Research & Whitepapers
Research & Whitepapers
Terps USA® Applied Research Division · Three Published Whitepapers · May 2026We don't just make products. We publish the research that explains why vaporization is more efficient, why the science clears standard vaping ingredients, and who profits when consumers are pushed back toward combustion. Three whitepapers. 40+ citations. Free to download.
Botanical Terpene Spray: The Complete Industry Guide
Aroma restoration, batch consistency, post-harvest enhancement. Addresses the benzene misconception, the EVALI history, and how to evaluate a terpene spray supplier. The definitive document for commercial cannabis operators.
↓ Download PDF Read SummaryThe Science of Safety: PG & PEG in Vaping
Dismantles the Troutt & DiDonato (2017) Arizona study on methodology and author credentials. Documents the dry puff temperature flaw, Farsalinos replication findings, and CDC clearance of PG and PEG in EVALI.
Why Settle: The War on Vapor
The combustion efficiency science. The financial conflicts — tobacco bonds, Big Pharma NRT protection, PMTA regulatory capture. The PACT Act buried in COVID relief on page 5,136. The real casualties of a legislative campaign that never had consumers' interests at heart.
↓ Download PDF Read SummaryWhitepaper 01 — Botanical Terpene Spray Application in Cannabis Flower
Document ID: TUSA-WP-2026-01 | Version: 1.3 | Published: May 2026 | Citations: 16
A practical industry guide examining the scientific mechanisms of terpene loss, evaluating three application methods — precision air-pressurized spray, infusion bags, and aerosol cans — and addressing the safety questions the cannabis community deserves straight answers to.
This paper also documents the role specific manufacturers played in the 2019 EVALI outbreak — including the public record of Mr. Extractor / Connoisseur Concentrates and founder Drew Jones — and establishes the verification standards consumers and commercial operators should apply when evaluating any terpene spray supplier.
Key Findings
A 2003 analytical study recovered 89.1% THC from vaporized cannabis versus 10.8% from pipe smoke. Vaporization reduces harmful byproducts by up to 99% compared to combustion.
The benzene / Meehan-Atrash concern applies specifically to concentrated terpene extracts at 300–482°C dabbing temperatures — not to 1–3% botanical spray on flower. The science does not transfer between these two scenarios.
The 2019 EVALI outbreak was caused by Vitamin E acetate — found in the lung fluid of 48 of 51 EVALI patients. Mr. Extractor sold Clear Cut containing tocopheryl-acetate and publicly claimed it had anti-inflammatory benefits to the lungs as the CDC death toll rose.
BagPOP™, Mr. Extractor's current terpene spray brand, carries a ™ symbol with no USPTO registration or pending application as of May 27, 2026.
Whitepaper 02 — The Science of Safety: PG & PEG in Vaping Applications
Document ID: TUSA-WP-2026-02 | Version: 1.1 | Published: May 2026 | Citations: 14+
During the 2019–2020 vaping health crisis, PG and PEG were swept into a panic caused by an entirely different compound. A study published by a naturopathic doctor and a cannabis dispensary researcher claimed these compounds produced dangerous levels of formaldehyde when heated. That study has a fundamental, documented flaw: both compounds were tested at 230°C — above the threshold that produces the dry puff phenomenon, causing users to immediately stop inhaling.
The CDC's definitive EVALI investigation cleared PG and VG of involvement. The outbreak was caused by Vitamin E acetate. PG has a 70-year pharmaceutical inhalation history and FDA GRAS classification.
Key Findings
The Troutt & DiDonato (2017) study authors hold a naturopathic medicine degree and a Ph.D. in Family and Human Development — neither possessing credentials in chemistry, toxicology, or aerosol science. Published in an alternative medicine journal.
Farsalinos et al. (2015): "Electronic cigarettes produce high levels of aldehyde only in dry puff conditions, causing a strong unpleasant taste that e-cigarette users detect and avoid. Under normal vaping conditions aldehyde emissions are minimal."
Langston et al. (2021) 13-week rat inhalation study: daily PG exposures up to 5 mg/L for 6 hours per day did not induce biologically meaningful toxicological effects.
CDC EVALI investigation: Vitamin E acetate found in lung fluid of 48 of 51 EVALI patients. PG and VG explicitly cleared.
PEG 200 flash point: 171°C. Autoignition: 304°C. Standard cannabis vape hardware operates below the flash point. The Arizona study's 230°C methodology is, by PEG 200's own SDS, overheating.
Whitepaper 03 — Why Settle: The War on Vapor
Document ID: TUSA-WP-2026-03 | Version: 1.0 | Published: May 2026 | Citations: 16 + State Records
A global legislative campaign is suppressing the most efficient cannabinoid delivery technology available. It is framed as protecting public health. The financial record tells a different story. This paper documents the combustion efficiency science and the three financial interests that benefit when consumers are pushed back toward combustion.
Key Findings
A 2026 PAX study found vaporization reduced harmful byproducts by up to 99%. Joint smoke contained nearly 189 identifiable compounds. Vaporized aerosol consisted primarily of cannabinoids and terpenes.
THC begins degrading at 200°C with 29.1% converting to less-active CBN at that temperature. Standard dab temperatures run 315–482°C. The purist consuming hot dabs is paying for potency they are thermally destroying.
Moody's estimates up to 80% of U.S. state tobacco bonds are at risk of default due to declining cigarette sales — creating a documented structural incentive to suppress vaping alternatives.
When India banned e-cigarettes in 2019, the government held a 28% stake in ITC Limited. ITC's stock surged by approximately $215 million USD when the ban was announced.
The PACT Act amendment was buried on page 5,136 of a 5,000-page COVID relief bill, signed December 27, 2020. The ENDS definition captured cannabis products. All major carriers ceased shipping.
Documented casualties: Shatter Batter LLC (Colorado SOS ID: 20171390976) — delinquent October 1, 2019. Farm To Vape — still attempting to rebuild five years after their shipping channel was eliminated.
TERPS USA®
Disclaimer: This document is published for informational and industry education purposes only. No Terps USA Products are derived from cannabis nor do they contain any THC or CBD. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Void where Prohibited by Law.