Cannabis Glossary — 53 Terms Explained

Cannabinoids

THC, CBD and the other compounds a lab report measures.

Cannabinoid

A cannabinoid is one of a family of chemical compounds produced by the cannabis plant. THC and CBD are the two most familiar, but over a hundred others have been identified.

On a Massachusetts menu, cannabinoid content is the number you see expressed as a percentage on flower and concentrates, or in milligrams on edibles and tinctures. It is the single most useful figure on a label, and also the most over-weighted — two products at the same THC percentage can be very different experiences.

See also: THC · CBD · Terpene · Full Spectrum

THC

Tetrahydrocannabinol, the cannabinoid responsible for the intoxicating effect of cannabis. When a label says "THC" without qualification it usually means total THC after decarboxylation.

THC percentage is the number most shoppers anchor on, and it is a poor predictor of how much you will enjoy a product. Terpene content, freshness and how it was grown all matter. A well-grown 20% flower is very often a better buy than a poorly grown 28%.

See also: THCA · CBD · Decarboxylation · Cannabinoid · Shop Flower

THCA

Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, the non-intoxicating acid form of THC found in raw, undried cannabis. Heat converts it into THC.

This is why lab results often show a high THCA figure and a low THC figure on flower that will obviously get you high — the conversion has not happened yet. It happens when you smoke, vaporise or bake it. See decarboxylation.

See also: THC · Decarboxylation · Diamonds · Certificate of Analysis

CBD

Cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid. It does not produce a high on its own.

You will see CBD on our menu two ways: as a CBD-dominant product, or as a ratio such as 1:1 or 2:1 CBD:THC. Ratio products are popular with customers who want a lower-intensity experience than a THC-dominant product at the same milligram count. We stock CBD-forward tinctures and topicals.

See also: CBDA · THC · Full Spectrum · Cannabinoid · Shop Tinctures

CBDA

Cannabidiolic acid, the raw acid form of CBD present in the living plant, converted to CBD by heat.

CBDA is to CBD what THCA is to THC. It appears on certificates of analysis more often than on shelf labels.

See also: CBD · THCA · Decarboxylation

CBN

Cannabinol, a minor cannabinoid that forms as THC ages and oxidises.

Because CBN accumulates over time, elevated CBN on a lab report is a reasonable clue that flower is not fresh. Some products add CBN deliberately. Massachusetts regulation prohibits us from telling you what it will do for you, and the research is genuinely thin.

See also: THC · Cannabinoid · Certificate of Analysis

CBG

Cannabigerol, a minor non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Its acid form is a chemical precursor from which THCA and CBDA are built in the plant.

CBG is sometimes called the "parent" cannabinoid for that reason. It usually appears in small percentages on lab reports, and occasionally as a CBG-forward product.

See also: Cannabinoid · CBD · Full Spectrum

CBC

Cannabichromene, a minor non-intoxicating cannabinoid that appears in small quantities in most cannabis.

You will rarely see CBC marketed on its own. It shows up as a line item on a full certificate of analysis.

THCV

Tetrahydrocannabivarin, a minor cannabinoid structurally related to THC but distinct from it.

THCV is present in meaningful amounts in relatively few cultivars, so it is uncommon on a retail shelf. When it appears it is usually as a percentage on a lab report rather than a selling point.

See also: THC · Cannabinoid · Certificate of Analysis

Full Spectrum

A product that retains the broad range of cannabinoids and terpenes present in the source plant, rather than isolating one compound.

Live resin and RSO are typically full spectrum; distillate typically is not, because refinement strips most of the accompanying compounds out. The distinction is mostly about flavour and character rather than strength.

See also: Live Resin · Distillate · RSO · Entourage Effect · Shop Concentrates

Entourage Effect

The proposed idea that cannabinoids and terpenes interact, so that the whole plant produces a different result than isolated THC would.

It is a hypothesis, not settled science. It is worth knowing because it is the reasoning behind full-spectrum products and behind the industry's shift away from judging cannabis on THC percentage alone. Treat confident claims about it — in either direction — with some caution.

See also: Full Spectrum · Terpene · Cannabinoid

Terpenes

The aroma compounds that give each strain its character.

Terpene

Terpenes are aromatic compounds produced by many plants, cannabis included. They are what makes one strain smell of citrus and another of diesel or pine.

Terpene content is increasingly the thing experienced customers shop on, because it tracks with the character of a strain far more closely than the shelf labels indica and sativa do. If a jar smells like nothing, its terpenes have largely degraded — usually from heat, light or age.

