Indica or Sativa? Types of Cannabis & Effects
What’s The Big Difference?
When someone shops at their local dispensary, they often find 3 categories to separate products; Indica, Sativa & Hybrids. These 3 sub categories are meant to separate strains by expected side effects & profiles.
The commonly accepted classification of Indicas & Sativas is that Indicas are often sedating & relaxing, and Sativas are more revitalizing, energetic with increased cognitive responses & useful for creative tasks. As expected, Hybrid strains have an ever evolving combination of Sativa & Indica effects.
What Dictates A Hybrid?
When it comes to Hybrids, any two strains can be combined to form a new one. Combining Sativas & Indicas often results in an relaxed alertness, never fully sedating but also not inducing anxiety often associated with Sativas. To further increase already common side effects found on one side or the other, breeders will often take two Indicas or two Sativas to “double” up on expected results.
It’s important to remember that everyone and anyone can react very differently to the same strain as another person. Not all Sativas give you a ton of energy & not all Indica strains cause couch lock or sedative effects. Differentiating metabolisms and body chemistry drastically effect how the body reacts to specific cannabinoids and to what degree.
What Role Do Terpenes Play?
Another differentiation comes in the form of smell & tastes. Generally, Sativa strains tend to smell fruity & sweet with spice notes. Indicas on the other hand tend to lean more towards musky, earthy & almost “Stinky”. Terpenes within Cannabis cause these flavor distinctions & are associated with THC & CBD. Although Terpenes play such a vital role in taste and enticing smells, their medical potential is substantially more important. Because terpenes interact with other Cannabinoids, they often play just as important a role in determining strain effects as the THC/CBD values themselves.
If you’d like to learn more about Terpenes & their medical benefits, click HERE <-
Source / Links :
Leafly - Indica vs. Sativa
Cresco Labs - Indica vs. Sativa
HealthLine - Sativa vs. Indica