenes is backed by a solid team of aroma specialists, chemists, doctors, and experts in cannabinoids, terpenes, and cannabis, including part of the Eva Seeds team.
Cali Terpenes controls the entire terpene manufacturing process:
- Selection of elite clones
- Cultivation
- Sample extraction
- Replication process in the lab
- Production process
This allows Cali Terpenes to offer terpene profiles which are 100% identical to the original aromas, with a virtually unlimited production capacity under strict GMP regulations.
This is a summary taken from Humidify, with supplementary information provided by Cali Terpenes. Click here to read the original article!
At Cali Terpenes, we love cannabis, its properties, and the amazing aromatic profiles it can offer. That’s one of the reasons why we decided to reproduce its aromas legally and in a standardized way for use in all sorts of industries.
See you in our next post!
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