The Ultimate Guide for Sativa vs. Indica
Metaphorically close your eyes for a moment (it’ll only be a moment, I promise). I want you to imagine that you are at any adult function: a work meeting, your Aunt Sue and Uncle Tom’s anniversary party, happy hour at Chili’s…you get the picture. Look to your left. Now look to your right. One in five of those people around you smokes marijuana recreationally. That means whether they are a Sativa vs. Indica vs. a hybrid kind of individual: they are smoking marijuana on a regular basis.
Think about that in a fancy Forbes statistical format. That means over 55 million adults right here in the US of A are toking up, smoking, dabbing, or eating weed habitually (maybe it’s you (maybe it’s Aunt Sue…)).
And chances are: with nine states and D.C. making it legal for recreational use, 20 states making it legal for medical use, and more states pushing for legalization in one way or another, these numbers are more than likely going to get higher before they decrease.
But marijuana–just like any other medicine or plant–has different effects depending on the type you use.
When we look at Sativa vs. Indica, they are like Scooby and Shaggy. Sure, they share some qualities, but they are “the same” the same.
And while yes, Sativa and Indica are both types of marijuana, what they can do for you and how they can make you feel are completely different at the end of the day.
Sativa: Let’s Break this Joint Down
A Little Historical Background
Sativa derives from the Latin word, “Sativum,” which means, “that which is sown.” And oh man, sown it is.
Sativa thrives in hotter climates and has been growing around the equator for thousands of years.
It looks beautiful but is not the easiest plant to grow.
However, it can grow to be enormous: I am talking one plant can grow easily to be over twelve feet high, and eighteen in nurturing conditions (that’s a whole lot of bud).
22 million pounds of it is grown right here in the US every year.
Sativa has also been used by soldiers, religious figures, and in kingdoms of South Asia for millenniums.
Sativa (vs. Indica) on a Leisurely Level
Sativa is often what a lot of potheads refer to as “the head high.”
It is known for being uplifting.
It is like a Redbull that you smoke.
Many people find it to stimulate creativity and their thoughts.
The purest strands can also have semi-psychedelic effects.
Sativa, versus Indica, is also the type of marijuana that gives stoners their munchies stereotype [Indica still gets you hungry: just not “I ate a whole box of Captain Crunch, and then a whole box of Cheerios, and then all of my roommate’s peanut butter” hungry.
Because of these factors, Sativa is known to be the type of marijuana you should smoke during daylight hours.
The Best Places and Activities to Smoke Sativa For
Legally speaking, you should only ever smoke marijuana in places where you are permitted to do as such.
With that being said, Sativa is the type of marijuana you would smoke prior to:
- Doing anything creative: painting, sculpting, painting, writing, etcetera
- It is a great strain to smoke before concerts, outdoor events, festivals
- Grocery shopping (use caution)
- Going out for dinner or to a buffet
- Cleaning your house (no really!)
- Going on a hike
- Watching a boatload of funny videos
- Going to the beach
- Amusement Parks
- Going out dancing
Pretty much anywhere you can think of where you would want energy, Sativa vs. Indica is the plant to go with!
Sativa vs. Indica for Medicinal Purposes
Sativa can be used for several ailments.
An important thing to note is that Sativa strands typically contain higher levels of THC to CBD (THC=Tetrahydrocannabinol to CBD=Cannabidiol).
Sativa is often used to treat mental issues.
Most commonly, it is used to treat depression.
But in recent times, it has been used to treat ADHD.
It can be used to treat PTSD as well, but due to some people feeling a certain level of anxiety on pure Sativa, many doctors prescribe a hybrid to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Sativa can also be a godsend for certain diseases that cause migraines, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and a lack of appetite.
A short list of these diseases includes HIV/AIDS.
Eating Disorders such as Bulimia, Anorexia, and Overeating.
It will help with a wide array of symptoms caused by certain forms of cancer.
And Sativa is showing promise in even helping in some neurologically degenerative diseases like Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and Dementia.
Sativa can also be found in many tinctures due to its pain relieving, relaxing, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic qualities.
Chances are, all the medicinal qualities of Sativa are why the fastest growing demographic of pot smokers in the United States are found among the elderly and baby boomer generations.
Popular Strands of Sativa:
- Sour Diesel
- Amnesia Haze
- Green Crack
- Lemon Haze
- Strawberry Cough
- Alaskan Thunder Fuck
- Lambs Bread
- Dutch Haze
- Blue Sky
- Voodoo
Indica vs. Sativa: Singing the Body Electric
A Little Historical Background
Indica vs. Sativa is the little guy. Most Indica plants only grow to be between 3-4 feet. So, it takes about three stacked plants of Indica vs. one Sativa in height.
Chances are Indica is the shorter plant because this plant derives primarily from the Middle East and drier parts of India. Little amounts of water and lots of Sun made Indica one tough broad and accustomed to a harsh environment.
Another way Indica differs from its tall sibling is that it has not been in the United States that long. Indica has only been in the US since around the 1970s when it made its voyage over from Afghanistan and India.
Indica simply means, “of India.”
