When you get approved for a medical marijuana certification in West Virginia, you’ll get access to a wide variety of cannabis products that will have different strengths, effects, and durations.
One of the most common distinctions among cannabis products are their strain type, which are definitions that help put products into a category that represents a range of potential effects, like energetic or sleepy.
Strain types help medical marijuana patients determine what effects they might experience and help patients figure out which products can be used for desired outcomes or in specific times or situations, such as before bed or first thing in the morning.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about strain types, indicas, sativas, and hybrids, and how you can use strain types to find the best marijuana in West Virginia!
What is a Strain Type & How Does it Work?
How Cannabis Strains are Defined by Their Effects
Cannabis can come in three different strain types:
· Hybrid – Plants are a grown as a combination of indica & sativa, & effects vary
· Indica – Plants grow fatter and wider, typically known for their sedative effects
· Sativa – Plants grow taller and thinner, usually known for their cerebral effects
Identifying the strain type can help you determine a strain’s potential effects and give you a better sense of how to use the product. For medical marijuana patients, knowing the strain type can also help you determine when to consume the product, because indicas might be preferred at nighttime while sativas might be preferable for the daytime.
Cannabis can belong to a single strain type, or they can be hybrids, which are a mixture of strain types, and typically hybrid strains will have one side being stronger and one side being weaker, such as indica-dominant or sativa-dominant.
Hybrids can have different ratios of indica properties and sativa properties, such as a 70/30 indica, where the plant has 70% indica effects and 30% sativa effects, for example.
How to Use Strain Types When Buying Cannabis in West Virginia
In truth, a strain’s overall effects will be determined by the totality of a number of things like the THC content, strain type, and terpene profile. When you put it all together, it’s called the entourage effect.
However, the first tool patients have with identifying potential effects is with the strain type.
Strain types can offer you valuable information about the potential effects of cannabis products, too, because each category has associated effects that might be desirable or best avoided depending on your condition and situation.
A strain type that is known for its sedative and sleepy effects might not be best for a patient who has chronic fatigue, and a strain type known for its uplifting, energetic effects might not be the good for someone with high anxiety.
Every medical marijuana product that you’ll find at West Virginia dispensaries will have its strain type clearly listed on the label or packaging, such as indica, sativa, or hybrid with its corresponding ratio of indica:sativa properties.
Indicas, Sativas, & Hybrids
Indica Strains are Heavy-Hitting Strains Usually Preferred at Night
Indicas are known for their sedative physical effects that produce things like couchlock and promote sleepiness.
They are often favored by patients looking to treat things like chronic pain, inflammation, insomnia or sleeping issues, lack of appetite, and many more.
Indicas typically offer a drowsier “high” that can interfere with some daily activities, especially things that require fast or complex muscle movement, and many patients may prefer to use indicas at nighttime because of this.
On the other hand, patients who have hyperactive conditions, a higher sensitivity to sativas, heightened anxiety from using cannabis, or for patients who simply have a preference for indica strains, indicas can be used at any time of day.
Sativa Strains are for Early-Morning Risers & Creative Expression
Sativas are essentially the opposite from indicas, offering a more energetic and fast-paced cerebral “high”.
Sativas are favored by patients who need to medicate first thing in the morning and patients who are looking to explore the mental creativity that sativas are anecdotally known for.
Especially for patients that have extreme fatigue or drowsiness, sativas are favored for their ability to uplift and energize. Sativas can sometimes cause anxiety for patients with a low tolerance to THC because of the heightened mental stimulation that comes with this strain type, so some caution is advised for new or beginner patients.
Sativas can offer incredible value as an alternative to the sleepy effects of indicas, and medical marijuana patients typically use sativas in the early morning and mid-day while avoiding them before bedtime.
Hybrid Strains Give You the Best of Both Worlds
Hybrid cannabis strains offer properties from both indicas and sativas, making for a mixture of effects.
Hybrid strains will lean indica or sativa, giving you the option to have strains that have mostly indica effects or mostlysativa effects. Hybrids are one of the most popular strain types because they can combine the best of both worlds for an incredibly enjoyable experience.
Giving you the calm sedation of an indica without excessive drowsiness, or by giving you mental stimulation of a sativa without the high energy or heightened anxiety, for example.
Hybrids can range in effects, too, and not every hybrid will necessarily feel like it’s dominant strain type, some sativa-dominant hybrids can feel like indicas and vice versa. This is one of the best things about hybrid cannabis strains, you can experiment with many different combinations that have a variety of potential effects.
Get Your Medical Marijuana Certification in
West Virginia
The West Virginia medical marijuana program is open and patients can register for a medical marijuana card today! To get your medical marijuana card in West Virginia, patients must first consult with a qualified physician who can recommend a medical marijuana certification.
To get access to medical marijuana in West Virginia, patients must first obtain a medical marijuana certification from a qualified physician.
Take the steps to schedule your medical marijuana evaluation appointment today and get access to legal marijuana products available at dispensaries!
Being a West Virginia medical marijuana patient allows you the freedom to take your medication the right way for you. We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way! Feel free to give us a call at 877-303-8424 and we can answer your questions about getting a medical marijuana card in West Virginia.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
West Virginia Marijuana Card’s mission is to help everyone achieve
wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana.
Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for
our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 877-303-8424, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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