See also: Myrcene · Limonene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Entourage Effect · Shop Flower

Myrcene

One of the most abundant terpenes in cannabis. Earthy, musky, faintly herbal — also found in hops, mango and thyme.

Myrcene is frequently the largest terpene by volume on a Massachusetts lab report. Popular claims about what it does are not well established, so we describe it by aroma rather than effect.

See also: Terpene · Humulene · Certificate of Analysis

Limonene

A citrus terpene — bright lemon and orange peel. Found in citrus rind and many cleaning products for the same reason.

Strains with lemon or orange in the name often, though not always, test high in limonene. If you like a sharp citrus nose on flower, this is the line to look at on the lab report.

See also: Terpene · Terpinolene · Alpha-Pinene

Beta-Caryophyllene

A peppery, spicy, slightly woody terpene. Also present in black pepper, cloves and cinnamon.

Unusually among terpenes, beta-caryophyllene binds to a cannabinoid receptor, which is why it is often discussed alongside cannabinoids rather than purely as an aroma compound.

See also: Terpene · Humulene · Myrcene

Alpha-Pinene

A sharp pine and rosemary aroma. The most widely distributed terpene in nature, and the smell of a conifer forest.

Pinene tends to be present in smaller percentages than myrcene or limonene, but it is easy to pick out by nose in the jar.

See also: Terpene · Limonene · Terpinolene

Linalool

A floral terpene with a lavender character. Found in lavender, coriander and birch.

Linalool usually appears in low single-digit percentages on cannabis lab reports. It is a strong contributor to aroma even at small quantities.

See also: Terpene · Bisabolol · Myrcene

Terpinolene

A complex terpene reading as fresh, piney and slightly floral or citrusy at once. Found in nutmeg, apple and tea tree.

Terpinolene is dominant in a relatively small number of well-known cultivars, Jack Herer among them. If a strain smells bright and hard to place, terpinolene is often the reason.

See also: Terpene · Limonene · Alpha-Pinene

Humulene

An earthy, hoppy, slightly bitter terpene. It is the characteristic aroma compound of hops, and cannabis and hops are botanical relatives.

Humulene commonly appears alongside beta-caryophyllene, with which it shares a chemical relationship.

See also: Terpene · Beta-Caryophyllene · Myrcene

Ocimene

A sweet, herbaceous, slightly tropical terpene found in mint, parsley and orchids.

Ocimene is volatile and tends to be present in modest amounts. It contributes to the sweeter end of a strain's aroma.

See also: Terpene · Linalool · Limonene

Bisabolol

A soft, sweet, faintly floral terpene. It is the primary aroma compound in chamomile.

Bisabolol is subtle and easily lost behind louder terpenes, but it rounds out the aroma of strains that carry it.

See also: Terpene · Linalool · Ocimene

Product Forms

What the thing on the shelf actually is.

Live Resin

A concentrate extracted from cannabis that was flash-frozen at harvest rather than dried and cured first.

Freezing preserves terpenes that would otherwise evaporate during drying, so live resin tastes markedly closer to the living plant than a cured extract. It costs more, and it is where the money goes if flavour is what you care about. We carry it in both concentrates and vape cartridges.

See also: Live Rosin · Distillate · Terpene · Full Spectrum · Shop Concentrates

Live Rosin

A solventless concentrate made from flash-frozen material using only heat and pressure.

Because no solvent is used, none can remain in the finished product. Rosin is labour-intensive and typically the most expensive item in a concentrate case. Not to be confused with live resin, which is solvent-extracted.

See also: Live Resin · Hash · Full Spectrum · Shop Concentrates

Distillate

A highly refined cannabis oil stripped down to near-pure cannabinoid content.

Distillate is potent, consistent and largely flavourless, which is why terpenes are usually reintroduced afterwards. It is the base of most inexpensive vape cartridges and many edibles. If a cart tastes clean but generic, it is probably distillate.

See also: Live Resin · 510 Cartridge · Full Spectrum · Shop Vapes

Badder

A concentrate whipped during processing into a soft, opaque, cake-frosting consistency. Also spelled batter.

Badder is easy to handle with a dab tool, which is part of its appeal. The texture says nothing about strength — badder, shatter and crumble can all come from the same extraction.

See also: Shatter · Crumble · Live Resin · Shop Concentrates

Shatter

A concentrate with a hard, translucent, glass-like consistency that snaps when broken.

