Indica

Marijuana Flower 101: Indica Weed Strains

Indica weed is commonly considered as a nighttime strain because of its relaxing, sedating, euphoric, and sleep inducing qualities (aka couch lock). This strain is typically CBD dominant making it far more medicinally useful as compared to the sativa plant which tends to have higher concentrations of THC.

These plants are characterized by their short height, bushy appearance and dense buds. Most cannabis plants that grow naturally are actually indica or ruderalis — it’s a strain that has adapted to the harsh environments of its origin. That’s why it grows faster, and yields more than its skinnier cousin.

Medical marijuana patients lean towards Indica for it’s sleep and hunger inducing properties.

Effects of Indica Weed

If cannabis sativa is the marijuana of choice for social settings, parties and creativity, indica is basically the opposite — it’s what you want for a long night of binge watching movies, playing video games, and pigging out covered in cheeto dust

This strain is known for its body-numbing relaxed high that makes you feel euphoric, sedated and medicated. It’s the kind of pot you’d want to smoke right before bed, or after work when you’re winding down.

This strain of cannabis is sure to give you the munchies; so be prepared for an elevated appetite.

If your work consists of complex tasks that require you to stay sharp and focused, we’d recommend against smoking indica right before work or during work as it might make you lazy. For that, try sativa instead.

What is the difference between Indica and Sativa?

As a consumer of marijuana, it’s very unlikely that you haven’t come across these two terms. Alongside “hybrid” and “ruderalis,” Indica and Sativa are often marketed as strains of Cannabis.

Many people believe that Indica and Sativa just might be the same thing. But, this isn’t entirely true. Why? 

Well, for starters, as we’ve established earlier, Indica is more of a relaxing strain of weed. It doesn’t get you hyped up for the next big party. It doesn’t make you feel like you can conquer the Himalayas, and it isn’t to pump you full of energy. Instead, it helps you lay back and calm your nerves after a long day. Sativa, on the other hand, is widely known to have the direct opposite effect. It energizes and fuels you for work. 

Besides the effects they have on your body, you can also differentiate Indica and Sativa by their physical appearance. Botanists do it all the time. Generally, Indica cannabis plants aren’t as tall as Sativa plants. In addition, Indica has a wooden stalk instead of a fibrous one like the Sativa plant. 

Now, we aren’t quite sure why this is so. Some researchers think that the physical differences are there due to humans breeding different varieties together. Others believe that they are there because of geographic isolation and evolution.

Medical Uses

Medical marijuana users prefer indica strains because of their body numbing and relaxing properties. This makes it a common treatment for chronic pain, muscle spasms, and insomnia. In small doses it can be helpful in dealing with stress, anxiety and depression.

The main reason why this strain is more preferred for medical use than sativa is that it’s CBD dominant. CBD is also a psychoactive compound like THC — it has the same pain-numbing qualities but it doesn’t make you feel high. This has a lot to do with the cannabinoid receptors in the human brain and the chemical composition of these two compounds.

Negative Effects

Cottonmouth and dry red eyes are almost certain when smoking the cannabis plant. The good news is that these effects are trivial at best and short-lived.

If you take too much, however, you can experience nausea, dizziness and headaches.

Just be sure to be responsible when taking cannabis, especially if you plan to take it with other drugs or alcohol. Don’t feel pressured to take another hit just because a doob or a bong is being passed around; examine how you feel, if you’re already pretty stoned, it’s okay to skip a few rounds.

What exactly influences the effects of Cannabis

There are many beliefs and claims about Cannabis in mainstream and local media. Many people tend to believe that Cannabis has its effects simply because it is Cannabis. But this is obviously far from the truth. There are certain chemicals and compounds that influence the effect you get from the plant. They are:

1. Cannabinoids

Cannabis is a unique plant, all things considered. Some of the components that make it particularly unique are the cannabinoids it possesses. These cannabinoids are components of the plant that occur naturally. 

There are quite a number of them. So much so that scientists haven’t quite figured out what they all do. However, two types of cannabinoids stand out in the scientific community. They are:

•   Cannabidiol (CBD). This unique compound is particularly noticeable in cannabis plants. But, strangely enough, it isn’t the compound that’s responsible for the high you get. Instead of getting you high, it is believed to be able to benefit your body in other ways. However, multiple works of scientific research are still going into it to ascertain its exact benefits on the human body. 
• Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). You could say that this is the Yin to Cannabidiol’s Yang. It is the psychoactive element in your weed. This means it’s responsible for the euphoric feeling you get when you take a drag of your weed.

Other compounds in Cannabis include Cannabinol (CBN), Tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCA) and Cannabigerol (CBG). Different strains of Cannabis have varying levels of concentration of these compounds. As a general rule of thumb, a strain with a higher concentration of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than Cannabidiol (CBD) is much more likely to get you high.

2. Terpenes

More often than not, when you search the internet, you’ll only find information about the usefulness of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol. But, besides these two compounds, terpenes are also another group of compounds that could be impactful in creating different effects. 

Types of Indica Strains

Pure indica strains are the gold standard when it comes to pain and anxiety management.

