Glossary Wing

Talk like the receptors know your name.

Every term defined plainly, with the categories that match the rest of the hub. If you've ever wondered what ‘chemovar’ means or how 11-hydroxy-THC turns 10 mg into a long evening, start here.

26 terms

THC: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. The primary intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis. THC is a partial agonist at the CB1 receptor and is the main driver of the felt 'high'.
CBD: Cannabidiol. A non-intoxicating cannabinoid that can blunt some of THC's anxiogenic edge and has been studied for seizure disorders, anxiety and inflammation.
CBG: Cannabigerol. The chemical precursor to THC and CBD. Present in finished flower in small amounts but currently studied for its own pharmacology, distinct from THC's.
CBN: Cannabinol. A mildly sedating cannabinoid formed when THC degrades, particularly with heat or oxygen. Often marketed as a 'sleep' cannabinoid; the human evidence remains thin.
11-hydroxy-THC: A metabolite formed when the liver processes oral THC (i.e. edibles). It crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily than THC itself, which is why eaten cannabis can feel disproportionately strong compared to the same milligrams smoked.
Myrcene: Earthy, musky, faintly clove-scented terpene. Often the dominant terpene in cultivars marketed as indica-leaning, and the most commonly occurring terpene in cannabis overall.
Limonene: Citrus-peel scented terpene present in lemons and many cannabis chemovars. A 2024 Johns Hopkins / University of Colorado crossover trial found d-limonene blunted THC-induced anxiety vs THC alone.
α-Pinene: Pine-scented terpene shared with rosemary and conifers. Some early evidence suggests it may modestly counter THC's short-term memory effects, though the effect-size data are limited.
β-Caryophyllene: Peppery terpene unique among cannabis terpenes for directly binding the CB2 receptor (peripheral, anti-inflammatory). Also present in black pepper and cloves.
Linalool: Floral, lavender-like terpene. Present at meaningful concentrations in only a minority of cannabis cultivars; popular in 'nighttime' product marketing.
Terpinolene: Fruity, slightly piney terpene that appears as the dominant terpene in a small number of cultivars (e.g. Jack Herer, Dutch Treat).
CB1 receptor: The most abundant G-protein-coupled receptor in the human brain. THC's binding to CB1 in regions like the hippocampus, amygdala and cortex drives most of cannabis's intoxicating effects.
CB2 receptor: Cannabinoid receptor expressed primarily on peripheral immune cells and in the gut. Activated by β-caryophyllene and by some endocannabinoids; mediates much of cannabis's anti-inflammatory pharmacology.
Endocannabinoid system: The body's own cannabinoid signalling network — receptors (CB1, CB2), endogenous ligands (anandamide, 2-AG) and the enzymes that synthesise and degrade them. THC works by binding into this existing system.
Downregulation: When repeated cannabis use causes neurons to internalise CB1 receptors and uncouple the remaining ones from their signalling cascade. The cellular basis of tolerance; reverses over days to weeks of abstinence.
Entourage effect: The hypothesis that cannabis compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids) modulate each other's effects in the body. Plausibly true for some combinations; not yet proven at the receptor level for the dramatic version often claimed in marketing.
Chemovar: A cannabis variety classified by its chemical profile (cannabinoids and terpenes) rather than by 'indica' or 'sativa' lineage. A more reliable predictor of effect than indica/sativa labelling.
Sublingual: Held under the tongue. Tinctures and some sprays are designed for sublingual absorption, which onsets faster than swallowed cannabis (~15–45 min) and lasts several hours.
Tolerance break: A planned period of abstinence to reset CB1 receptor availability and restore the felt effect of a given dose. Imaging studies show meaningful reset by ~48 hours and a full return to baseline near 4 weeks for chronic users.
Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome: A condition seen in some long-term heavy cannabis users: cyclic episodes of severe vomiting and abdominal pain that paradoxically improve in hot showers. Resolves with cannabis cessation; see a clinician if you suspect it.
Equivalency value: A standardised figure on cannabis packaging that translates the product's amount into the federally-set possession equivalent of dried flower (1 g dried = 5 g fresh = 15 g edibles = 70 g liquid = 0.25 g concentrate).
Distillate: A concentrate produced by extracting and then distilling cannabis oil to a very high cannabinoid purity (often >85% THC). Common in vape carts and some edibles. Typically stripped of terpenes, which may be reintroduced.
Live resin: A concentrate made from cannabis flash-frozen at harvest and extracted before drying. Preserves a fuller, more volatile terpene profile than concentrates made from cured material.
Cannabis Act: The federal Canadian statute that legalised and now regulates non-medical cannabis (S.C. 2018, c. 16). Sets the federal possession limit (30 g dried in public), age floor (18, raised by every province), and the offences.
Per se limit: A blood-THC concentration above which a driving offence is established by the reading alone, regardless of whether observed impairment is present. Canada's per se thresholds are 2 ng/mL (summary) and 5 ng/mL (hybrid).
LRCUG: Canada's Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines — ten evidence-based recommendations developed under CRISM and endorsed by every major Canadian medical and public-health body.

