What Is Linalool? The Lavender Terpene Hiding in Your Weed

Linalool is a naturally occurring terpene, one of the aromatic compounds plants make, best known as the main scent behind lavender. It also shows up in mint, in plenty of other flowers and spices, and in cannabis, where it adds a floral, slightly spicy note to the aroma and flavor of certain strains. It's widely used in perfumes and cleaning products, and in the small amounts plants produce it's considered safe.

Below we dig into how linalool shapes the aroma and flavor of weed, from its basic chemistry to how it plays with the other compounds in the plant, and what it really adds to the cannabis experience.

Where linalool comes from: origins, aroma and safety of the lavender terpene

Linalool is a natural terpene found in a wide range of plants, cannabis included, along with countless flowers and spices. Its pleasant fragrance and long list of commercial uses have made it a bit of a star.

Known for its floral scent with a hint of spice, it's become a common ingredient in personal care and cleaning products: soaps, shampoos, hand creams, laundry detergents and household cleaners. Linalool has even been used as an insecticide against pests like fleas, fruit flies and cockroaches.

Lavender and weed: is that the smell of linalool?

Most people describe linalool's scent as lavender-like, with a distinctive spicy edge. Picking it out on its own in weed is tricky, though, because cannabis aroma comes from a complex blend of terpenes. It's the interplay between those terpenes that creates the signature, layered smell of any given strain.

Is linalool bad for you? How safe linalool is

Safety-wise, linalool is considered safe in the modest amounts plants produce naturally. According to estimates from the U.S. National Toxicology Program, around 3.6 million kilograms (roughly 8 million pounds) of linalool were used worldwide in 1988, mostly in perfumes and as a natural food flavoring.

Terpenes like this one are metabolized safely by the body and cleared out without building up, unlike cannabinoids, which can stick around in your system for much longer.

How terpenes and cannabis go together

Cannabis has been tied up with human history for a long time, used for everything from food to folk medicine and beyond. The plant is packed with chemical compounds, and terpenes, a family of aromatic organic compounds, are a core part of its chemical profile.

What are cannabis terpenes?

Terpenes are volatile organic compounds that don't mix well with water and, in their basic form, are made only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). Linalool is technically a terpenoid, a terpene with an oxygen atom attached, which is why it counts as a terpene alcohol. In organic chemistry, terpenes form the backbone of tons of molecules, including plant hormones, pigments and cannabinoids.

With a long history of use, terpenes play a key role in defining the flavors, aromas and potential therapeutic properties of different cannabis strains.

Which cannabis strains are high in linalool?

Terpenes are what give cannabis its huge range of aromas and flavors. Strains like Special Kush and Amnesia Haze are often cited for their linalool content and stand out for their distinctive aroma profiles. And it bears repeating: in the human body, linalool and other terpenes are metabolized safely and cleared easily, unlike cannabinoids such as THC, which can linger in your system for a long time.