Outdoor-Grown Cannabis Offers More Balanced Benefits

The cannabis wellness conversation is hyper-focused on cannabinoids, when it should focus on how weed is grown.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The article argues that the cannabis wellness conversation has become too focused on individual cannabinoids like THC, when the real benefits of cannabis come from the full spectrum of compounds found in flowers grown outdoors. Outdoor-grown cannabis offers a more balanced high with a greater diversity of cannabinoids and terpenes compared to indoor-grown cannabis, which tends to have higher THC levels but less of the other beneficial compounds. The article also discusses how restrictions on interstate cannabis commerce and packaging requirements have pushed the market towards more potent, one-dimensional cannabis products, fueling a political push to limit THC.

Why it matters

As the political and regulatory landscape around cannabis continues to evolve, with efforts to limit the legality of certain cannabinoids, it's important to recognize that the wellness benefits of cannabis come from the full spectrum of compounds found in the plant, not just individual cannabinoids like THC. Focusing too narrowly on THC or other specific cannabinoids misses the bigger picture of how the way cannabis is grown can impact its therapeutic effects.

The details

The article discusses research showing that outdoor-grown cannabis has a more diverse chemical composition, with higher levels of terpenes and unusual cannabinoids compared to indoor-grown cannabis, which tends to have more oxidized and degraded cannabinoids. This diversity of compounds contributes to a more balanced and pleasant high. The article also notes that restrictions on interstate cannabis commerce and packaging requirements have pushed the market towards more potent, one-dimensional cannabis products, which can lead to negative experiences that fuel a political push to limit THC.

  • The federal government has taken action to revisit the definition of legal hemp, which opened the door for the wide rainbow of cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant.
  • Last month, the Biden Administration began a process to examine rescheduling the classification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act.

The players

Eli Melrod

Co-founder and CEO of Solful, a chain of Northern California-based retail shops that sell exclusively outdoor cannabis.

Nate Hayward

Founder of Higher Heights, a cannabis cultivation company based in Comptche, California.

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What they’re saying

“It's the complete spectrum of what's in the plant that's actually going to steer it to a much more pleasant effect.”

— Eli Melrod, Co-founder and CEO of Solful

“Plants are speaking to each other, chemical signals are getting passed around everywhere. So when you're outdoors, there's no avoiding that... when the plants are interacting with the environment, they pick up another level of terpenes and another level of general flavor like flavonoids and all of the more complex elements that we haven't researched enough yet.”

— Nate Hayward, Founder of Higher Heights

What’s next

The Biden Administration's review of the cannabis classification under the Controlled Substances Act is ongoing, with potential implications for the legal status of different cannabinoids.

The takeaway

As the cannabis industry and regulatory landscape evolve, it's important to recognize that the wellness benefits of cannabis come from the full spectrum of compounds found in the plant, not just individual cannabinoids like THC. Focusing too narrowly on specific cannabinoids misses the bigger picture of how the growing environment can impact the therapeutic effects of cannabis.