Casual: Spectrum Spotlight
Welcome back, Cannabi-nerds!
If you are here, it can only mean one thing: you want us to drop some knowledge on you. I can dig it. If this is your maiden voyage into our “blogosphere” (I’m bringing it back), I would suggest checking out our Spectrum of Effects blog post before delving in here. The post is a general overview of Mosaic+’s Spectrum of Effects while each of the upcoming Spectrum posts will be Spotlights of the individual effects.
The NEXT stop on our Spectrum of Effects tour du jour: CASUAL.
In Denmark or Norway (or anywhere people speak Danish or Norwegian really), there exists a lovely, succinct word that we Americans do not have: hygge. If you are more socially aware than I (likelihood = very high) you may recognize the word hygge by sight; but everyone, social awareness not withstanding, will recognize the feeling of hygge. It’s a quality of coziness, of familiarity. An intangible mood that engenders a feeling of well-being.
Think back to a simpler time, Thomas Kincaid paintings, RC Cola and Moon Pies, autumn colors, movies from your childhood (90s examples would be Matilda, Hocus Pocus, or literally any Christmas movie in existence) and warm nostalgic contentment. As we ring in a new month, this feeling of hygge can seem elusory but fear not, we have got the cure for what ails you, psychically or otherwise: CASUAL.
The CASUAL profile on our Spectrum of Effects can be summed up in three words: hygge but social. Patients seeking relief from mild discomfort or social anxiety will be fast friends with strains that fall under the CASUAL umbrella.
This terpene profile usually has dominant concentrations of limonene, pinene, ocimene but can also showcase our old favorites from the more restful strains. Our budtenders are likely to recommend CASUAL strains to patients seeking a head-in-the-clouds, feet-on-the-ground experience that can best be enjoyed in the company of fine friends; the therapeutic value of CASUAL strains may seem intangible but is by no means negligible: these strains get your head right.
Sit down and let yourself heal!
Popular “Casual” Strains at Mosaic:
When to Consider a “Casual” Strain:
Managing social anxiety
Running errands on your own for the first time
Receiving medical news
Brunch but like with your lawyer
Un-furrowing your brow
Speaking on the phone with any representative of
Dentist after more years than any can care to admit
Shopping somewhere with shiny floors and high ceilings
Terpene Profiles for “Rest” Strains
Myrcene, B-Caryophyllene, Linalool, Limonene
Myrcene
malty, musky, mangoes, muscle relaxer
The first and most abundant terpene that manifests in cannabis is myrcene. Myrcene can be found in lemongrass, eucalyptus, mangoes and herbs like thyme, basil, and hops. Cannabis high in myrcene concentration may smell musky, earthy or slightly sweet with a pepper-y punch. It’s therapeutic values include: muscle relaxation, pain relief, anti inflammatory and anti carcinogenic. It may also act as a neuroprotective agent and antioxidant. Myrcene also has the distinction of being a synergistic compound with THC meaning that each makes the other more efficacious when consumed together.
Caryophyllene
clove, cinnamon, CB2 receptor, crazy therapeutic
The second most abundant terpene that appears in cannabis is beta-Caryophyllene, also called simply Caryophyllene (carry-OFF-uh-leen or CARRY-oh-fye-leen). Caryophyllene’s claim to fame is its ability to interact with the CB2 receptors in our bodies, making it a very effective anti-inflammatory. It is a wonderful anxiolytic and can be found in hops, cloves, oregano, cinnamon, rosemary, allspice, fig and Roman chamomile. Strains high in Caryophyllene tend to have a warm, peppery nose and sometimes even an organic funkiness.
Linalool
lavender, little spicy, languorous, lost my train of thought
The first and most abundant terpene that manifests in cannabis is myrcene. Myrcene can be found in lemongrass, eucalyptus, mangoes and herbs like thyme, basil, and hops. Cannabis high in myrcene concentration may smell musky, earthy or slightly sweet with a pepper-y punch. It’s therapeutic values include: muscle relaxation, pain relief, anti inflammatory and anti carcinogenic. It may also act as a neuroprotective agent and antioxidant. Myrcene also has the distinction of being a synergistic compound with THC meaning that each makes the other more efficacious when consumed together.
Limonene
lemon, lime, level up, laugh and the world laughs with you
And so we’ve arrived, here she is: the veritable poster child of cannabis terpenes; the Saturday morning cartoons of our top contenders: limonene! If any terpene on this list could pull down it’s Ray Bans and give the double finger guns, it would be this one. Easily the most recognizable terpene and arguably the most approachable, limonene’s claim to fame is its immediately familiar aroma and its ability to interact directly with our serotonin and dopamine receptors resulting in euphoria and a generally more positive outlook. These effects, as well as laughing at a cat playing the piano on the internet, are all high on the list of possibilities for your day. Although it remains unclear how limonene achieves this effect, be it simple olfactory stimulation or actual central nervous system interaction, if all is sunny in the garden, why meddle?
Analogous to...
“What’s your idea of a perfect date? I’d have to say April 25th, not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.”
That lovely din of the ceiling fan in the background of a lazy Sunday morning.
Anecdotal Notes
“Vury tasty. This variety had some mood changes in the middle of the experience. The taste was more tropical. This is absolutely a social smoke. I found myself attentive and still but I was nestled in a mood of good humour. ”
There are seven “effects” on our spectrum: Rest, Reflect, Casual, Balance, Focus, Inspire, Active—and every medicated item at Mosaic+ falls somewhere on that spectrum.
Next time on Spectrum Spotlight: Now that we are cooking with gas, or at the very least eating out on occasion, we move from CASUAL to BALANCE on the Spectrum of Effects. These two are close cousins and can often fulfill similar cannabidiary needs depending on your own ECS.
Homeostasis is really the name of the game and makes BALANCE the cruise control of the Spectrum of Effects so stay tuned. And if you are wondering, yes, I made up the word “cannabidiary”.
Not real, sounds real.
That’s what the Balance strains can do for you. Join us next time!
Stay tuned for a more in-depth breakdown of our Spectrum of Effects in coming posts, or just come see us at Mosaic+ Dispensary to hear it right from the source!
Visit us in-store and ask a budtender for more information on our spectrum, or simply order online for a quick pick-up today!