Does The Smell of Cannabis Have Anything To Do With Its Potency?

The smell of cannabis can be pretty polarizing, but does it have something to do with the potency of a cannabis strain?

There’s just something about the smell of freshly broken nugs that puts a smile on our faces, and we know it’s not just us. Words like dank, loud, and skunk have been used for years to describe the pervasive aroma of cannabis. However, if you’ve been around for long enough, you know that not all cannabis smells the same. 

So, does the smell of cannabis have anything to do with its potency?

Yes! While some consumers believe THC levels are the primary indicator of potency, low-THC strains like Zkittles debunk that myth. While some strains boast THC levels upwards of 25%, Zkittlez often sits somewhere around 10-15%. Considering its cult following and its long list of awards, THC clearly isn’t the only variable influencing its potency.

What does a strain’s smell have to do with its potency? Read on to find out!

Can’t wait for the details? We can’t blame you. Here’s the short version of what we’re covering today…

• The smell of cannabis comes from its unique profile of aromatic compounds like terpenes and flavorants. 
• While some consumers buy cannabis based on its name and THC levels, that’s kind of like buying wine based on the label appearance and alcohol levels. 
• THC levels don’t necessarily have anything to do with overall potency. One study even found that while consuming products with higher THC levels did cause greater THC blood plasma levels, it didn’t necessarily equate to greater overall potency.
• Consumers SHOULD be shopping for overall quality and effects. The simplest way to determine that is to actually smell cannabis. The more pungent the aroma, the more potent the cannabis.
• If the aroma of cannabis is weak or nonexistent when you open the jar, bag, or break open a nug, then it means the terpenes have evaporated or been destroyed in some way. That means lower quality and fewer compounds that influence the overall effects a strain will have.
• Terpenes are necessary for the entourage effect. The more natural compounds are still present, the greater the likelihood they’ll work synergistically together.
• Pungency is a better indicator of overall potency when it comes to cannabis.

What Creates the Cannabis Smell?

First, let’s examine what creates the actual cannabis smell. You already know that different strains have different aromas. Depending on phenotypical expression, even two of the same strains can have slightly different aromas because of things like growing techniques, nutrition, weather, etc. It all comes down to aromatic compounds like terpenes and flavorants. 

In nature, the production of terpene compounds is a natural response designed to serve evolutionary purposes like reproduction, protection, etc. Bees aren’t the only ones that respond to these smells, though. We do, too! If you find lavender relaxing or citrus fruits invigorating, those sensorial effects are thanks, in part, to aromatic compounds like terpenes.

Until recently, it was believed that terpenes were primarily responsible for the unique aromas and flavors of cannabis. While they do play an important role, we’ve recently discovered that cannabis flavorants are what make your favorite cultivars smell the way they do. Initially, we set out to find the chemical origins of exotic cannabis aroma, but we had no idea how groundbreaking our results would be. 

We encourage you to read our Science of Exotic Cannabis Part I, II, III, and our upcoming Part IV for all the details on our research. Suffice it to say that flavorants have a disproportionally significant influence on aroma. Even when they’re present in parts per billion or even parts per trillion, they have BIG impact on cannabis aroma.

So, those intensely savory, funky, gas-forward notes in GMO? That’s from its unique terpene profile plus flavorants like indole and skatole. Prefer the sweet, dank citrus of Orange Apricot? Thank the combination of d-Limonene and tropicannasulfur compounds (TCSCs). 

Doesn’t THC Content Dictate Potency?

Yes and no, but mostly no. Unfortunately, the majority of consumers select strains based on the name and THC percentage. There are two things “wrong” with that. 

First, a strain's name doesn’t necessarily indicate anything about its potency. Yes, some names pay homage to a strain’s lineage, which can give you an idea of how it might affect you. But sometimes, it’s just marketing designed to sell more products. Second, while THC is psychoactive, that’s not necessarily an indicator of potency. 

It’s kind of like buying wine based on the way the label looks and the alcohol content. Yeah, you might get drunk, but you might not have a great time. Plus, research shows that THC levels are often a very poor indicator of potency.

In the study, 121 participants were randomly assigned high or low THC products. However, “Despite differences in THC exposure, flower and concentrate users showed similar neurobehavioral patterns after acute cannabis use and the domains of verbal memory and proprioception-focused postural stability for both groups were associated with THC.”¹ 

Essentially, while higher THC levels did cause greater THC blood plasma levels, it didn’t necessarily equate to greater overall potency.

