RAW Terp Spray Review

Product Name: RAW Terp Spray Review

Brand: RAW

Category: Smoking accessories

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️

Summary: A sprayable terpene isolate that’s more novelty than functional

About RAW Terp Sprays

I came across RAW Terp Sprays while at a cannabis conference in Las Vegas. I’d never seen sprayable terpene extracts, nor considered adding terpene isolates to my joints, so I figured I’d give it a try. And while this product is novel and fun, I can’t vouch for its effectiveness. Frankly, it just seems gimmicky.

I’ve tried four kinds of RAW Terp Spray: Sour Apple, Purple Gelato, SFV OG, and Orange Soda.

Each bottle claims to contain a terpene blend, with one dominant terpene. The terpenes are food quality and should be safe to consume.

What is terpene spray?

A terpene spray is a liquid form of a terpene chemical packaged in such a way that you can spray it.

The point of these sprays is to add terpenes back into your weed. Terpenes are one of the first chemical compounds to be burned off when you smoke, so these sprays (allegedly) help you get more of the benefits of specific terpenes.

But is it scientifically sound? It’s questionable.

RAW Sour Apple Terp Spray

The sour apple terp spray is dominant in caryophyllene. Caryophyllene is abundant in cannabis (and other plants) and is the only terpene that acts as a cannabinoid in your body. Caryophyllene interacts directly with the CB2 receptor and is known for its anti-inflammatory effects. It’s also found in black pepper, cinnamon, and basil. RAW’s packaging states that caryophyllene is loved by the founder for its uplifting effects, helping you come back from being “seriously zonked.”

It smelled strongly sour and changed the scent of my joint, but I didn’t notice any change in the taste or effects of the flower.

RAW Purple Gelato Terp Spray

This terp spray is also dominant in beta-caryophyllene. Terpenes are dynamic compounds and can smell like more than one scent, and this one smelled far less sour than its predecessor above (but just as potent.)

Like the other sprays, the aroma of this was the most noticeable part of the experience. It made the paper my joint was wrapped in smell strongly, but it didn’t alter the taste of the weed itself nor did I experience any noticeable change in effect.

RAW SFV OG Terp Spray

The SFV OG spray is dominant in limonene and MAN does it smell like lemons. More specifically, it smells like two dozen lemons got together, juiced themselves, and left to ferment for a week. I love limonene, and I seek out strains that are high in this terpene, but the spray just doesn’t hit the same.

RAW Orange Soda Terp Spray

The Orange Soda spray is dominant in myrcene and it smells incredibly like oranges. Myrcene is the most common terpene in commercially cultivated cannabis plants, and you’ll find it in nearly every strain you smoke. I usually know myrcene to smell more earthy, rather than fruity and citrusy, but it can appear in various ways. Once again, the biggest difference I noticed was my joint’s scent. It didn’t alter the taste or the effects of the weed, but it did bring a pleasant orange smell to the party. 

Do sprayable terps work?

All of the compounds in cannabis are not shelf-stable and will degrade when exposed to light, heat, or over time. Terpenes are some of the first compounds lost in poorly aged, packaged, or stored weed. If your weed smells one-noted, you’re missing terpenes.

Terpenes have a relatively low boiling point and will be burned off quickly during any smoking session. The terpenes in the spray have the same boiling point as the terpenes in the flower (unless significantly chemically manipulated) and so would likely burn off at the same time. Having a higher concentration of terpenes does increase the amount that are actually bioavailable, but I didn’t see any changes in the effects of my cannabis with this.

Effects of RAW Terp Sprays

The major thing you’ll notice with these sprays is the odor: it’s strong and it lingers. Now, terpenes are aromatic compounds, so of course isolates should smell strong. But these sprays are pungent and they linger. It’s not necessarily an unpleasant smell, but I cannot overstate how strong it is.

While spraying onto my joint, I got some of the sour apple spray on my hands, and it took multiple rounds of hand washing to get it out.

The sprays didn’t have an impact on the taste of my joint, nor, frankly, did I notice any changes in effects. Since I can’t find ingredients or processing information, I’m also concerned about what exactly I’m spraying on my weed. I don’t want chemicals sprayed on my weed at any point in the process, even added terpenes right before I’m about to smoke.

The packaging of these sprays is also weird. The text on the inside is multiple sizes and not proofread at all. As you can see from the photo, my sour apple package was printed backward, so the warnings and barcode are on the front.

What’s in RAW Terp Sprays?

Good question! I don’t know. 😊

I refer to these products as a blend of terpene isolates because, to the best of my knowledge, that’s what they are. However, these products don’t contain an ingredients list and I can only find them through third-party sellers online so I’m unable to verify what is actually in these. Additionally, RAW’s website has no information on these.

All in all, pretty suspect. (Especially with the recent RAW lawsuit. Editor’s Note: this lawsuit has since been resolved.)

Would I buy RAW Terp Spray?

No.

All in all, RAW’s terp sprays seem more gimmicky than scientifically valid, and I won’t be using them again. They’re a novel cannabis item, but I like my flower as natural as it comes. While there’s almost certainly not anything harmful in these sprays, I don’t see that there’s anything truly beneficial either.

I asked some of my pharmacist friends what they thought, and they said it seems like a more processed version of adding herbs to your cannabis flower. So if you want additional terpenes, reach for herbs and other natural sources, not processed spray with unknown ingredients.