If you’ve ever been to a dispensary, you’ve probably had the experience of being asked “Are you looking for a sativa, indica, or hybrid product?” and this can be a head-scratching question. First off, what do those words even mean?

The terms sativa and indica were introduced by Carl Linnaeus and Jean-Baptise Lamarck in the 1700s who were classifying the plant morphology (the plant structure) of cannabis. They saw that some cannabis plants grew tall and spindly (which they called Sativa) while others grew fat and dense (which they called Indica) In this identification they were NOT classifying any effects from inhaling cannabis smoke. In fact, there is no record that either Linnaeus or Lamarck consumed the cannabis plant they were classifying.

sativa, indica, hemp — Sativa, indica, ruderalis (hemp) SOURCE

To learn more, we encourage everyone to watch this short video from Wayne Schwind of Periodic Edibles and Emma Chasen of Eminent Consulting.

It’s common to hear “sativas make you energized and uplifted” and “indicas make you tired and relaxed” or some variation of these generalizations- all of which are incorrect. There is no scientific evidence to support that sativas only produce a certain effect.

So how do you choose a product when looking for a particular effect?

Relying on the strain name to predict effect is problematic as there are many phenotypes of the same strain. One Gorilla Glue #4 might make you sleepy and relaxed but another Gorilla Glue #4 might have you feeling creative and uplifted. On top of that, everyone’s endocannabinoid system is different and will react somewhat differently to a particular strain. We’ve all had that experience smoking with a friend where they feel one effect and you feel differently.

So if sativa and indica don’t indicate the effects, how should you choose a cannabis product?

The most accurate predictor of the effects of a cannabis strain are the cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles. Coupled with your own history of cannabis use, the full test results of a product will help you effectively find the cannabis strains and products to provide the best experience for your unique self. We encourage using a journal such as the Gold Leaf to track your experiences with cannabis.

For further reading:

https://www.periodicedibles.com/blog/sativa-and-indica

https://www.projectcbd.org/science/nomenclature-alert-beyond-indica-and-sativa

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5576603/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318024824_Cannabis_sativa_and_Cannabis_indica_versus_Sativa_and_Indica