Now that the legalization of marijuana is spreading like wild-fire across America, the general population seems to be more curious about this green goodness.
The most consistent thing I hear non-smokers ask about is the differences between each of the various strains. Experienced smokers know that answer varies every single time because it really depends on each individual strain and whether it is a cannabis sativa or a cannabis indica.
If you don’t know the difference between the two, some information to help is available below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA4YYkP0gi4
SATIVA
Sativa is what I call the “day” weed because its high is energetic and up-lifting. The sativa high is more of a cerebral (head) high, which triggers your inner creativity. If you are trying to stay focused and alert, sativa strains would be your best bet.
There are also some medical benefits to sativa. It helps with mental and behavioral issues like depression and ADHD. Sativa also increases the appetite, which can help cancer patients or people struggling with anorexia.
Cannabis sativa is typically grown outdoors because these plants can reach up to 25 ft. in height. These plants are thin and tall. A sativa strand can be harvested after 10-16 weeks and will usually have a grassy type of odor to it.
Plenty of sativa strains have “haze” as part of the name, such as Purple Haze or Silver Haze. Other common sativa names are Sour Diesel, Muawie Wauwie and Blue Dream.
So, if you decide to go and hunt Pokemon around your neighborhood or you’re in for an all-nighter of studying, sativa is the strain for you.
INDICA
Cannabis indica is the complete opposite of cannabis sativa. It is grown normally indoors. Indica plants tend to grow short and wide, typically around 2-4 ft. tall. The harvest time is about half of a sativa’s. It takes about 6-8 weeks. Unlike the sativa strains, indica’s have a sweet or sour odor.
Indica aka “In-da-couch” is mellow. Instead of a cerebral high, this puts off a physical body high. This is what I call the “night” weed because most indica users will feel a sense of deep relaxation and tiredness. Laziness is also associated with this high and some people will refer to it as “couch-locked.”
Like sativa, indica has its own medical benefits as well. It treats general anxiety, body pain and insomnia or sleeping disorders. Indica relaxes muscles and relieves spasms which can help someone who suffers from seizures. Indica has the ability to treat nausea and headaches/migraines, which can be very useful for hangovers.
If looking for indica’s, try to look for a strain with Kush in the name, such as Granddaddy Kush, Purple Kush or OG Kush. Some common indica names include White Rhino, G-13, Northern Lights and White Widow.
If you decide it is a ‘Netflix and Chill’ kind of night and all of your adult responsibilities have been handled or put off to the side, indica is the way to go.
HYBRID
A hybrid strain is a crossbreed between a sativa and an indica strain. For example, there can be an indica-dominate, a 50/50 mix or sativa-dominate.
An indica-dominate hybrid gives a sedated high without actually knocking you out. A sativa-dominate hybrid gives you more of a head high while relaxing the body.
Everyone’s biochemistry is different. For instance, if you get paranoid while smoking sativa and tired while smoking an indica, a indica-dominant hybrid would be your best choice.
Every hybrid is different depending on the dominance of the strain in the plant. Some common names of hybrids are Pineapple Express, Cherry Pie, Girl Scout Cookies and TrainWreck.
If you are looking for a dispensary near you visit Weedmaps or download their app. This is a great site to visit if you are unfamiliar with an area and are in need of some of that Northwest good.
Also, if the names are confusing you and you don’t know what the strain is, Leafly can help. This site lists out basically every strain known which makes it much easier to pick the strain that is right for you.
Please remember to always use marijuana responsibly and never around children. #RespectMyRegion
https://youtu.be/0nITlICp5SE
