Cannabis and CBD glossary: understanding the essential terms

A

Flavours: The collection of natural aromas and tastes of a hemp variety. They mainly come from terpenes and can be fruity, woody, spicy, citrusy or floral.

Auto-flowering: A cannabis variety that begins flowering automatically after a few weeks of growth, without depending on the duration of the lighting period.

B

Bioavailability: The proportion of a substance that is actually absorbed by the body. It varies depending on the method of consumption used.

Broad Spectrum: A hemp extract containing several cannabinoids and terpenes, but no detectable THC.

C

Cannabidiol (CBD): A cannabinoid naturally found in hemp. Unlike THC, it is not considered psychoactive.

Cannabis Sativa L.: The botanical name of the hemp species cultivated for its fibres, seeds or cannabinoids.

Hemp: A plant used in many fields, including food, textiles, cosmetics and CBD-based products.

D

Decarboxylation: A natural or heat-induced process that converts certain acidic forms of cannabinoids into active forms.

Distillate: A highly purified hemp extract containing a high concentration of cannabinoids.

E

Entourage effect: The theory that cannabinoids and terpenes act in a complementary way when present together.

CO₂ extraction: An extraction method using pressurised carbon dioxide to isolate certain compounds from hemp.

F

CBD flower: A hemp flower naturally rich in cannabidiol. It can be used, among other things, for vaporisation or infusion.

Full Spectrum: An extract retaining a broad range of the cannabinoids and terpenes naturally present in the plant, including small quantities of THC compliant with the applicable legislation.

H

CBD hash: A product obtained by concentrating the trichomes of the hemp plant. Its texture may vary depending on the production method.

CBD oil: A preparation combining cannabidiol extract with a carrier oil, generally hemp or MCT coconut oil.

P

Phytocannabinoids: Cannabinoids naturally produced by hemp, such as CBD, THC, CBG, CBC or CBN.

S

Endocannabinoid system: A set of receptors and molecules naturally present in the human body.

Variety: A term used to describe a specific cannabis or hemp genetic profile, characterised by its aromatic profile and cannabinoid composition.

T

Terpenes: Aromatic molecules responsible for a large part of hemp’s aromas and flavours.

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol): A cannabinoid known for its psychoactive effects. In Switzerland, legal hemp may contain up to 1% THC.

V

Vaporisation: A technique consisting of heating a flower or extract without combustion in order to produce vapour rather than smoke.

Indoor / Outdoor variety: Indicates whether the hemp was cultivated indoors (Indoor) or outdoors (Outdoor).