As cannabis writer Jon Cappetta frustrationally points out in his recent High Times article, there is a major “retail fallacy” that higher THC percentages guarantee better quality bud and stronger highs. But as any true cannabis connoisseur knows, it’s terpenes - the aroma and flavor compounds - that really shape the experience over THC alone.
Potency ≠ Quality
Blindly buying by the numbers ignores the entourage effect and terpenes’ navigator-like effects. While THC provides baseline psychoactivity, terpenes guide the precise feels. As Jon explains, chasing high THC leads to “diet feeling” highs lacking in full flavor. Brands sacrifice smell to push sky-high THC, but you “wouldn’t let a blind guy drive your Ferrari.”
This issue arises partly from regulations only requiring THC disclosure, not terpenes. But it’s also on us as consumers for prizing quantity over quality. We must move past the hype over inflated THC percentages from “peppering sack” tricks. The future lies in the nose-based guidance terpenes provide - when leveraged properly.
Trust Your Nose. Track What It Tells You
As Jon advises, sniff deeply and “ask for the stinkiest” to avoid hay-scented duds. Budtender bias clouds judgement, so self-education is key. But without a way to systematically log strain characteristics and your reactions, it’s tough retaining all those terpy insights over time.
That’s where Blenddy comes in. Blenddy lets you easily track strain details like smell and flavor alongside personalized effects tags. Blenddy’s cannabis journal visualizes connections between terpene profiles and your experiences allowing you to understand what works for you.
We empower smell-based guidance beyond momentary store visits. By cataloging aromas and your reactions, you can make informed, nose-lead decisions anywhere, and have a great time exploring variations!
Finding Your Perfect Strain is a Personal Process
As Jon spotlights, terpenes like linalool in lavender demonstrate bioactive effects. But outcomes vary from person to person based on subjective responses. Seeking your ideal cannabis is a process of experimentation - "a trial and error process to finding your thing."
Without tracking, it’s challenging to methodically learn personal preferences. Strain specifics fade fast from memory when casually testing new options. But Blenddy provides needed structure: cataloging terpenes, characteristics and prompting targeted effects logging guides purposeful empirical discovery. What may mildly relax someone could energize you - but systemic data is key to finding out. We enable building self-knowledge around what smell and flavors provide your best feels out of cannabis’ broad landscape.
Data-Backed Decisions, Notindustry Guesses
For too long, cannabis consumers had to blindly accept THC percentages as their guiding light. But industry reporting shows terpenes’ true importance for enjoyment. So, let your nose guide you to new heights on your next visit to the dispensary. Ditch the retail fallacy to explore cannabis consciously and personally as the plant’s full complexity deserves.