There aren’t many pure 100% indica strains on the market these days, however, you can still find some if you look in the right places.

Here is a list of some of the pure cannabis indica strains commonly found available in Canada:

• Afghani Strain (Afghan Kush)
• Chemo
• Hindu Kush
• Pine Tar Kush
• Purple Kush
• Tora Bora

Not fully 100% indica, but these cannabis strains are at least 75% dominated by indica genetics:

• Bubba Kush
• Critical Mass
• Death Star
• Gas Mask
• Khalifa Kush
• LA Confidential
• Master Kush
• Northern Lights
• Nuken
• OG Kush
• Pink Kush
• Violator Kush

Best Ways to Consume Indica Flower

Indica weed can either be smoked, vaporized or extracted into edibles.

If you prefer smoking, there is nothing quite like the good old joint. If joints aren’t your thing and you prefer something quick to prepare and put away, consider a glass/wooden pipe or a bong.

Vaporizing is a better alternative to smoking; you still get the “smoking” experience but without the combustion process. The process of heating vs burning ensures that no toxic chemicals are released while vaping the herb.

The cleanest way to consume pot without having to smoke or vape it is to extract its THC into food and consume it orally. You can either buy readymade edibles/oils or make something called “canna butter” at home and use it with pretty much any recipe that requires butter.

Indica Alternatives

If you are looking for cannabis for daytime use, sativa strains are your best option. If you want the best of both worlds, we recommend trying hybrid cannabis strains as they balance the qualities of both indica and sativa strains.

Other alternatives would be cannabis concentrates such as shatter, budder, live resin, cannabis oil, and hash.  Each has their own unique characteristics and each are great in their own right! For more information, visit our cannabis concentrates page!

Another alternative is extracting the THC and CBD, and infusing it with food to make weed edibles to eat. The biggest advantage of this method is that you don’t need to smoke anything and can keep your lungs healthy.

How to choose the right cannabis products

If you’re going to be consuming marijuana at all, you want to do it right. In that case, it is incredibly important that you check a couple of things off your list before choosing your preferred cannabis product.

1. Understand what you’re trying to achieve 

Weed often has a varying degree of effects on the human body. In some cases, it can be soothing. In others, it can put you in a heightened state of excitement. 

Some cannabis products, like cannabis Sativa, are great for a night alone with your significant other, watching movies and enjoying yourselves. Others are much more fun in party settings. 

Before you go and get a cannabis product, you should know exactly what you want to use it for and buy based on that. You can limit your chances of error by simply speaking to someone employed at your dispensary. They’ll be in the best position to recommend something good to you.

2. Know how much Cannabis you can tolerate 

This is incredibly important if you’re going to be buying Indica flower for the first time. You see, the flower often has calming effects on people, making them feel good after a stressful day at work. But, if you take too much of it, the chances are that it would be too overwhelming for you to handle. 

So, before you select your cannabis product, Indica or otherwise, know your weed tolerance level. If you’re a beginner, don’t rush in to get the biggest high you possibly can. Indeed, your body might be more tolerant than most, considering you’ve never tried it before. But, on the flip side, you might also be more sensitive than most for the same reason. Our advice? Start small.

3. Decide how you want to take your marijuana 

After purchasing Indica weed, there are several ways you can consume it to have a pleasant experience. You could use pipes and bongs to vaporize it. This would either be done through conduction or convection. Either way, you’ll get a smooth high. Apart from that, you could use a blunt that’s either pre-rolled or that is custom-made by you.

As there’s more than one way to take your Cannabis, be sure to decide how you want to take it. That way, you can know what else to purchase while getting your Indica strains.

4. Consider your medical history 

Indeed, Cannabis is a natural product. Like many other natural products, it can feel pretty good. However, it can also be rather intense. So, before you decide to use Indica at all, you must consider how it’ll affect your existing medication and medical conditions. You can easily do this by asking your doctor for the potential risks that accompany consuming a specific type of cannabis.

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Sources:

1. John M. McPartland. Cannabis Systematics at the Levels of Family, Genus, and Species. Accessed January 9th, 2021 at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6225593/.
2. Peter Grinspoon, MD. Cannabidiol (CBD) — what we know and what we don’t. Accessed January 9th, 2021 at https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476.
3. Terpenes/Terpenoids in Cannabis: Are They Important? Karger. Accessed January 9th, 2021 https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/509733.
4. What is Cannabis Ruderalis? Leaf Science. Accessed January 9th, 2021 at https://www.leafscience.com/2017/05/07/what-is-cannabis-ruderalis/.
5. M Glass et al. Neuroscience. 1997 Mar. Cannabinoid receptors in the human brain: a detailed anatomical and quantitative autoradiographic study in the fetal, neonatal and adult human brain. Accessed January 9th, 2021 at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9472392/.
6. Dental Health and Dry Mouth. WebMD. Accessed January 9th, 2021 at https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-health-dry-mouth.
7. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Vaping cannabis produces stronger effects than smoking cannabis for infrequent users. Accessed January 9th, 2021 at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181204131115.htm.