For many moons, stoners have long associated the effects of a strain with one of cannabis' 3 classifications: indica, sativa, and hybrid. You're here to learn why that's all a myth.
So...
What do these names actually mean, why do we use them the way we do, and what really gives a strain it's energizing, relaxing, euphoric, or any one of more than a dozen other different effects?
We've all heard the age old stonerism. "indica is in da couch." If you haven't, let's recap:
Indica - believed to have generally relaxing, euphoric or sedating effects great for nighttime
Strains like Afghani, Northern Lights, and Purple Urkle, all classic indicas known for their intense relaxation of both the mind and body
Sativa - thought to have primarily energizing, stimulating and uplifting effects best for daytime use
Blue Dream, Sour Diesel, the espresso of pure sativas, Durban Poison and more have been among sativa-lovers go-tos for their mentally stimulating daytime effects
Hybrid - varying combination of effects from both types good for any time of day
Gelato, Zkittles, Chemdog, and the perfect 50/50, MAC 1 are all classified as hybrids for their own unique mix of energizing and relaxing effects
These types have long been a cornerstone of cannabis, giving users a basis to gauge a strain's effects to achieve a desired experience. While many consumers still believe this to be the ultimate truth about cannabis, it actually has more to do with how the plant grows than the "inherent" effects come time to spark up.
So what do they mean?
Indica - grows short and stocky with wide leaves
Sativa - grows tall with thin, narrow leaves
Hybrid - grows with a mix of characteristics between the two
Now that we know the truth about one of cannabis' biggest misconceptions, the real question is: what does determine a strains effects?
There's still a lot to learn about everything that drives and controls the cannabis experience. What we do know is that factors like how and how much you consume can play a big role. But more mysterious factors, like a consumer's biological chemistry and tolerance level, can also determine how (or if) a strain, edible or tincture affects you.
What Next?
As cannabis legalization continues to grow around the world, new research and discoveries have begun to emerge with possible explanations for the myriad of different effects that come from the sticky icky.
Two of cannabis' most popular acronyms, THC and CBD, are just two of more than 150 belonging to a class of compounds known as Cannabinoids. While THC, the most prominent in many strains, is the only one known to deliver an intoxicating, psychotropic effect when consumed. Other cannabinoids such as CBD, CBG and CBN are all well-known to offer anti-inflammation, anti-anxiety, and a number of other therapeutic traits.
Terpenes, a class of naturally-occurring aromatic compounds found in food, plants, and all throughout nature, are also believed to have a big impact on a strain's effects. Possibly more so than the ones with the highest THC!
Responsible for more than just how a strain smells, we've also discovered that many of the 80+ terpenes found in Mary Jane each possess their own unique set of effects. Combined with THC, CBD and other cannabinoids, a strain's "terpene profile," or mix and concentration of different terps, can help you better understand the potential effects to come from it.
These two major groups together create a powerful experience for consumers around the world and has for thousands of years. While knowing more about a strain's cannabinoid and terpene profiles can certainly help you make smarter choices the next time you visit your favorite dispensary, the science behind this isn't necessarily an exact one.
Dubbed by researchers as "The Entourage Effect," this is the theory that while most cannabinoids and terpenes have been identified to have their own unique effects, these may change and vary when combined with others to create an experience that differs from consumer to consumer. Even joint to joint!
For now, Indica, Sativa & Hybrid continue to play a major role in how stoners shop for their buds, vapes, dabs and other cannabis goods. As cannabinoids and terpenes continue to increase in popularity among smokers, more brands across the country have begun testing for them to give you the best idea of what it is your really buying.