Indica

Cannabis indica is an annual plant in the family Cannabaceae.^[1] It is a putative species of the genus Cannabis. Whether it and Cannabis sativa are truly separate species is a matter of debate. The Cannabis indica plant is cultivated for many purposes; for example, the plant fibers can be converted into cloth. Cannabis indica produces large amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).^[2] The higher concentrations of THC provide euphoric and intoxicating effects making it popular for use both as a recreational and medicinal drug.

Indica strain effects

Indica strains are believed to be physically sedating, which make them perfect for relaxing with a movie or as a nightcap before bed.

How Do Indicas and Sativas Change Your High?

The hard “indica vs. sativa = relaxation vs. exhilaration” paradigm is clearly outdated, if not totally inaccurate. So where does that leave us? What relevance, if any, do the terms indica and sativa have, and what effect will they have on your high?

The answer isn’t as hopeless, nor as clear-cut, as you might think. Each strain produces an effect as individual as its end user, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make truly educated decisions about which cultivars you’re going to try.

The effects you experience from a particular cannabis strain are much more directly tied to a specific set of compounds — more precisely, cannabinoids and terpenes — and how they affect you as an individual. THC — the dominant cannabis compound — is just one of several cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Each cultivar has its own cannabinoid makeup and accompanying effect. On the adult-use market, the most popular strains tend to have some of the highest levels of THC content. Terpenes — the organic compounds responsible for a plant’s flavors and aromas — greatly influence the character and effect a cannabis plant will produce, as well as the potential medicinal benefits. The labels indica and sativa were established centuries before we realized how integral terpenes were to the overall effects of a given cultivar.