Most people consider cannabis to be cannabis yet there are three types of cannabis, Indica, Sativa and Ruderalis which is a hybrid of Indica and Sativa. For each type there are many different strains providing different effects on the body and mind. Choosing the right cannabis strain for you can be like selecting your favorite wine and in a country where cannabis is legal there are many to choose from ensuring your experience or needs are met. Finding the right strain for you depends entirely on what works well for you, the reason you choose to ingest cannabis or determined by any medical requirements.
The two main types are Indica which tends to be the more predominant plant in New Zealand and Sativa. Ruderalis has a lower THC content and provides benefits from both Indica and Sativa. However we will focus more in the two main types.
INDICA – Provides more of a body high that helps you relax so is better ingested in the evening. Indica is the type that is mostly portrayed on movies where you see the smoker sinking into the couch laughing with a large bag of cheeseballs. Indica is a shorter more bushy plant with wider leaves and provide more dense flowers. Indica tends to be lower in THC and higher in CBD than Sativa.
Benefits or effects of Indica:
- Relaxation
- Helps you sleep
- Creates appetite
- Anti-inflammatory
SATIVA – Provides more of a head high and can be a more motivational high so is better suited to use during the day. More athletic type people tend to use sativa for motivation when working out or creative people looking for that extra spark of creativity. Sativa tends to be a taller more lanky looking plant with smaller flowers. Sativa tends to have a higher THC content and lower in CBD
Benefits or effects of Sativa:
- Painkiller
- Creativity
- Social
- Anti-depressant
- Creates appetite
THC vs CBD
The two main ingredients in cannabis are THC and CBD. These both have very different effects and which strain you choose will determine the different levels of each. THC and CBD both have healing properties.
THC – Tetrahydrocannabinol is one of at least 113 cannabinoids identified in cannabis. THC is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis. With chemical name-trans-Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, the term THC also refers to cannabinoid isomers.
CBD – Cannabidiol is a phytocannabinoid discovered in 1940. It is one of some 113 identified cannabinoids in cannabis plants and accounts for up to 40% of the plant’s extract. As of 2018, preliminary clinical research on cannabidiol included studies of anxiety, cognition, movement disorders, and pain