My personal experience with MONDAYS’ Original Terp Chews, what terpenes actually are, and what happens when you use them on their own or alongside cannabis. There are approximately 700 things I could be doing with my time instead of formatting a giant terpene education page. And yet here I am, writing about terpenes again. 😂 But this one is actually pretty damn interesting.
I recently had the opportunity to try MONDAYS’ Original Terp Chews: hand-pulled taffy made with strain-true terpene profiles, but without the THC high. And as someone who has spent an unreasonable amount of time talking about why terpene profiles matter when we talk about cannabis, I was VERY curious to see what I would actually notice when the terpenes were separated from the cannabinoids.
The short version? I noticed them. Not in a “HOLY SHIT I AM HIGH” kind of way, because there is no THC in these chews, but in a much subtler, more intentional way. And that distinction is exactly why I wanted to talk about them.
First things first: these taste like an edible.
Let me just get this out of the way. The taffy tastes like cannabis. And I mean that as a compliment. Some people LOVE the flavor of cannabis. Some people absolutely fucking hate it. I am somewhere in the middle.
For me, cannabis flavor is highly dependent on what I'm eating. Some combinations work beautifully, while others make me feel like I just licked a lawnmower. These? These worked.
The cannabis profile actually complements the candy rather than fighting with it. The result tastes like what I would expect if someone took the flavor and aroma of a cannabis strain and intentionally built a piece of candy around it. And that's actually the point. Terpenes aren't exclusive to cannabis. They're aromatic compounds found throughout the plant world, and they're a huge part of why different cannabis varieties smell and taste so different.
MONDAYS takes that idea and turns it into something you can actually taste on its own.
Their hemp line contains 20 mg of strain-true terpenes per chew and is tested to have non-detectable cannabinoids, including THC and CBD. Their separate Botanical line uses plant-derived terpenes rather than hemp-derived ingredients. So you're getting the terpene profile without the cannabinoid-driven high. And that's where things get interesting.
So...what do terpenes actually DO?
They don't get you high by themselves. They're aromatic compounds that occur naturally in cannabis and countless other plants. And while researchers are studying their biological activity, the evidence is nowhere near strong enough to say that eating a particular terpene will guarantee a particular feeling.
MONDAYS actually makes this distinction pretty clearly: much of the terpene research is still preclinical or comes from animal studies, and individual experiences can vary. That's important because there is a massive difference between, “Researchers are investigating whether this compound may influence X,” and, “This terpene WILL make you feel X.”
Those are not the same statement.
For example, myrcene has been investigated for sedative-like and analgesic effects, but much of that evidence comes from animal research. Pinene has been studied for several mechanisms, including interactions with acetylcholinesterase, but meaningful human evidence remains limited.
Limonene is particularly interesting because there is now some human research looking at its interaction with THC, but even there, we're talking about early evidence, not a universal “limonene makes you happy” rule. A recent review of phytochemical/THC interactions concluded that controlled human evidence remains quite limited overall. This is why I like thinking of terpenes as clues rather than guarantees.
Your terpene profile can tell you something about a plant's chemistry, aroma, and flavor. It can give you a reason to experiment with what profiles you personally enjoy. But it doesn't come with a guaranteed emotional or physiological outcome.
What happened when I actually ate them?
This is the part I was most interested in. When I ate the chews by themselves, the experience was mild. I wouldn't describe it as intoxicating. Honestly, the easiest comparison I can make is that it was somewhat like that first cup of coffee in the morning. Not “I HAVE ASCENDED.” More like: “Oh. Yeah. I definitely notice something.”
It was subtle enough that I didn't feel knocked over by it, but noticeable enough that I could understand why someone might intentionally reach for a particular terpene profile depending on what they were doing. And once I stopped thinking of them as “candy” and started thinking of them as a terpene tool, I found myself using them very differently.
Raspberry Relief + bath time = YES.
Raspberry Relief was one of the first combinations where I really understood the appeal. MONDAYS places Raspberry Relief in its evening category and describes the profile as relaxation-oriented. The product uses the LA Confidential profile paired with raspberry flavor. For me? Bathtime.
