If you closely inspect your cannabis flowers, you’ll notice they’re enrobed in a layer of crystal resin that’s sticky to the touch. These crystals house thousands of compounds, including cannabinoids – like THC and CBD – and a number of terpenes. (Not sure what terpenes are? Check out this post for an explanation and a breakdown of Aurora’s ten most common terpenes).

THC and CBD may be the most famous cannabinoids – but they are by no means the only ones. In fact, they’re just two among many important players within the cannabis plant that work together to produce a number of potential therapeutic effects.

The idea behind this effect is that when we combine compounds in their natural state we don’t end up with the sum of the parts but rather a multiplying effect. With cannabis, thousands of natural compounds within the plant interact together and with the human body to produce a more meaningful effect compared to any one of the compounds used alone.

The Entourage Effect also helps explain why different medical cannabis strains may have different effects depending on the individual. Since strains can differ vastly in their chemical profiles, they can cause an equally vast number of experiences. If you’re interested in how medical cannabis works within the human body, read our post for more information on the endocannabinoid system.