Medicinal cannabis can be used to treat a wide variety of common conditions. Listen in as Genifer Murray, founder and president of CannLabs talks about testing medical marijuana and the future of the industry. . . – The Cannabis Guide 🙂
Generally, medicinal cannabis results in the user having a sense of greater physical & mental relaxation, pain reduction, increased appetite, and better sleep. However, there are two main varieties of medicinal cannabis plants, and each offers a different set of benefits. Understanding the difference between the two is important to finding the right strain for each patient.
The two major types of cannabis plants are Indica and Sativa. With each strain has it’s own range of effects on the body and mind resulting in a wide range of medicinal benefits. http://www.medicalmarijuanastrains.com/tag/good-for-cancer/
Indica strains generally provide a sense of deep body relaxation.
Sativa strains tend to provide a more energizing experience.
Typically, cannabis Indica plants are short, bushy plants with wide leaves. Indica plants typically grow faster and have a higher yield than the sativa variety. Medicine produced from cannabis Indica plants have higher CBD and lower THC counts.
The major qualities of Indica medicinal strains include:
- increased mental relaxation
- muscle relaxation
- decreases nausea
- decreases acute pain
- increases appetite
- increases dopamine (a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers)
- for night time use
Cannabis Sativa plants are oppposite of the Indica strains and grow tall and thin with narrow leaves. Sativa plants are also generally a lighter shade of green then their counterpart, the Indica strain. Sativa strains take longer to grow, mature, and require more light. Medicine produced from cannabis Sativa plants have lower CBD and higher THC counts.
The major qualities of Sativa medicinal strains include:
- anti-anxiety
- anti-depressant
- treats chronic pain
- increases focus and creativity
- increases serotonin (a neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of learning, mood, sleep, anxiety and appetite)
- for day time use
Cannabis strains range from pure Sativa and Indica to hybrid strains consisting of both Indica and Sativa (30% Indica – 70% Sativa, 50% – 50% combinations, 80% Indica – 20% Sativa). However, what is the difference between indica and sativa plants? And how can you distinguish between a sativa vs indica high?
What is Indica and Sativa?
Both indicas and sativas are psychoactive varieties of the cannabis plant. That is, an indica or sativa will get you high. But weed connoisseurs distinguish between the two because sativa vs indica effects can be extremely different. This largely has to do with their origin stories.
Indica strains originated in colder, mountainous climates (think Afghanistan and Northern India) and sativas originated in more sweltering equatorial zones.
However, with the rise of modern cannabis breeding and discovery that genetics are important to marijuana potency, thousands of hybrid strains have also come onto the scene. These hybrids combine the effects of indicas and sativas. And in the modern world, we now distinguish between indica versus sativa vs hybrid strains.
Indica versus Sativa is a personal choice
Both can we used for optimal results in different circumstances. The big difference between the two types of cannabis is that they have opposite effects once consumed.
So when you are consuming cannabis for medical reasons, you will want to use a strain that causes the desired effects. It’s also worth noting that cannabis effects individuals slightly differently based on your weight, your consumption frequency, the source of the strain, and many other factors. Here are some cannabasics to get you on the right path.
Indicas
Indicas are known for their physically sedating effect. Some stoners use the mnemonic, “in da couch,” referring to the well-known body high of strong indica strains that make a person want to sink into their couch. Indicas are ideal for relaxing with a movie or music in the evening as a way to unwind after a long day’s work or as a relaxing interlude before bed. Great for kicking back with your Crafty Vaporizer before snoozing.
Indica plants tend to be short, squat, and bushy. The indica vs sativa leaves are plump and the foliage is dense. These are plants adapted to harsh environments like those found in the Hindu Kush mountain range. Indica vs sativa plants are also excellent producers of hash, and that’s no accident. They were undoubtedly bred that way, as hashish is the preferred method of cannabis consumption in much of the area from which they sprang.
Indica vs sativa plants don’t mess around when flowering; they get it done in six to eight weeks. This is almost certainly due to their mountain-born genetic programming; they want to produce the next generation’s genetics before frost hits. Indoor growers love the speediness with which indica versus sativa flowers bloom and flatten.
