The Short Version: Cannabinoids Drive, Terpenes Tune
You already know THC gets you high and CBD chills you out. But have you ever smoked two strains with the same THC level — and felt totally different?
That’s the terpenes talking.
Cannabinoids bring the raw power. Terpenes steer the experience.
And if you’re only measuring one side of that equation, you’re not really profiling your strain.
What Are Cannabinoids?
Cannabinoids are the primary active compounds in cannabis. Think THC, CBD, and CBG.
They bind to receptors in your body’s endocannabinoid system and produce physiological effects — like euphoria, relaxation, or pain relief.
Each strain expresses a unique cannabinoid profile. This isn’t just about potency — it’s about chemotype. A strain with 22% THC and 0.2% CBD will act very differently than one with 16% THC and 6% CBD.
Cannabinoids define what your product does.
What Are Terpenes?
Terpenes are aromatic compounds — think citrus, pine, diesel, spice — that influence how a strain smells, tastes, and feels.
More than just flavor, they shape your high. That’s the entourage effect: terpenes modifying how cannabinoids behave.
Common players:
- Myrcene: Sedative, couch-lock
- Limonene: Uplifting, anti-anxiety
- Caryophyllene: Anti-inflammatory, peppery
- Pinene: Focused, alert
Terpenes define how your product feels — and whether anyone comes back for more.
Why Measure Both?
If you only test THC, you’re doing half a job.
A full strain profile measures both cannabinoids and terpenes — because:
- Potency doesn’t equal quality. A 25% THC strain with no terpene profile is just loud noise.
- Customers chase effects, not just numbers. If you want to build consistency, you need both sides of the profile.
- Compliance and branding rely on truth. You can’t promise “relaxing and citrus-forward” if you don’t know the linalool and limonene levels.
How to Measure Terpenes and Cannabinoids — Without the Lab
Most labs use chromatography. It’s accurate, but slow, expensive, and off-site.
Valenveras offers a portable analyzer that scans both cannabinoid and terpene profiles in under a minute — right in your drying room or breeding tent.
- No solvents
- No prep
- No mailing vials
Just a handheld NIR scanner and your mobile app. It reads both potency and terpene composition — simultaneously.