A one-up Indica has vs. Sativa is that it can create much more resin.
Resin is not for all smokers, but you will meet people who collect it as if it were a fine wine.
Indica vs. Sativa on a Leisurely Level
Indica vs. Sativa is known more for being that “all over high.”
Yes, you will still feel high in your head, but your whole body will feel high too.
You will feel relaxed muscles.
It also releases dopamine into your brain, so prepare to feel all sorts of happy!
And most potheads refer to Indica as a “nighttime strain” of weed.
The Best Places and Activities to Smoke Indica vs. Sativa For
Indica is not Sativa. It is not a get-up and go kind of marijuana. It is not a get everything knocked off of your checklist kind of weed. It is not a feeling accomplished kind of weed.
It is your Sunday, nothing to do kind of plant. It is a sit on your couch and zone out kind of grass.
With that being said, Indica is the type of marijuana you would smoke prior to:
- Taking a nap
- Waking up from a nap to take another nap
- Netflix and chill (but for real on the chilling part)
- Shop Online
- Ordering Uber Eats or Bite Squad or something like it, and yes, this may take you forty-five minutes to an hour to successfully do.
- Play video games on mute
- Lay on the ground and listen to your vinyls
- Dance slow and think you are dancing way faster than you are
- Fall down a YouTube K-Hole
- Take a shower until the water turns cold
- Grab a blanket, go outside, and look at the stars
- Hang out in the fort you built before you smoked indica
Pretty much anything you can think of that is sloth-paced chill is what you are going to want to do while smoking and after smoking Indica.
Indica vs. Sativa for Medicinal Purposes
You got to hand it to Indica: when it comes to marijuana having a medical purpose, Indica goes above and beyond!
Because Indica typically contains higher levels of CBD to THC (Cannabidiol to Tetrahydrocannabinol), there are using it for a lot of medical purposes in contemporary times.
Sativa vs. Indica can still be used to make CBD oils, but due to the organic levels, Indica can often be easier to pull it from.
For starters, due to Indica’s CBD levels, it is easier to make CBD oil out of it, and these oils are showing promising results for many different types of sicknesses and diseases.
For example, they have been finding success in using CBD oil as an antipsychotic for Schizophrenics, people suffering from Disassociative Identity Disorder, and those who have Bipolar I and II.
Think of the number of pharmaceuticals and antipsychotics the average person suffering from mental illness has to take on a day-to-day basis just to get by.
Researchers are showing that Indica could very much so be a promising cure and future path for those haunted by their own minds.
Indica also helps relieve insomnia.
Indica is known for helping with muscle spasms.
It aids people with their seizures.
Indica can also help people who suffer from lupus.
It can be the resolution to your sleep apnea.
It can temporarily relieve your multiple sclerosis.
It can calm and make your fibromyalgia more manageable.
Similar to Sativa, Indica can help cancer patients with their chemotherapy, but not only does it focus on appetite and nausea. Indica vs. Sativa can actually help with the pain that comes with cancer treatment (at least temporarily).
Popular Strands of Indica:
- Northern Lights
- Big Bud
- Grape Ape
- Purple Urkle
- Sensi Star
- God Bud
- OG Kush
- Hindu Kush
- Critical Mass
- Death Star OG
I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends: Hybrids
GMOs are not new, and Bill Nye did not invent them.
People have been genetically modifying plants for over 30,000 years.
And while I am not telling you this to start a debate over Genetically Modified Organisms, I do think it is important to acknowledge how many Sativa and Indica plants are being crossbred these days.
Yes, you can still get pure 100% of both, but if you have your medical card, or live in a state where recreational is legal, why not try a hybrid?
There are almost 800 strains of marijuana documented, and over half of them are Indica/Sativa hybrids.
Hybrid can be a great option for those of you looking for a better balance of THC and CBD.
Or maybe, you want that Indica body high, but have things you need to get done today?
Hybrids are like the pick n’ mix candy at the grocery store or the Blockbuster of marijuana strands.
And several hybrids are dominant in either Indica or Sativa, so if you have a major preference, it is still there.
You don’t have to try a hybrid ever. If you are an Indica person, you do not have to ever try a Sativa. And the vice-versa goes for Sativa people.
But all you get is this one life, so why not mix things up sometimes? No pressure, though. And no worries.
Smoke ’em If You Got ’em
Marijuana has been a staple of human life long before running water and electricity.
Mary Jane had a bad rap in this nation for some time [Reefer Madness!], but the research and science being conducted and showing the benefits of Indica and Sativa is undeniable.
Yes, Indica and Sativa are different in many ways, but one thing is certain: whether it is for leisure or for a real medical need, marijuana is one plant that is full of promise.
It is like we have had this the miracle drug we have been waiting for all along, and are only now receiving the access to it we need and deserve.
Whether you are smoking Sativa or Indica, whether you are smoking it for your HIV, cancer, Alzheimers, depression, ADHD, Fibromyalgia, insomnia, or Dave Matthews Band concerts: knowing the benefits of the different strands, how they work, and how they differ, can benefit you and your body in the long run.
Questions or Comments? Please feel free to contact us: Quantum9
