The stigma surrounding Cannabis is heavily intertwined with America’s racially oppressive past. Since marijuana is classified and

recognized federally as a schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act, disproportionate punishments for similar

crimes between the white population and black is fueled by systemic racist policy. According to the ACLU or American Civil Liberties

Union, marijuana related arrests make up more than half of the drug arrests in the United States, where African-Americans are dis-

proportinately targeted despite similar rates of cannabis usage among both whites and the BI-POC community in America (NPR.org).

This stigma is enforced by racial stereotypes of laziness, incompetency, and drug abuse that are aimed to discredit and harm Black

Americans. The legalization of pot is cool, but there are still systematic policies enforcing racial prejudice. Since the influx of legalization,

pot charges in relation to sales have been used to detain and arrest legal black consumers. This rebranding and normalization of pot

use, medical or recreational, fails to acknowledge and address the racial prejudice and stereotypes regarding America’s POC and marijuana.

Now that we know about the two main cannabinoids found in Cannabis plants, it is time to learn a little about terpenes of the marijuana plant.

Terpenes are natural chemicals or chemical compounds found in plants. In marijuana, terpenes affect the color, smell, and taste of the flower, or buds.

Different terpenes in cannabis have different psychoactive affects on the brain. Every person reacts to terpenes differently but scientists are able to estimate what “high” will be produced from the cannabis depending on the terpene profile of the plant.

There are multiple terpenes in one plant, all simultaneously working with the cannabinoids to produce unique feelings during a high.

Some terpenes are notable for certain affects like pain relief, mind clarity, insomnia relief, and so much more!

Contrary to popular belief, the type of cannabis plant is not that important. Indica or sativa is the go to question when really, what makes up the high is the terpene profile. Fun fact, eco scientists have found that there is little to no distinction or difference in effects between sativa and indica strains with similar terpene profiles.