Have you ever passed through someplace, and it just seems that your cannabis’ sixth sense activates? Even if there’s no noticeable smoke, I sometimes get the “cannabis spidey-sense” when passing through certain plants.

This is due to our friends, terpenes. These chemical compounds are present in almost every existing plant on the planet, and it’s what gives cannabis its iconic scent and taste in some cases.

So no matter if you are smoking regular THC, Delta-8, THC-O, or even CBN, terpenes are present and help by giving your favorite strain the notes that make them special. That goes from being fruity, sour, citrusy, to even diesel-like or skunky.

All of those flavors you might get from a hard smoke from herb or bigger smoke cloud with vaping and bubbler-like devices are all thanks to our green friends, terpenes.

But with the growing cannabis market, you might find yourself with products that have artificially made terpenes. Below, you’ll find a quick guide on what terpenes are, how they are extracted, and how synthetic ones are made.

So without further ado, let’s check them out!

Let’s start with the basics. Terpenes are a class of organic compounds that are present in plants. These developed as a natural way to keep predators away, making them as diverse, odorous, and flavorful as they come.

Many terpenes have different effects that might be beneficial to humans, including pain relief, increased metabolism, anorectic, and even anorexic functions.

While present in almost all plants throughout the world, these substances are what gives cannabis strains their unique flavors, undertones, and aromas that you might love and adore. 

One of the most common terpenes, humulene, gives certain strains that hoppy and earthy flavor and aroma that makes strains almost taste like beer.

Eureka Vapor is one of our favorite brands that provide high-quality, 100% natural terpenes in their oils and products. Their high-quality pre-rolls, oils, and carts are pesticide-free, solvent-free, and use only the finest, naturally derived terpenes.

This results in full-bodied aroma products and effects, making each strain a premium experience without compromising potency or even the integrity of the oil itself.

So if you’ve been looking for a clean, safe, natural cannabis oil with lots of natural terpenes, Eureka might be your newest ally.

Well, this is accomplished in several ways. Since certain plants only contain a small number of terpenes, many plant materials are needed to extract a usable quantity of the wanted terpene.

The most straightforward method is through heat, mainly distillation through boiling water. The resulting vapor will travel in the setup towards a condenser, which then collects that vapor into liquid. Then, terpene structures are separated from the water, ready to be added to concoctions or other formulas.

Terpenes can also be extracted through solvents, mainly ethanol or CO2. This is similar to how cannabis-based oils, like resin, are extracted from fresh herbs. 

In most cases, this solvent is removed in the process, but this might be why resins and other high-quality cannabis oils have a more robust flavor or smell than regular weed.

You can also extract terpenes throughout a mechanical process, like mechanical presses or “cold-press.” That means it doesn’t use heat in the process but instead punctures the plant material and then squeezes the oils from the buds.

This is the process used to make rosin (with an o), which ends up in a potent and aromatic, natural-based product full of terpenes. Some high-quality oils, no matter if they use solvent or not, are full of terpenes and aromas that might come through stronger than synthetic ones.

This is the case for the oil used in Eureka’s carts and disposable devices. The cartridges are available in both 500mg and 1000mg and offer Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid varieties. Eureka also sells the 500mg Classic Distillate Disposables in Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid. But for a more refreshing experience, try the 500mg FUSION Distillate Disposables or the 500mg Premium Live Resin Disposables. All devices offer quality ceramic hardware that keeps the terpenes aromatic and fully present with each puff. 

Some laboratories and the expanding cannabis market have made it possible to create man-made terpenes. These synthetic versions are created by blending and manipulating certain chemicals to create a similar effect to natural compounds.

This results in terpenes that are similar to the real deal. However, they tend to be simple or flat when talking about aromas and flavors. 

This mass-produced artificial aroma and flavors are added to different cannabis-based products, like resin, shatter, or even wax cartridges.

Making synthetic terpenes is basically “copy-pasting” its chemical formula by adding and mixing different chemicals. This happens by analyzing the chemical composition of the natural terpene and then creating a compound out of its composition.

Most of the time, you can create synthetic terpenes that emulate the flavor and aroma of natural ones, with the cost of them being not that complex when talking about fragrances.

Although artificially made terpenes tend to be more consistent as they can be mass-produced, there is much to explore how the human body reacts differently to these compounds. 

Some synthetic terpenes tend to be on the potent side, making it possible harm to your system. And, since there is not that much information about artificial terpenes and their safety, you’ll be better off knowing that all-natural terpenes are perfectly safe to consume. 

Natural terpenes have complex aromas and tones that are not easily copyable by man. And most of the wellness benefits known and studied so far in plants, specifically cannabis, come from all-natural strains and cultivation.