Cannabis Glossary: Common Terms, Explained Simply

Half the terms on a dispensary menu don't explain themselves. Here's the vocabulary, stripped of the jargon.

Cannabinoid — Any of the chemical compounds produced by the cannabis plant, including THC and CBD, that interact with the body's endocannabinoid system.

Terpene — Aromatic compounds that give a strain its smell and flavor, and are believed to shape its effects alongside cannabinoids.

THC — Tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid responsible for the cannabis "high."

CBD — Cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid often used for relaxation and general wellness without a strong high.

Indica / Sativa / Hybrid — Traditional plant-lineage classifications. Modern strains are almost all hybrids; terpene profile is generally a better predictor of effect than this label alone.

Kief — The resinous, trichome-rich powder that collects at the bottom of a grinder. It's the most concentrated part of the flower, and it's where Canopy's AI budtender gets his name.

Concentrate / Dab — Cannabis extract with THC and terpenes isolated from the plant material at high concentration, typically vaporized ("dabbed") using a specialized rig or vape.

Decarboxylation — The process of heating cannabis to convert non-intoxicating THCA into intoxicating THC. It happens automatically when you smoke or vape, but has to be done deliberately before making edibles from raw flower.

Entourage Effect — The theory that cannabinoids and terpenes work better together than any single compound in isolation. It's part of why whole-plant products are often preferred over isolated THC or CBD alone.

Trichome — The small, crystal-like resin glands on the cannabis flower where THC, CBD, and terpenes are actually produced and stored.

Cultivar / Strain — A specific genetic variety of cannabis, bred for particular characteristics like flavor, potency, or terpene profile. Functionally, it's the cannabis equivalent of a grape varietal in wine.

Live Resin — A concentrate made from flash-frozen fresh cannabis rather than dried and cured plant material, generally preserving more of the original terpene profile.

Full-Spectrum — A product that retains the plant's full range of cannabinoids and terpenes, rather than an isolated single compound.

Microdose — A very small, sub-intoxicating (or barely perceptible) dose, typically used to get subtle effects without a strong high.

Tolerance Break — A deliberate period of abstaining from cannabis to let your body's cannabinoid receptor sensitivity reset, since regular use gradually reduces the effect of the same dose over time.

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