Blame it on sativa...
Cannabis strain categories
If you listen to Jhene Aiko, then you’re no stranger to the categories of cannabis strains.
“You came through with that sativa
Indica be having me stuck
You know just how to keep me up.”
Our good sis told us what to expect. Sativa keeps her up, indica leaves her stuck, BUT (say it with me) everyone experiences cannabis differently. I’m going to keep driving this home until someone replies and tells me y’all get it 😂. Now back to our lesson…
So, there are three categories of strains: Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid. These categories are quite mainstream and not very scientific, but they’re the first step in understanding how a strain might affect you.
Sativa
Sativas are uplifting, cerebral cannabis strains that get your mind going. They’re like your fun cousin. The party is boring without them, but sometimes they overdo it and you’re not prepared for what they have in store. These are the strains that got me into smoking. I’d start my Saturday morning with a wake and bake of Sour Diesel and then clean, go to brunch, or workout. My favorite sativa strains give me energy, boost my mood, help me focus, and allow me to socialize free of anxiety. I like sativas any time of day, depending on what I’m trying to accomplish. For example, some hybrid strains (I’ll talk about this later) make me mentally foggy and sluggish, so I’ll smoke a sativa if I need to come out of that rut, regardless of what time it is.
While I’ll forever sing the praises of sativa, I have to warn you that she is not always forgiving to the anxiety-prone or overdoers. Some people avoid sativas because they can cause raciness and heightened anxiety, despite also being known to provide relief from those very things.
Indica
Indicas are body relaxing, stress-relieving cannabis strains. If sativas are your fun cousin, indicas are your vibey aunt. She charges her crystals and never forgets to remind you about the new moon and mercury retrograde. An evening with her will be relaxing and chill, and the worst that can happen after a night with her is...you snack too much (munchies) and fall asleep (couchlock).
I swore off indicas for the longest time because I was doing my best to distance myself from the stoner stereotype. I was so worried about weed making me lazy that I canceled indicas. That sounds so silly now, but propaganda is REAL. Lately, I’ve been really into indicas because they relax the tension I carry as a result of stress, help me fall asleep and sleep well.
As with sativas, indicas aren’t perfect. If overdone, indicas will give you a mean case of the munchies and send you straight to bed. Many associate indicas with sleep inducement, and while that can be true, with the right strain and dose, you can smoke them whenever. I started the draft of this newsletter early one morning while smoking a heavy indica. I always wake up with aches and pains, so the indica helped knock those out while leaving me clear-headed and able to focus on my writing.
Hybrid
Hybrid strains are a combination of sativa and indica. Offering the best of both the sativa and indica worlds, hybrids are a 1,2 punch to the mind and body. You can find strains that have an even balance of sativa and indica, or you can go for strains that are either sativa or indica dominant. If you’re looking to avoid the raciness that sativas can cause, and the lethargy indicas can cause or need both mental and physical relief, hybrids are for you.
Imagine spending the day with your fun cousin AND your vibey aunt. Sometimes it’s: balanced and wavy, so you hit a day party (50-50), silly, and y’all run errands and crack family jokes (sativa-dominant), or restful, and you have a Netflix and wine night (indica-dominant). Your effects options are endless with hybrids, especially when they’re at their best, however, use them with caution because if overdone you end up with a really murky high that can feel quite blah.
As I mentioned, these categories aren’t scientific, but this is the language you’ll hear from local suppliers and dispensaries these days and it’s starting to permeate our culture, hence Jhene’s track title.
Let it go…Up in Smoke
This week I’m letting go of spending SO much time consuming other people’s thoughts. My go-to bored activity is Instagram and it’s typically how I start my day, which I’m not proud of. With that said, I’m going to try building up a journaling habit. I’ve always journaled sporadically, but as I enter a phase of my life where I’m trying to figure out what’s next it feels more important than ever to spend time mining my own thoughts. My goal is to start my day with at least 10 minutes of journaling. I’m starting small because I know myself and that’s all it’ll take to get the creative juices flowing.
The Roll Up
Some IG posts you may have missed….
My reflection on the link between cannabis and Juneteenth
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As always, I’d love to hear from you. If you read something that you want to know more about, have a cannabis-related question, or just wanna tell me what you like about the newsletter 😊 , hit that reply button and let me know.