If you’re looking to relax or get some rest, make sure you pick up some indica. If you have a pile of chores around the house you need to get done or perhaps need a little motivation to hit the gym, be sure you pick up some sativa. If you just need to make it through your day with a little bit of energy but at the same time remaining relaxed and calm yet without falling asleep, you need a hybrid.
Don’t forget, if you want to get the most bang for your buck, make sure you get the indica, sativa, or hybrid with the highest level of THC possible. These are some of the common perceptions about cannabis today. Are they true? That’s a tricky one with an answer that tends to lean towards…somewhat.
When it comes to myths about the types of cannabis, there are many of them. Cannabis legalization has ushered in a new era of cannabis consumers. These days instead of getting whatever was around, consumers have the option in many places of purchasing their cannabis through a dispensary.
Dispensaries carry a wide selection of cannabis. They offer indica, sativa, and hybrid varieties. All of these varieties have THC testing, so you know what has what in it. Some even offer terpene testing results. Where do the myths of cannabis consumption meet the facts? Let’s take a deeper dive into the world of myths and facts about indica, sativa, and hybrid cannabis cultivars.
Myths About Indica Cannabis Strains
The common myth about Indica varieties of cannabis is that they will put you down. If you are looking to get sleep or relax from a stressful day, Indica is the way. Indica strains of cannabis are also heavier or higher in THC. If you’re looking for a body buzz, make sure you choose an indica. Common terms associated with an Indica buzz are couch lock, baked, fried, smashed, etc.
Facts About Indica Cannabis Strains
Indica refers to cannabis varieties that have broader or fatter leaves and produce short plants with shorter flowering cycles that average around 60 days. The term indica helps growers to distinguish the physical characteristics, morphology, and growing cycle of the cannabis strain.
Myths About Sativa Cannabis Strains
If you have a ton of chores that need to get done, like laundry piling up, dishes, or general household cleaning, you need a Sativa to help pick you up. If you’re looking for a little motivation to help you hit the gym, you definitely want to go sativa. Another common misperception is that sativa causes anxiety because of its ability to increase energy.
Facts About Sativa Cannabis Strains
Sativa varieties of cannabis produce tall plants with long lanky leaves. The flowering cycles are much longer than that of indica or hybrids, running as long as 12 to 16 weeks or more.
Myths About Hybrid Cannabis Strains
If you’re looking to get through your day but stay clear-headed, a hybrid cannabis strain is what you need. Some people even believe that a hybrid variety of cannabis will allow you to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without others knowing about it. For some reason, it’s believed that a hybrid won’t get you intoxicated enough to make it noticeable but will get you intoxicated enough to take the edge off.
Facts About Hybrid Cannabis Strains
Hybrid cannabis strains are created by combining the genetics of indica and sativa together. In many instances, almost all varieties of cannabis are hybrid, with the exception of landrace cannabis strains. A landrace cannabis strain is a variety of cannabis that is specific to a certain region and has had no outside contact with other varieties of cannabis to influence its genetic profile. You can find hybrid varieties of cannabis that contain more indica or sativa referred to as Indica dominant or sativa dominant, as well as equally balanced 50/50 hybrids.
The Entourage Effect
It’s popular belief that you should find the highest THC strain to get the most for your money. Many believe that if you’re looking for the best buzz, you should go for the highest THC because the higher the THC, the better the buzz, right? This isn’t always the case. The Entourage Effect is a theory that suggests that when a wide variety of cannabinoids and terpenes work synergistically together, they create a more enjoyable experience and potentially better therapeutic results than individual cannabinoids when isolated. It is recorded that Israeli chemists Shimon Ben-Shabat and Raphael Mechoulam were the first to propose “the Entourage Effect” in 1998 after studying the effects of cannabinoid receptors and their binding molecules.
What Does It All Mean?
When it comes to the facts and myths about cannabis, there is no question that this arena could be argued endlessly. What we do know about cannabis is that it isn’t only THC that influences the effects. A multitude of different cannabinoids, along with terpenes, are behind the effects of cannabis. These effects can be different from individual to individual because of each person’s unique chemistry.
Terpenes play an important role in the amount of cannabinoids that are absorbed by receptors in the body. Perhaps our focus should be more towards the terpene profile of cannabis rather than the cannabinoid profile. Cannabis strains containing 12 to 14% THC can be just as potent and effective as cannabis strains that contain 24 or 28% THC for some. It all depends on how the cannabinoid profile and terpenes interacts with an individual’s chemistry.
This is why it is important for consumers to understand that cannabis can treat everyone differently. Just because one variety of cannabis relaxes you or motivates you doesn’t mean it will have the same effect on someone else. The next time you go to a dispensary and the budtender asks you what you’re looking for; you might try asking them which strain has the widest cannabinoid profile and which is the richest in terpenes.
Conclusion
The potency of cannabis can be a little different for everyone. Explore different varieties of cannabis to discover their potency and how they affect you. Indica isn’t a given to make you sleepy; sativas aren’t guaranteed to help you hit the gym or get those chores done. Hybrids aren’t lighter than indicas or sativas, and last but not least. It’s not always about the highest amount of THC; the synergistic workings of the “entourage effect” are real.