THC content has always been the standard measurement of cannabis potency. Scan any cannabis product label, and chances are your eyes go first to the THC percentage before anything else. We’ve been trained to put THC on a pedestal, above all other markers of potency and quality. In turn, both growers, hash makers, and solventless extractors have optimized for the highest THC content possible. As the free market goes, you have to give people what they want. 

But now things are changing. Consumers and producers alike are broadening their perspective regarding the true value and efficacy of cannabis products. There are many other factors that contribute to an exceptional experience with cannabis, other than simply the THC content. 

THC has been the belle of the cannabis ball for good reason. It’s the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, and it does show up in higher amounts than other cannabinoids in most cannabis cultivars. However, THC is just part of a bigger picture, and the entire picture is now coming into focus. Scientific studies are shining a light, allowing us to see things that have always been there, but never really recognized, let alone understood. 

Let’s examine THC content in the broader context of the symphony of variables that create a high-quality cannabis experience. 

Bad Quality Can Hide Behind High THC Content

High THC content can be a distraction, like smoke and mirrors misleading the observer. Cannabis flower with 30% THC might have been dried incorrectly, leading to a harsh smoke. Or worse yet, it may contain mold, or traces of herbicide or fungicide. 

THC Isn’t the Only Thing That Makes You Feel High

THC is a cannabinoid, a class of compounds produced by the cannabis plant, which interact directly with our bodies' endocannabinoid systems. All mammals have endocannabinoid systems, made up of receptors and neurotransmitters located throughout the body, running from the head to the feet. Read more in our article The Endocannabinoid System and Cannabis.

Aside from the cannabinoids which stimulate our endocannabinoid systems, there are other compounds responsible for how we experience the therapeutic effects of cannabis. 

The trifecta of compounds we’ll look at include cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavorants.

Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are responsible for some of cannabis’ most noteworthy effects, including the feeling of euphoria. But not all cannabinoids are psychoactive. While THC is famous for the high it gives, CBD is another common cannabinoid that doesn’t impart the same type of psychedelic experience. There are dozens of cannabinoids currently known, however scientific study is lackluster at best. Now that cannabis is set to be removed from the Federal list of Schedule 1 Drugs in the US, more funding for scientific research into the cannabis plant will be possible. 

CBN and CBG are other noteworthy cannabinoids that are gaining notoriety. The acid form of various cannabinoids, such as THC-A and CBD-A have also been recognized to provide unique benefits (psychoactivity not being one of them). 

Terpenes 

Terpenes are hydrocarbon compounds that give cannabis its distinct aroma, flavor, and effect. Like the familiar cannabinoids THC and CBD, terpenes are created in the trichome heads, or resin glands, of the cannabis plant. There are over 125 terpenes that have been identified in cannabis, and they work together to create the myriad expressions across a multitude of different strains that are being bred today. 

Not only do terpenes impart unique flavor and aroma, they contribute to the positive effects of cannabis. Terpenes work in concert with cannabinoids in ways that aren’t fully understood, however there’s no question they have a large impact on the chemical interactions that take place while consuming cannabis. Terpenes enhance the therapeutic effect of cannabinoids, which is quite possibly the most important reason to optimize their presence in cannabis. 

Read more about the Top Terpenes in Cannabis and their corresponding effects. 

Flavorants

Thanks to this study, we have a greater understanding for why cannabis cultivars smell the way that they do. For example, the terpene concentrations of two different cultivars can be very similar, and yet each cultivar can have distinctly different aromas. Why is this? If terpenes are the only thing responsible for cannabis aroma, then cultivars with the same terpene profiles would smell the same. But we see this isn’t the case. Therefore, there’s something else at play. 

And this “something else'' is flavorants. These compounds and others influence and modulate the cannabinoids which have been long-known to cause the psychoactive effects from cannabis. 

Read more in our article Flavorants and the Science of Terpenes in Cannabis.

The Entourage Effect

The entourage effect refers to the synergistic relationship between various beneficial compounds in cannabis, and their ability to enhance each other for a greater total effect. 

Cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavorants in cannabis compliment each other in ways that science has not yet fully illuminated. However, there are clear indicators that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

While THC may turn up the dial, it doesn’t act alone. The amount of any single component may not be as important as the ratio of components. There are so many variables, and no two cannabis cultivars are exactly alike. In fact, plants of the same cultivar that are grown in different environments may create resin with different amounts of each compound. 

It’s very difficult to anticipate the exact effect a specific cannabis product will deliver. The best indicators are lab tests, which show the percentages of each compound. When THC content alone is the focus, consumers miss the bigger picture. 

Conclusion

Focusing on other benchmarks of quality doesn’t make THC any less desirable. As consumers and producers are focusing on other aspects of cannabis, THC still deserves all the love and admiration it’s always enjoyed. Now, it’s simply moving away from a solo act and finding its place in the cannabis chorus. 

Although THC levels have traditionally been seen as the gauge of cannabis strength, both consumers and producers are realizing that other elements play a role in shaping the overall cannabis experience. Simply having high THC levels doesn't guarantee quality, as poor farming methods can result in unpleasant side effects like harsh smoke or impurities. The focus is now on understanding how cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavorants work together to produce the psychoactive effects of cannabis.

The entourage effect emphasizes how these compounds interact synergistically suggesting that combining cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavorants enhances their impact. The combined effect of the plant is greater than each component alone. While THC still matters it's not the full and complete measure of a cannabis product. 

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