What is The Difference Between Indica and Sativa?

April 20, 2018

We want our customers to make the right choice when choosing their strain of cannabis. When browsing at our stores, you will notice our strains are broken up into three distinct groups: Sativa, Indica and Hybrid. Most consumers have familiarized themselves with these three cannabis types and their effects:

Sativas have a more stimulating, uplifting, energizing effect that pairs well with physical activity, doing homework, creating art, socializing and grocery shopping. Although I don’t recommend going grocery shopping while having consumed cannabis, in my experience, I tend to want to buy all the food that is delicious but also bad for you, peanut butter cookies are my weakness. For this strain, I recommend trying the sativa strain Green Crack, a personal favorite.

Indicas are believed to be very relaxing and physically sedating. Perfect for a relaxing night on the couch, or a nightcap before bed. Indicas tend to work wonders after a long, stressful day at work, provide full body pain relief, and help with insomnia. Indica strains are also ideal for chronic pain, muscle spasms, anxiety, nausea, appetite stimulation, and sleep deprivation. Individuals who suffer from diseases like multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, lupus, sleep apnea and insomnia tend to benefit from the effects of Cannabis Indica. The indica strain, Northern Lights, knocks me right out. Best sleep ever!

Hybrids are thought to fall somewhere in between the indica-sativa spectrum, depending on the traits they inherit from their parent strains. Hybrids are ideal for people seeking a perfect balance of head and body high.

However, there is much evidence by cannabis researchers that suggest that these three categories are not as they seem. There is little indication that sativas and indicas exhibit a consistent pattern of one being sedating and the other uplifting, although the plants of these two strains do look very different, sativas plants being tall with narrow leaves and indica plants being shorter but with broader leaves.

So with so many strains to choose from and the vagueness of the indica, sativa, hybrid categories, where do you start? The answer is cannabinoids and terpenes. For more information about cannabinoids and terpenes, check out our previous post where we go in depth to explain both terms.