Indica and Sativa?

What kind of WEED do you smoke? Indica or Sativa?
Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica are two species of cannabis. This means that they share many similar features but have specific and distinct differences.
Although anecdotal evidence and some marijuana dispensaries claim that indica is more calming and sativa is more energizing, some experts Trusted Source say that such statements are misleading. Many more factors are involved in creating the recreational and medical effects of marijuana than strain alone.
Botanists use physical differences — such as variations in height, branching patterns, and the shape of the leaves — to identify different strains of plants. This is where the names “indica” and “sativa” come from.
Indica plants are shorter than sativa plants, and they have a woody stalk, not a fibrous one. Indica plants also grow more quickly than sativa plants.
There is some disagreement regarding what caused these physical differences between strains. Some researchers Trusted Source say that these differences are due to humans breeding different varieties, while others say that a mixture of evolving adaptations and geographic isolation is responsible.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are two of the most studied and discussed elements, or cannabinoids, present in different strains of marijuana. However, researchers have identified at least 144Trusted Source different cannabinoids so far. THC and CBD have very different effects on the human body. Knowing whether a cannabis plant is from the indica or sativa strain does not always provide much information about the relative amounts of THC or CBD it may contain, as people tend to believe, but it can be helpful.
It is also important to note that THC and CBD are only two of the hundreds of chemicals that create the varying effects of different strains of marijuana. The sections below provide more information on these two chemicals.
THC