Shatter was the dominant concentrate format for years and is less common now that softer textures have taken over. It is stable and stores well, but it is fiddly to portion.

See also: Badder · Crumble · Diamonds · Shop Concentrates

Crumble

A dry, brittle concentrate that breaks apart into loose pieces.

Crumble's texture makes it easy to sprinkle into a bowl or onto a joint as well as dab. We carry it regularly.

See also: Badder · Shatter · Kief · Shop Concentrates

Diamonds

Crystalline structures of THCA that form during certain extraction processes, usually sold suspended in a terpene-rich sauce.

The crystals themselves are close to pure THCA and carry almost no aroma; the sauce around them holds the flavour. Sold together, the format is often labelled "diamonds and sauce".

See also: THCA · Live Resin · Shatter · Shop Concentrates

Hash

A concentrate made by separating and compressing the plant's resin glands. One of the oldest cannabis preparations there is.

Modern dispensary hash is often bubble hash, made with ice water and screens rather than solvents. It can be smoked on its own or added to flower.

See also: Kief · Live Rosin · Shake · Shop Concentrates

Kief

The loose, powdery resin glands that fall away from cannabis flower, typically collected in the bottom chamber of a grinder.

Kief is more potent than the flower it came from because it is largely trichome material. Pressed under heat it becomes hash. It is also what many infused pre-rolls are coated in.

See also: Hash · Infused Pre-Roll · Shake · Shop Pre-Rolls

Shake

The smaller loose flower and fragments that separate from whole buds during handling and packaging.

Shake is the same plant as the buds it came from and is usually cheaper per gram. It is already broken up, which makes it convenient for rolling. Quality varies, so it rewards asking what it came from.

See also: Kief · Infused Pre-Roll · Hash · Shop Flower

Infused Pre-Roll

A pre-rolled joint with concentrate added to the ground flower — coated in kief, threaded with distillate, or mixed with live resin.

Infusion pushes potency well above the same strain rolled plain. This is not a beginner product. If you are new, smoke a standard pre-roll of that strain first and see how it treats you.

See also: Kief · Distillate · Live Resin · Shop Pre-Rolls

Disposable Vape

A sealed, self-contained vape with the oil and battery built into one unit, discarded when empty.

Nothing to assemble and usually nothing to charge. Convenient, and more expensive per gram than buying cartridges for a battery you already own.

See also: 510 Cartridge · Distillate · Live Resin · Shop Vapes

510 Cartridge

A cannabis oil tank with a 510-threaded connector, designed to screw onto a separate rechargeable battery.

The 510 thread is a near-universal standard, so a cartridge bought today fits a battery bought years ago. Carts plus one good battery is the cheaper long-run option and produces far less waste than disposables.

See also: Disposable Vape · Distillate · Live Resin · Shop Vapes

RSO

Rick Simpson Oil — a thick, dark, full-extract cannabis oil, usually sold in a syringe or incorporated into edibles.

RSO is full spectrum and typically much stronger than a standard edible, so dosing discipline matters. We carry RSO gummies and RSO chocolate. Massachusetts regulation prohibits us from making any therapeutic claim about it.

See also: Full Spectrum · Tincture · Onset Time · Shop Edibles

Tincture

Cannabis extract suspended in a carrier oil and taken with a marked dropper.

The marked dropper makes tinctures the most precisely repeatable product we sell. Held under the tongue, onset is usually 15 to 45 minutes; swallowed or stirred into food, it behaves like an edible instead.

See also: Onset Time · RSO · CBD · Shop Tinctures

Concepts

How cannabis behaves, and the words used to describe it.

Decarboxylation

The chemical reaction, driven by heat, that converts THCA into THC and CBDA into CBD.

It is why raw cannabis does not get you high and heated cannabis does. Smoking and vaporising decarboxylate instantly; edible manufacture does it in advance with controlled heat.

Endocannabinoid System

A signalling system in the human body, made up of receptors and naturally occurring compounds, that cannabinoids interact with.

Its existence is well established; the detail of how cannabis interacts with it is still an active research area. Be sceptical of confident, specific claims built on it — including ones made by people selling cannabis.

See also: Cannabinoid · THC · Entourage Effect

Certificate of Analysis

The report from an independent licensed laboratory showing a product's cannabinoid and terpene content and its screening results for contaminants.

Every cannabis product sold in Massachusetts must be tested by an independent licensed lab before it reaches a shelf. The COA is where the numbers on the package come from, and it is the terpene profile — not just the THC figure — that tells you most about what you are buying.