I had one intentionally when I wanted to make the end-of-day routine feel a little more relaxing. And it fit. Not because I'm going to sit here and tell you that Raspberry Relief “treats anxiety” or “induces relaxation,” that's not what the evidence allows us to say.
It simply became part of a ritual that I personally found relaxing. And honestly, that's something I think gets overlooked when we talk about terpenes. Sometimes the point isn't, “This molecule will fix X.” Sometimes it's, “I know what kind of experience I'm trying to create, and this profile fits that experience.”
Go-Go Bananas became my accidental workout buddy.
This one surprised me. I grabbed Go-Go Bananas in the middle of a workout when I wanted a little pick-me-up. MONDAYS describes Go-Go Bananas as a daytime profile built around Sour Diesel × Banana Cream, with myrcene, limonene, β-caryophyllene, pinene and other compounds making up its measured profile.
And for me? It was exactly what I wanted in that moment. Not some giant stimulant-like rush. Just a subtle “alright, let's fucking finish this” feeling. Which actually made me think about how useful terpene products could be outside of cannabis consumption entirely.
You don't necessarily have to be trying to get high. You don't necessarily have to be smoking. You don't even necessarily have to pair the terpene with cannabis. You can simply experiment with the profiles themselves and figure out which ones you personally enjoy in different situations.
The Daily Commute made starting the day feel lighter.
The Daily Commute is MONDAYS' Pineapple Express × Kona Pineapple profile. Its tested terpene composition is particularly myrcene-heavy, with α-pinene, limonene, β-pinene and β-caryophyllene among the other major compounds.
This was another one where my experience was subtle.
But when I used it intentionally in the morning, getting the day started just felt a little less...heavy. And again, that's my experience. I'm not going to turn my morning taffy into a clinical claim. I'm simply telling you what I noticed when I used a particular terpene profile intentionally. That distinction matters.
And then there was Main Squeeze.
Main Squeeze was the fucking GOAT.
😂
This was the one where I really got to play with the idea of pairing terpene profiles with cannabis.
MONDAYS' Main Squeeze combines a Lemon Cherry Gelato-inspired terpene profile with Ponderosa Lemon, creating a citrus-forward profile designed around that sweet, tart, dessert-like character.
And when I intentionally paired it with cannabis?
That was my favorite experience.
This is where the whole “terpenes as part of the cannabis experience” concept clicked for me. The idea isn't necessarily that a terpene chew is going to magically transform THC into some entirely different drug. The science simply isn't strong enough to make that claim. But cannabis is not just THC.
The plant contains cannabinoids, terpenes, and a huge collection of other compounds—and researchers are actively studying how those components may interact. The popular term for this is the entourage effect. But here's where I want to be VERY careful. The entourage effect is a legitimate scientific hypothesis and an active area of research. It is not a settled explanation for every difference people experience between cannabis products.
A 2024 systematic review found that exploratory evidence suggests terpenes may influence cannabinoid effects, but concluded that stronger clinical evidence is still needed to establish meaningful terpene/cannabinoid synergy in humans. So when I say Main Squeeze enhanced my cannabis experience, I'm describing my experience, not claiming that the chew objectively amplified THC in my body. And that's an important distinction.
But here's the part I REALLY didn't expect: the munchies.
After a smoke session, I started noticing something interesting. I liked having one of these chews around afterward. And I didn't reach for a random piece of candy or a bag of Hot Cheetos quite as often. That doesn't mean MONDAYS somehow suppresses appetite. That's not what I'm saying. For me, it was more about intentionality.
Instead of: Smoke → wander into kitchen → open cabinet → eat whatever requires the least effort.
I started thinking: Smoke → terpene chew → okay, what do I actually WANT?
And Wild Things in particular gave me the inspiration to start making better munchies. That sounds ridiculously simple. But if you've ever been a mom at the end of a long day after cooking three meals, cleaning approximately seventeen things, answering approximately 900 questions, and finally getting five seconds to yourself... Sometimes you don't want to cook.
You want the easiest thing within arm's reach. And sometimes a little ritual is enough to interrupt that autopilot. For me, that was one of the more unexpected benefits of having these around. Not because the terpene chew magically changed my appetite. Because it changed the way I approached the moment.
