The Only Terpene That Acts As A Cannabinoid: β-Caryophyllene

Beta-caryophyllene is one of the more dominating terpenes found in cannabis.
Out of the terpenes so far, It is the first sesquiterpene of a couple that I will be going over, also the most common sesquiterpene found in cannabis.
Its fragrance can be described as spicy, peppery, woody, musky, and mildly sweet. Imagine smelling cracked pepper.
As such, β-Caryophyllene is found in black pepper, cloves, oregano, basil, hops, cinnamon, and many other herbs and spices
Fun fact: β-Caryophyllene is one of the only terpenes that is known to interact directly with the endocannabinoid system and this is likely due to its unique cyclobutene ring not found in any other cannabis terpene.

Medical benefits:
Very powerful anti-inflammatory via PGE-1 (strength comparable to phenylbutazone, an Antiinflammatory for horses), however unlike other anti-inflammatories, it is gastroprotective against ulcers
It is a selective cb2 full agonist (Gersch 2008) which is responsible for mediating the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
It has a role in treating addiction, with animal studies showing promising results for cocaine and opioids.