By now we have all heard about cannabinoids and their almost magical effects on a variety of medical conditions. One particular substance, CBD, has become so popular recently that everyone is going mad about it. Best of all, it’s completely legal in most countries.

However, marijuana is not all about cannabinoids. There are other chemicals in marijuana that have started to steal the spotlight, as of recently. They are called terpenes and can be found in almost any plant in the world.

What is so special about them is that they give each plant its unique aroma. Simply put, terpenes are the reason why marijuana has that unique, unmistakable smell.

But since there are a few dozen terpenes in the cannabis plant, some are more present than others. Therefore, some strains have a more citrusy smell while others are a bit more earthy.

With that said, terpenes are not only responsible for the smell of marijuana. Ever since the 11th century, these compounds have been used in medicine, but their recent discovery in cannabis has put this herb in the center of everyone’s attention.

For example, linalool, which is also present in coriander and lavender, can be very helpful if you are suffering from sleep disorders, depression and arthritis. In cannabis, this terpene is responsible for the trademark smell of marijuana.

There are many terpenes in our favorite herb and every one of them has its own medicinal value. To make understanding terpenes a bit easier, here is a visual guide that will help you discover the 15 most common cannabis terpenes. Your browser does not support iframes.

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As you can see, along with cannabinoids, terpenes contribute to the medical profile in both recreational and medical cannabis strains. As cannabis research continues to develop, we expect to discover even more therapeutic benefits of cannabis and its compounds.