Terpenes don't HAVE to be paired with THC.
This might actually be my favorite thing about these products. MONDAYS' entire concept is built around the idea that you can enjoy the terpene profile on its own or pair it with cannabis. The company describes its chews as a way to experience strain flavor and terpene character without the high, while also offering them as a pairing tool for cannabis consumers. And I think that's a really interesting way to look at terpenes.
You can use them:
Before a workout.
During a workout.
After a workout.
When you're getting your morning started.
When you're trying to transition out of work mode.
During your evening wind-down.
Alongside cannabis when you want to experiment with terpene profiles.
Or simply because you like the flavor. You don't HAVE to make every terpene experience about THC.
And this is where cannabis education gets REALLY interesting.
One of the biggest things I try to hammer home when I talk about cannabis is that “the strain” isn't a magic category. Two products with the same strain name can have very different chemical profiles. Two products labeled “indica” can produce completely different experiences. And two products with different names can have surprisingly similar terpene profiles.
That's why I care so much more about the actual chemistry behind the label. MONDAYS takes that concept and makes it tangible. Instead of simply telling you that something is “Pineapple Express,” “Lemon Cherry Gelato,” or “Animal Mints,” they publish detailed terpene profiles for their products.
For example, their Pineapple Express-based Daily Commute profile contains 81 measured terpenes and other compounds, with myrcene making up about 65% of the profile, followed by α-pinene, limonene, β-pinene and β-caryophyllene. Their Wild Things profile contains 123 terpenes and other compounds, with β-caryophyllene, limonene, linalool, humulene, myrcene and several lesser-known compounds represented in the profile. And that's the rabbit hole I LOVE.
Because suddenly you're not just talking about, “I like this strain.” You're asking, “What is actually in this profile that I like?” That's a much more interesting question.
What I think MONDAYS gets right about terpene education
The biggest thing I appreciate is that they don't have to pretend the science is more settled than it is. Their own terpene education materials ACKNOWLEDGE that much of the research is still early, particularly for individual compounds and their effects in humans. That's important because terpene education can very quickly become a game of:
myrcene = sleepy
limonene = happy
pinene = focused
caryophyllene = pain relief
...and suddenly we've turned a complicated chemical profile into a personality quiz.
Real cannabis chemistry is much messier than that. A terpene doesn't exist in isolation inside a flower. A plant contains a whole chemical profile. A person's response depends on the individual. The method of consumption matters. Dose matters. The rest of the cannabinoid profile matters.
And even something as simple as what you're doing, eating, smelling, expecting, and experiencing at the time can influence your subjective experience. That's why I think the most useful way to approach terpenes is curiosity rather than certainty.
My takeaway
After trying these, I don't think of terpene chews as a replacement for cannabis. And I don't think of them as some magical THC-free version of cannabis. They're something different. They're a way to interact with terpene profiles intentionally.
Sometimes that means enjoying the flavor. Sometimes it's experimenting with a profile by itself. Sometimes it's incorporating it into a morning, workout, or evening ritual. And sometimes, at least for me, it means pairing a terpene profile with cannabis and seeing what happens.
The effects I experienced were subtle. They weren't guaranteed. They weren't dramatic. And they definitely weren't the same thing as being high. But they were noticeable enough that I started paying closer attention to the relationship between terpenes, context, flavor, expectation, and my own subjective experience.
And honestly? That's exactly the kind of curiosity I WANT more people to have around cannabis. Not, “This strain does THIS.” But, “What's actually in this plant, what does the research say, and what do I personally notice?” That's where cannabis education gets a whole lot more interesting.
A note from me
This article describes my personal experience and is intended for education and harm-reduction discussion, not medical advice. Terpene research is still developing, and research on isolated terpenes, especially in humans and at doses comparable to consumer products, is limited. Individual experiences can vary, and research on terpene/THC interactions has not established that a particular terpene profile will reliably produce a particular effect.
MONDAYS' hemp chews are marketed as 21+ products and are tested for cannabinoids and contaminants; their current product information states that the hemp chews contain 20 mg of strain-true terpenes per chew and that cannabinoids are non-detectable in their testing.