Medically speaking, the heavy resin and soporific potency of indica vs sativa flowers makes them prized by people with insomnia, anxiety, nausea and pain.
Sativas
Sativas, on the other hand, are known for their invigorating mental effects. The uplifting, cerebral effects of the sativa vs indica high make these strains ideal for social gatherings and creative pursuits like music, art and writing.
Sativas tend to be tall and gangly, with skinnier leaves. Originating in the sunny climates of Southeast Asia, Central America, and Mexico, these plants are sun-worshippers. They regularly grow between eight and 12 feet tall, but in optimal conditions outdoors, 18-foot monsters aren’t unheard of.
These equatorial strains take their time when flowering. In contrast to the six-to-eight-week flowering time of indicas, sativa flowering can stretch past 12 weeks, making the impatient growers crazy. The difference in lighting cost for indoor growers means that indoor sativas are sometimes more expensive in the shops.
The stimulating effects of sativas make them ideal for a motivational “wake and bake” session, akin to a cup of coffee. Pure or nearly pure sativa strains include Durban Poison, Thai, Ghost Train Haze, Panama Red, Strawberry Cough, Chernobyl, Trinity, and Amnesia Haze.
Are Sativas and Indicas Really That Different?
Some stoners are skeptical. . . . about whether there really is a big difference between the sativa vs indica high. “It all just gets me stoned, man,” is something you might have heard in response to the indica vs sativa debate. This view has probably arisen because of all the hybrids currently available.
A majority of strains currently on the market are hybrids of various kinds, even if they’re branded according to indica vs sativa categories. Additionally, oftentimes in illegal states people think they’re smoking… an indica or sativa when they’re not and have misconceptions about what works for them. Many people even claim that cannabis doesn’t work for them at all. And while this may be true (cannabis isn’t for everyone), it could also be because they simply have yet to go to a dispensary with a knowledgeable budtender who can direct them towards the right indica vs sativa, or something in-between. These days, it’s rare to find a pure sativa or pure indica strain, with most strains have some of each.
Here’s an indica vs sativa test you can do yourself, if you’re so inclined. Get a few examples of the pure indica still available. Go for strains like L.A. Confidential, The Hog, and Afghan Kush. Also, get a few examples of pure sativas. Strains like Durban Poison, Trainwreck, Jack Herer, and Green Crack should do. Stick to a couple of the indicas for one session. Have a separate, all-sativa session on an entirely different day. Draw your own conclusions about the difference between the indica vs sativa high.
The World of Hybrids
Hybrids can be broken down into three basic groups:
- Sativa-dominant hybrids combine sativa’s cerebral high with indica’s relaxing body effect. Headband, Alien Girl, Juicy Fruit, Sour Diesel, and Purple Trainwreck are a few examples.
- Indica-dominant hybrids provide pain relief with a soothing high. Afgooey, Girl Scout Cookies, Tahoe OG, Skywalker OG, and Purple Urkle are examples.
- Balanced hybrids combine the best of both worlds into one smoke with 50/50 indica/sativa genetics. Examples include White Widow, Blue Dream, Purple Diesel, and Super Silver Haze.
Hybrids
Hybrid strains occur when expert breeders select the best sativa and indica strains and crossbreed them. Hybrids are frequently bred with other hybrids and can be sativa or indica dominant. So, depending on the dominant strain, they will have similar effects to their dominant strain.
Popular hybrid strains available in Denver include: Blue Dream, OG Kush, White Widow, and AK-47.
What is the difference between Sativa and Indica Cannabis types?
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Indica and sativa are the two main types of cannabis.
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https://www.crescolabs.com/indica-vs-sativa/
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…And Then There’s Ruderalis
A third major type of cannabis, cannabis ruderalis, is a feral form of hemp native to Russia. It is non-psychoactive, as in the THC level is too low to get you high. It’s widely debated whether it’s a sub-species of Cannabis Sativa, but most people accept it as its own species. It’s not often discussed or used for recreational purposes because it’s non-psychoactive, but it has been used historically to treat depression.
