Month: <span>June 2018</span>

You can probably guess that cannabinoids have something to do with cannabis…and you’d be right!  However, the effect that cannabinoids have in the body are not quite what people think them to be. Often times people think that the more THC (a specific cannabinoid called tetrahydrocannabinol) a strain has, the better or stronger the experience will be.  This has some, but limited, truth.

THC is the psychoactive compound contained in cannabis, giving the user the a sense of euphoria, a change in mood, changes in perception of time, etc.  However, most of the other cannabinoids are NOT psychoactive. That’s right, they don’t necessarily have much to do with the experience. Other cannabinoids, like CBD (cannabidiol), are responsible for cannabis’ anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, anti-nausea, and blood-sugar/appetite suppressing effects.  Cannabinoids are often responsible for the effects that are related to function in the body and less about the “feel” of the experience, though there are some exceptions. As mentioned in another blog post, terpenes are generally responsible for “flavoring” the experience, both literally and metaphorically.  Check out our blog post on terpenes to understand this interplay between cannabinoids and terpenes, which has now been called “The Entourage Effect.”

Cannabinoids have application to be powerful replacements for drugs used in a variety of illnesses and diseases.  Many people who suffer from diseases that cause convulsions or seizures gain relief by using CBD oils. These oils often work as well, or better, than the current medications that exist, without all the nasty side-effects, and can be applied topically, ingested, or vaped/smoked.  Check out our post on vaping to understand the benefits/convenience of vaping versus other methods of use.  The chart below shows the varying effects that different cannabinoids have on various processes in the body, as well as their ability to relieve pain.

[ Infographic Coming Soon ]

While our products do not contain cannabinoids, you can use our USDA organic certified flavors or strain specific profiles in combination with cannabinoids to elevator your mood, or improve the taste of your regimens.  Here at Heaven Scent, we only want to lift you up and never bring you down!

Cannabis consumers often attribute the varying effects of different strains of cannabis to the different concentration of cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD to name the most commonly talked about.)  Newer strains are often touted as being stronger/better because of their higher THC ratios and, frankly, this is a bit misleading. While there is some truth in this, these compounds are only a small part of a much larger interplay that is occuring.  Scientists are now realizing that these cannabinoids interact with other compounds found naturally in cannabis, called terpenes. This interaction has been called “The Entourage Effect.” To learn more about cannabinoids, and their effects, check out or post on cannabinoids.

Terpenes are hydrocarbons that often give many fruits, herbs, and spices their distinct aromas.  Any time you’ve stepped foot into a day-spa or used tiger balm on an injury…yep…their distinct smells come from the terpenes contained within.  The smell of the day spa seems to soothe and calm your nerves, the tiger balm relieves inflammation, and many other terpenes have myriad effects. Essential oils used in these day spas or sports rubs are prepared by distilling down the plant matter into an oil, which is rich with terpenes.  These oils are then infused in products, or used in vaporizers/misters to be released into the air.

To better help you understand why cannabis is so complex, let’s take a look at some common terpenes and their effects.  Use our Terpene Explorer for an at-a-glance understanding of the many properties each of these terpenes possesses, including their boiling points!

Using this chart, you can see that different strains of cannabis owe their varying effects, in large part, to these terpenes that are contained within the plant as well.  Cannabis is such a powerful plant because it contains more than just one or two of these terpenes–it has dozens. This allows cannabis to have such a wide range of effects, while also putting off quite a pungent aroma!  

While this may seem like a good thing, and it is, it also comes with some complications, namely consistent experience coming from consistent dosing.  Each cannabis plant is cultivated under different conditions and from slightly different seeds/genetics. So, even though you may have obtained Skywalker OG from one shop, it won’t necessarily have the same effect when purchased from another.  This is where Heaven Scent steps in to elevate your vaping experience! Our strain specific profiles are sourced from top-shelf strains, taking only the terpenes and leaving out the other cannabinoids. Check out our post on vaping to understand the benefits of vaping over smoking!