The More Pungent The Aroma, The More Potent the Cannabis

While THC does get you high, that doesn’t mean you’ll experience specific effects like focus, creativity, energy, etc. Those effects come from aromatic compounds like terpenes. Consumers SHOULD be shopping for overall quality and effects, not THC levels.

The pungency of a cannabis bud will tell you quite a bit about its overall quality and the effects it may impart. If you can barely smell a cannabis bud when you open a jar, bag, or even if you’re breaking apart a nug, then that means the terpenes have evaporated or been destroyed in some way. That’s a big deal!

If terpenes dictate the overall effects of a strain, then not being able to smell them means you probably won’t feel them very much, either. On the other hand, a particularly pungent bud is much more likely to give you a powerful experience because it still contains all those beautiful little hydrocarbons. 

Additionally, you need all those terpenes present if you want to benefit from the Entourage Effect. Ethan Russo’s pivotal cannabis research² helped us understand the phenomenon where all the various compounds in cannabis (cannabinoids, terpenes, etc.) work synergistically together to create effects more powerful than they’re capable of on their own.

That’s why a strain like Zkittlez, with relatively low THC levels, is still so wildly popular. If you’ve ever managed to get your nose on some properly cured Zkittlez, you’ll know what we’re talking about. It’s shockingly fruity! Think sweet berries, crisp tropical citrus, and hints of earth and herbs. 

When you smell cannabis that has a pungent flavor, whether it’s bright and tropical or dank and diesel, you know it has the aromatic compounds present that indicate high quality and potent effects.

When It Comes To Cannabis, Pungency Equals Potency

It’s time for cannabis consumers to have access to information that will help them find the products they want. How often have you purchased a product based on its name or cannabinoid levels and been disappointed in the quality? Maybe the aroma or effects weren’t what you expected, or they were unpleasant. Whatever the case, consumers deserve to purchase products that meet and/or exceed their expectations. 

At Abstrax Tech, we pioneer the research of cannabis flavor and aroma. That’s not just a fluff statement. We conduct industry-leading, peer-reviewed research on cannabis to advance the industry through better education and collaboration. We are passionate about the cannabis industry and will continue promoting excellence in research and innovation.

If you want authentic cannabis flavor, our Native Series profiles preserve the integrity of cannabis’ naturally occurring aromatic compounds with all the dankness you’d expect. Want cannabis flavor without the skunk? Our Premium Strain Profiles let you do just that so you can develop product offerings for every customer and every palate.

Contact us today, and let’s infuse your products with potent aromas your consumers will love.

1. Cinnamon Bidwell, L., Ellingson, J., & Karoly, H. (2020, August 1). Association of Naturalistic administration of cannabis flower and concentrates with intoxication and impairment. JAMA Psychiatry.
   
   
2. Russo, E. B. (2011, August). TAMING THC: Potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology.
   
   
3. Oswald, I., Paryani, T., Sosa, M., Ojeda, M., Altenbernd, M., Grandy, J., Shafer, N., Ngo, K., Peat, J., Melshenker, B. G., Skelly, I., Koby, K., Page, M., & Martin, T. (2023, October 12). Minor, Nonterpenoid Volatile Compounds Drive the Aroma Differences of Exotic Cannabis. ACS Publications.
   
   
4. Paryani, T., Sosa, M., Page, M., Martin, T., Hearvy, M., Ojeda, M., Koby, K., Grandy, J., Melshenker, B., Skelly, I., & Oswald, I. (2024, June 19). Nonterpenoid Chemical Diversity of Cannabis Phenotypes Predicts Differentiated Aroma Characteristics. ACS Publications. 

Potent Aromatics for Potent Cannabis Products

SHOP GMO

As the first to benefit from our breakthrough discovery, GMO is kicking off the next era of botanical aromatics. Flavorants Skatole and Indole multiply its notoriously savory and funky notes for a loud, gassy, and undeniably pungent finish.

SHOP Orange Apricot

Revel in the next evolution of botanical aromatics with bright petroleum-fueled Orange Apricot. Tropicannasulfurs create an exhilarating medley of Tangie-forward citrus with deafeningly loud notes of sweet gas. Welcome to the future.

SHOP Jack Herer

Born from thousands of hours of research and development, the Signature Series represents a brand new age of authenticity in cannabis. Made in full collaboration with the Herer family themselves - this is the definitive Jack Herer.