Onset Time

How long a product takes to produce a noticeable effect.

Roughly: inhaled products one to ten minutes; tinctures held under the tongue 15 to 45 minutes; edibles and swallowed tinctures 30 minutes to two hours. Onset time, not strength, is the variable that catches people out — particularly with edibles.

See also: Tolerance · Microdosing · Tincture · Shop Edibles

Tolerance

The reduced response to a given dose that develops with regular use, meaning more is needed for the same effect.

Tolerance builds with frequency. It is the main reason a dose that suits a daily consumer can be far too much for an occasional one, and why "how much should I take" has no universal answer.

See also: Microdosing · Onset Time · THC

Microdosing

Taking deliberately small amounts of cannabis — often 1 to 2.5mg THC — rather than a conventional dose.

Common with edibles and tinctures, where products are precisely measured enough to make it practical. Our full write-up is in the microdosing guide in /learn/.

See also: Tolerance · Onset Time · Tincture · Shop Edibles

Strain

A named cannabis variety, such as Blue Dream or GG4. "Cultivar" is the more botanically correct term.

Strain names are not standardised or protected. Two growers can sell very different products under the same name, which is why the lab report and the smell of the jar are better guides than the name on the label.

See also: Phenotype · Terpene · Certificate of Analysis · Shop Flower

Phenotype

The particular set of observable traits a plant expresses, which can vary between individual plants grown from the same seed batch.

Phenotype variation is a large part of why the same strain differs between growers and between harvests. Growers select and clone the phenotypes they like — "pheno-hunting".

See also: Strain · Terpene · Certificate of Analysis

Massachusetts Law

The rules that govern what we can sell you.

Adult-Use Cannabis

Cannabis sold to adults 21 and over without a medical registration. Also called recreational cannabis.

Hometown Harvest is an adult-use dispensary. You need a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID showing you are 21 or older. No medical card is required, and we check ID every time, for everyone.

Cannabis Control Commission (CCC)

The Massachusetts agency that licenses and regulates cannabis establishments in the Commonwealth.

The CCC writes and enforces the rules in 935 CMR 500.000 covering everything from testing and packaging to what a dispensary is permitted to say in its advertising. Our licence number appears at the foot of every page on this site.

See also: 935 CMR 500.000 · Metrc · Lab Testing

935 CMR 500.000

The section of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations governing adult use of marijuana.

It is the rulebook every Massachusetts dispensary operates under — operational requirements, testing, packaging, edible potency limits and advertising restrictions all live here. It is also why this site carries the warnings it does, and why we will not make health claims about any product.

Massachusetts Possession Limits

The legal ceilings on how much cannabis an adult 21 or over may possess in Massachusetts.

One ounce of cannabis in public, of which no more than five grams may be concentrate, and up to ten ounces at home. Edibles are separately capped at 5.5mg THC per serving and 20 servings or 110mg per package. These are the figures that shape what you can buy in a single visit.

Universal Symbol

The standardised warning mark that must appear on cannabis products sold in Massachusetts, identifying the contents as containing THC.

If a product does not carry it, it did not come through the regulated Massachusetts supply chain. It is one of the quickest ways to tell a licensed product from an unlicensed one.

Metrc

The seed-to-sale tracking system Massachusetts uses to follow every regulated cannabis plant and product from cultivation to sale.

Every item on our shelf has a tracked history in this system. It is what makes a recall possible, and what keeps unlicensed product out of licensed stores.

Host Community Agreement

The contract between a cannabis business and the municipality it operates in, required before the CCC will grant a licence.

An HCA is why a dispensary exists in one town and not the next one over. Ours is with the Town of Athol.

Lab Testing

The mandatory independent testing every cannabis product must pass before it can be sold in Massachusetts.

Testing covers cannabinoid and terpene content plus screening for contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, solvents and microbials. Results are recorded on the certificate of analysis. It is the clearest practical advantage of buying from a licensed dispensary.

Question 4 (2016)

The 2016 Massachusetts ballot initiative in which voters approved the legalisation of adult-use cannabis.

Question 4 created the framework that became the Cannabis Control Commission and 935 CMR 500.000. Retail sales began in the Commonwealth in November 2018.

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Going deeper

These are short definitions by design. For the longer explanations, see indica vs. sativa vs. hybrid, edibles dosing, the concentrates guide, or the rest of our Learn section.

Written by the Hometown Harvest team. General information about cannabis, not medical advice.