Use our USDA certified organic strain-specific terpene profiles and flavorings to enhance your vape cartridges and gain consistency of dosage each and every time.  These ratios never change as we are not growing a new plant each season or using different seeds. We’ve chosen the most well-rounded and pleasant smelling strains, and produced a product that will always deliver exactly what you want!  Use our terpene chart to get a better sense of the effects various terpenes have and what plants their smells are associated with. From there, you can start to craft the exact experience you want to have, instead of it being a roll of the dice every time!

Throughout history, there have been many different ways in which cannabis has been enjoyed.  Some of these methods have included: smoking the plant (the oldest and most common method that likely developed from casting the plant into fires,) topical preparations (first used in various polstices and topical spreads/balms by Emperor Shen Neng of China around 2,737 BCE!,) edible concoctions (used by many cultures for various ailments, rituals, or recreational use), and, most recently, infusion into drinks/teas and baked goods.  Any way you look at it, cannabis has been used for quite a long time for its healing properties, as well as its effect on the mind.

So, why the recent trend in vaping?  Why not just continue to do what’s been done that’s tried and true?  There is a growing body of knowledge that says that smoke inhalation from cannabis is not harmful in the same way that smoke produced by cigarettes is.  Recent studies have been unable to find a link between smoking cannabis and an increase in lung cancer, whereas that link clearly evident when it comes to smoking cigarettes.  However, that doesn’t mean that smoking cannabis doesn’t have it’s harmful effects. Certain individuals are sensitive to smoke inhalation In fact, autoimmune conditions such as Lupus, are often aggravated by smoke inhalation of any kind (though not all people with Lupus will suffer increases in their symptoms or autoimmune flare-ups from smoking).

You may then ask, “Why not just eat it?”  It’s a great question! Edibles are a great way to gain the benefits of cannabis for these users but there are quite a few downsides to edibles as well.  First, ensuring accurate dosage is harder due to the process of preparation and the lack of stringent regulation in the cannabis space. Second, the time it takes for an individual to process and break down the various elements in cannabis in order to feel its effects vary from person to person, but usually take 45 minutes at a minimum to be noticed.  This can be much too long for those suffering convulsions or extreme pain due to inflammation in the body. Third, digestion is not 100% efficient, so you won’t really be sure how much of the dose you took is actually making it into your system. Last, many cooking preparations only make use of one of the chemicals in the cannabis plant, THC, which strips away many of the other benefits derived from the other compounds found in cannabis.

Then there’s the newcomer of the bunch, vaping.  Vaping cannabis plant material, waxes, budders, oils, and terpene blends can all be done quickly and easily, much in the same way one would smoke the plant.  The material is delivered to the bloodstream quickly as would occur with smoking, however, there is no smoke! The heat added to these compounds is significantly less than the heat obtained from using a flame.  The particles contained in these compounds become energetic and spread out into the air but are not combusted, as is done with flames. Vaporized particles are oil/water-based and do not contain the same carcinogens found in smoke produced by combustion techniques.  This is extremely beneficial as it produces many, if not all, of the same compounds found in the plant (if the dry herb is used,) and delivers them into the bloodstream in about the same time smoking does, without the carcinogens produced by combustion (e.g. smoke and tar is eliminated).

While we don’t sell any cannabis products at Heaven Scent, we do sell flavors and strain-specific profiles that were derived from cannabis and will emulate the taste and modulated effects of various strains of cannabis. Check out our post on terpenes to understand how these tastes and smells are emulated.  You can vape these by themselves for extra energy & other mood-enhancing effects, or purely to enjoy the taste.  You can also add them to product you already use for your elevated experience and put yourself on Cloud 9, crafting your own custom experience.  Our products are 100% USDA certified organic and contain no fillers or toxins of any kind. Here at Heaven Scent, our mission is to lift you up and never bring you down!

**Special Note** If you’re suffering from a disease or autoimmune condition, please check out our post on cannabinoids to better understand how using cannabinoids as a treatment may be right for you.  As always, present this information to your doctor as this is not intended to replace any medical advice you are currently receiving.