What Is The Entourage Effect?
Update: 06/28/26
If you've visited a Vermont cannabis dispensary, you may have come across the term "entourage effect." No, they're not referring to the HBO show of the mid- to late-aughts. The entourage effect, as coined by cannabis scientists, refers to the way cannabis's many compounds work better together than any one of them does alone. Taken individually, cannabinoids can only do so much, but together they can do so much more.
Key Takeaways
The entourage effect is the principle that cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids in cannabis work better together than any single compound does in isolation.
Full-spectrum cannabis products, including properly cured flower and solventless concentrates like live hash rosin, preserve the complete range of compounds needed to experience the entourage effect.
Terpenes do more than create aroma — they interact with cannabinoids to influence the overall cannabis experience, which is why terpene profiles matter when choosing a product.
No two people experience the entourage effect the same way. Keeping a cannabis journal and reviewing Certificates of Analysis are the best tools for finding what works for you.
What Is The Entourage Effect?
The entourage effect is the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In the cannabis context, we mean the interaction between all of the organic compounds, cannabinoids, terpenes, and others, present in cannabis working together to enhance its therapeutic effects.
We usually talk about full-spectrum cannabis products providing entourage effects. That's because full-spectrum products (usually) haven't had any compounds removed during production. Raw cannabis products like smokable cannabis flower will always be full-spectrum.
Where Did The Term "Entourage Effect" Come From?
During research on cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam and Shimon Ben-Shabat and their team introduced the idea of the "Entourage Effect" in a 1999 paper titled An entourage effect: inactive endogenous fatty acid glycerol esters enhance 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol cannabinoid activity.
They suggested that cannabinoids worked together rather than independently to enhance overall effects. This line of thinking champions whole-plant use over isolated compounds.
Who's Part Of The Entourage?
Even though they work better together, let's break down the entourage and identify all of the known moving pieces of this big group.
Cannabinoids
When we talk about the full spectrum of cannabinoids, we're not just talking about CBD and THC, although some full-spectrum CBD products are marketed as such.
CBD and THC are just the beginning. As of this writing, there are over 100 known cannabinoids, including:
Cannabigerol (CBG)
Cannabinol (CBN)
Cannabichromene (CBC)
Cannabidivarin (CBDV)
Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
And many more…
Each cannabinoid interacts with your body's endocannabinoid system, which regulates many bodily functions like mood, sleep, and inflammation. While we have a basic understanding of how some cannabinoids independently interact with the endocannabinoid system, we understand less about how they work together to provide the additional benefits of the entourage effect.
Terpenes
Terpenes are aromatic compounds that give cannabis and many other plants their distinctive smell. But they are responsible for more than the plant's aroma — terpenes can also influence how cannabinoids interact with your body. Think of cannabinoids as the fuel in the tank: they provide the power. Terpenes are the steering wheel: they help determine where that experience takes you. Two Vermont cannabis strains with identical THC levels can feel completely different from each other, and many researchers think terpenes play a significant role.
Some examples include:
Myrcene — A dominant terpene in many cannabis flower cultivars. Researchers have noted myrcene's sedative properties, especially when working in tandem with CBD and THC.
Limonene — Found in every citrus fruit. When working together with THC, limonene may elevate mood and reduce stress.
Terpinolene — The terpene that gets its name from turpentine. This fresh-smelling terpene has been observed for both its sedating and energetic effects, depending on which other cannabinoids it works with.
beta-Caryophyllene — A spicy, peppery terpene also found in cloves and black pepper, noted for its potential anti-inflammatory properties.
Humulene — Found in both cannabis and hops, humulene lends an earthy, woody aroma and has been studied for its potential appetite-suppressing effects.
Ocimene — A sweet, herbal terpene also found in mint, parsley, and basil, associated with uplifting effects.
Flavonoids
While we know relatively little about how terpenes contribute to the entourage effect, we know even less about flavonoids. These small compounds are found in many fruits and vegetables and have antioxidant properties.
As of this writing, researchers have discovered over 20 flavonoids in cannabis plants, some specific to cannabis alone. We've dubbed these cannaflavins.
Future Entourage Effect Research
While we may not fully understand the entourage effect, we know enough to work with it. As cannabis science advances, expect to see more novel blends of full- and broad-spectrum products designed for specific needs. And thanks to chemistry, many of these products can be produced both with and without THC — handy for folks who are still subject to random workplace drug tests.
How to Enjoy the Entourage Effect
Knowing that terpenes and the entourage effect shape your cannabis experience is one thing, but actually putting that knowledge to work is another. The good news is that you have more options than you might think, and they go well beyond cannabis itself.
Smoke or vaporize flower
The simplest way to experience cannabis terpenes is also the oldest: smoking properly cured flower. It turns out that where and how cannabis is grown has a significant effect on its terpene profile. (This is known as terroir, a concept we’ll cover in a future blog post.) A 2023 study published in the journal Molecules by researchers at Columbia University found that sungrown cannabis had a higher quantity and wider range of terpenes than genetically identical plants grown indoors under artificial light, including greater levels of sesquiterpenes like beta-caryophyllene and humulene that were largely absent in the indoor samples.
Good curing preserves that terpene profile developed during the grow, which is why a well-cured bud from a quality Vermont sungrown cannabis farm smells and tastes so much more complex than something rushed to market or grown under fluorescent lights. If you're curious about what makes sungrown cannabis different from indoor, we've written about that too.
Pay attention to aroma when you're at the dispensary bud bar: that smell is your first clue about the terpene content inside the flower or product. Ask your budtender to see the terpene Certificate of Analysis (COA) so you know exactly which terpenes are present and so you can keep notes — more on that in a moment.
Try solventless concentrates
If you're looking for one of the most terpene-rich, full-spectrum experiences cannabis has to offer, solventless concentrates like live hash rosin — consumed via low-temp dabbing — are hard to beat. Here's our beginner's guide to how to dab.
Explore botanical terpenes for aromatherapy
Terpenes aren't exclusive to cannabis. The same compounds show up in lavender, black pepper, citrus peel, pine needles, and hundreds of other plants. Botanical terpene isolates and terpene blends are available from aromatherapy and wellness retailers and can be used in diffusers, applied topically in diluted form, or added to carrier oils for massage. Myrcene-forward blends tend toward the calming and grounding; limonene-rich blends lean bright and mood-lifting. These offer a way to explore the world of terpenes and their potential effects entirely outside the context of cannabis.
Keep a Cannabis Journal
Whenever you're experimenting with new cannabis products, it's best practice to keep notes on your experience. Jot down the product name, the cultivar (strain) name, the cannabinoid percentages, and the terpene profile. Every Vermont dispensary should be able to provide this information right off the Certificate of Analysis provided by the grower or product maker.
Over time, patterns will start to emerge: maybe you notice that myrcene-dominant strains leave you couch-locked, or that a limonene-forward cultivar is your go-to for social situations.
The entourage effect is a broad and still-evolving concept, and no two people experience cannabis exactly the same way. Your notebook is your personal data set — the most reliable tool you have for understanding why different products make you feel the way they do, and for making smarter choices at the dispensary counter next time around.
Shop Full-Spectrum Vermont Cannabis Near You
The entourage effect is one of the most compelling reasons to seek out whole-plant, full-spectrum cannabis products, and Vermont is a great place to explore it. Our sungrown flower, live hash rosin, and other full-spectrum products are crafted to preserve the complete profile of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that make the entourage effect possible.
Find Sunset Lake Cannabis products at a licensed Vermont cannabis dispensary near you.