Loading the rotation…

Back to the Atrium

Glossary Wing

Talk like the receptors know your name.

Every term defined plainly, with the categories that match the rest of the hub. If you've ever wondered what ‘chemovar’ means or how 11-hydroxy-THC turns 10 mg into a long evening, start here.

26 terms

THC: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. The primary intoxicating cannabinoid in cannabis. THC is a partial agonist at the CB1 receptor and is the main driver of the felt 'high'.
CBD: Cannabidiol. A non-intoxicating cannabinoid that can blunt some of THC's anxiogenic edge and has been studied for seizure disorders, anxiety and inflammation.
CBG: Cannabigerol. The chemical precursor to THC and CBD. Present in finished flower in small amounts but currently studied for its own pharmacology, distinct from THC's.
CBN: Cannabinol. A mildly sedating cannabinoid formed when THC degrades, particularly with heat or oxygen. Often marketed as a 'sleep' cannabinoid; the human evidence remains thin.
11-hydroxy-THC: A metabolite formed when the liver processes oral THC (i.e. edibles). It crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily than THC itself, which is why eaten cannabis can feel disproportionately strong compared to the same milligrams smoked.
Myrcene: Earthy, musky, faintly clove-scented terpene. Often the dominant terpene in cultivars marketed as indica-leaning, and the most commonly occurring terpene in cannabis overall.
Limonene: Citrus-peel scented terpene present in lemons and many cannabis chemovars. A 2024 Johns Hopkins / University of Colorado crossover trial found d-limonene blunted THC-induced anxiety vs THC alone.
α-Pinene: Pine-scented terpene shared with rosemary and conifers. Some early evidence suggests it may modestly counter THC's short-term memory effects, though the effect-size data are limited.
β-Caryophyllene: Peppery terpene unique among cannabis terpenes for directly binding the CB2 receptor (peripheral, anti-inflammatory). Also present in black pepper and cloves.
Linalool: Floral, lavender-like terpene. Present at meaningful concentrations in only a minority of cannabis cultivars; popular in 'nighttime' product marketing.
Terpinolene: Fruity, slightly piney terpene that appears as the dominant terpene in a small number of cultivars (e.g. Jack Herer, Dutch Treat).
CB1 receptor: The most abundant G-protein-coupled receptor in the human brain. THC's binding to CB1 in regions like the hippocampus, amygdala and cortex drives most of cannabis's intoxicating effects.
CB2 receptor: Cannabinoid receptor expressed primarily on peripheral immune cells and in the gut. Activated by β-caryophyllene and by some endocannabinoids; mediates much of cannabis's anti-inflammatory pharmacology.
Endocannabinoid system: The body's own cannabinoid signalling network — receptors (CB1, CB2), endogenous ligands (anandamide, 2-AG) and the enzymes that synthesise and degrade them. THC works by binding into this existing system.
Downregulation: When repeated cannabis use causes neurons to internalise CB1 receptors and uncouple the remaining ones from their signalling cascade. The cellular basis of tolerance; reverses over days to weeks of abstinence.
Entourage effect: The hypothesis that cannabis compounds (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids) modulate each other's effects in the body. Plausibly true for some combinations; not yet proven at the receptor level for the dramatic version often claimed in marketing.
Chemovar: A cannabis variety classified by its chemical profile (cannabinoids and terpenes) rather than by 'indica' or 'sativa' lineage. A more reliable predictor of effect than indica/sativa labelling.
Sublingual: Held under the tongue. Tinctures and some sprays are designed for sublingual absorption, which onsets faster than swallowed cannabis (~15–45 min) and lasts several hours.
Tolerance break: A planned period of abstinence to reset CB1 receptor availability and restore the felt effect of a given dose. Imaging studies show meaningful reset by ~48 hours and a full return to baseline near 4 weeks for chronic users.
Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome: A condition seen in some long-term heavy cannabis users: cyclic episodes of severe vomiting and abdominal pain that paradoxically improve in hot showers. Resolves with cannabis cessation; see a clinician if you suspect it.
Equivalency value: A standardised figure on cannabis packaging that translates the product's amount into the federally-set possession equivalent of dried flower (1 g dried = 5 g fresh = 15 g edibles = 70 g liquid = 0.25 g concentrate).
Distillate: A concentrate produced by extracting and then distilling cannabis oil to a very high cannabinoid purity (often >85% THC). Common in vape carts and some edibles. Typically stripped of terpenes, which may be reintroduced.
Live resin: A concentrate made from cannabis flash-frozen at harvest and extracted before drying. Preserves a fuller, more volatile terpene profile than concentrates made from cured material.
Cannabis Act: The federal Canadian statute that legalised and now regulates non-medical cannabis (S.C. 2018, c. 16). Sets the federal possession limit (30 g dried in public), age floor (18, raised by every province), and the offences.
Per se limit: A blood-THC concentration above which a driving offence is established by the reading alone, regardless of whether observed impairment is present. Canada's per se thresholds are 2 ng/mL (summary) and 5 ng/mL (hybrid).
LRCUG: Canada's Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines — ten evidence-based recommendations developed under CRISM and endorsed by every major Canadian medical and public-health body.