The Importance of Terpenes with Michael Backes

Perhaps best known as the author of Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijuana, as of late, Michael Backes is quickly becoming recognized as the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Perfect, a line of terpene-rich, live resin-infused, 100% flower-based cannabis blend products designed to deliver the most consistent effects on the market. Outside of Perfect, Backes continuously lends his expertise to high-level efforts to educate the masses about the intrinsic correlation between aroma, flavor, and effect in cannabis flower, making him a longtime respected pioneer in the cannabis industry. Backes’ work has earned the recognition of his peers and, this year, from the world’s largest and most diverse cannabis competition, the Emerald Cup. 

Co-founding Cornerstone Wellness in 2005, which was the first evidence-based/science-focused medical dispensary in LA, Backes researched over 18,000 varieties of plants over the next decade. Eventually, Backes used his findings to develop Perfect’s patented manufacturing process, which formulated Perfect products to obtain desired effects through crafted and proprietary flower blends, each with its own unique qualities. The manufacturing method is infused with Michael’s passion and patented process for terpene diversity and preservation. 

Backes’ work focusing on terpene education has ongoingly caught the attention of industry peers and curious consumers as the cannabis industry evolves in what’s being dubbed the “terpene revolution.” Now more than ever, cannabis operators and consumers are seeking consistent effects stemming from terpene-rich flower. 

After a longtime collaborative effort between The Emerald Cup, the highly respected and longest-running cannabis competition, and SC Labs, they realized the terpene categorization effort put forth in 2021 had room for improvement and optimization. Together, they reconvened to form an advisory council tasked specifically with crafting an in-depth and user-friendly terpene categorization system. 

Founders of The Emerald Cup Tim and Taylor Blake and SC Labs recruited Michael for his extensive knowledge of terpene science to head this new advisory council. Backes was one of the first advisors tapped as an integral member with a vast knowledge in cannabis through years of research and education. It was Backes’ genuine dedication to the plant and to serving the people and the culture at its roots that made him an attractive resource for the Emerald Cup and SC Labs. 

Led by Backes, The Emerald Cup implemented the new Emerald Cup Cannabis Classification System this past May at the 18th Emerald Cup Awards ceremony. Collaborating with SC Labs and Mark Lewis of NaPro Research, this comprehensive toolkit raised the bar in 2022 for the annual cannabis competition and earned high praise from the official Emerald Cup judges who used the system to gain a better understanding of just how good cannabis can be when nuance meets science. 

“Michael’s cannabis knowledge, passion, and insight have been pivotal in helping us to simplify and optimize the sorting of the Emerald Cup contest into categories by flavor, aroma, and effects, helping to pay tribute to the range and diversity that Cannabis offers,” says Co-Founder of SC Labs, Alec Dixon. 

Backes lead the team tasked with compiling this unprecedented amount of firsthand terpene-focused science. The goal was to make it educational, understandable, and actionable for everyone, from cannabis cultivators to CEOs to the brands and budtenders reaching consumers. In line with Backes’ research and education, his cannabis brand Perfect utilizes thoughtful branding that simplifies the complexities of the cannabis plant through education. 

Through this ongoing partnership with the Emerald Cup, Michael Backes and Perfect seek to bring the curiosity, consistency, flavor, and full-spectrum effects to the California cannabis market. Stay tuned as Michael continues to share his innovations, terpene discoveries, and tips and tricks to optimizing the cannabis experience with SKUNK readers in following articles. 

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Michael Backes is best known as the author of the book titled Cannabis Pharmacy and for opening the first science-based dispensary in Southern California called Cornerstone Wellness in 2005. Michael is a respected pioneer in the cannabis industry and dubbed the “Morpheus” of cannabis after being convinced that the cannabis plant could be a legitimate medicine because it helped him deal with migraines that had plagued him since childhood. Michael has helped patients find relief through cannabis since increasing his understanding of cannabis as medicine and providing better quality of life. Michael co-founded the cannabis company called Perfect Blends, which designs blended formulations using 100% cannabis and cannabis oil, combined with breakthrough terpene preservation methods that result in dialed-in effects, extended shelf life, product consistency, and low dose, functional products. Most recently, Michael was tapped by the Emerald Cup to optimize and reinvent the Terpene  Categorization system for competition entries and spearheaded the advisory board leading the reclassification for the world-renowned Emerald Cup Competition.