America's Got Terpenes—A Look at Linalool

The pungent, sweet smell of G-13. The Earthy aroma of Hindu Kush. The spicy lavender of… Lavender. This endless array of flavors and scents comes from compounds called terpenes, and allows us to deepen our appreciation of cannabis. In fact, terpenes do more than just smell good. They each offer their own subtle mental and physical effects—so, the more you know about terpenes, the more informed you'll be when choosing a strain.

One terpene in particular—linalool—is distinctly floral and has a relaxing, sedative effect. It's widespread in nature, found mostly in herbs, like lavender and coriander—plants that, like cannabis, have been used for aeons to relieve stress and anxiety. It’s no coincidence; it’s the linalool.

Some facts about linalool:

Flavors/Scents: Lavander, Floral, Citrus, Sweet

Strains: G-13, Lavender, LA Confidential, 9lb. Hammer, Bubblegum, Tangerine Dream

Effects: In many ways, science is confirming what thousands of years of traditional medicine—and thousands of user reviews on leafly.com—have already taught us—that cannabis does a lot more than just get you high.

Studies have shown linalool is an effective:

• Sedative

• Anti-inflammatory

• Pain reliever

• Anti-convulsant

Linalool is one of 6 major terpenes commonly found in cannabis. The others are pinene, myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, and humulene.

Next time, we’ll take a look at limonene, a citrusy, mood-boosting terpene found in OG Kush and Jack the Ripper, among others.

For more information on terpenes and strains that could be helpful for you, come talk to one of our budtenders. They’re knowledgeable, discreet, and happy to point you in the right direction.

Disclaimer: With the exception of using linalool to relax and calm the nerves (both centuries-old folk remedies)—consuming recreational cannabis won’t guarantee any of the results mentioned in this post, which were all achieved in laboratories under controlled conditions. If you have any of the serious health issues mentioned above, do yourself a favor and talk to your doctor about treatment options.

References: http://theleafonline.com/c/science/2014/09/terpene-profile-linalool/ https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/terpenes-the-flavors-of-cannabis-aromatherapy/ https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/myrcene-linalool-and-bisabolol-what-are-the-benefits-of-these-can/ https://www.whaxy.com/learn/linalool-cannabis-terpene http://www.aana.com/newsandjournal/documents/anxiolytic_effects_0208_47-52.pdf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12587692 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12535857 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21299105