The names of cannabis varieties are a relatively new phenomenon considering how long humans have been consuming cannabis for medical and / or recreational purposes.
Humans have been using the cannabis plant for thousands of years, but it was not until the last few decades that the names of the cannabis varieties began to appear.
It is unknown when they gave their name to legendary varieties such as Acapulco Gold, Maui Wowie and Columbian Red, but it is certain that the reason they were given a name was because of the difference they were compared to other types. of cannabis.
As consumers and patients like to know cep They also often like to know if a particular cannabis variety is indica, sativa, or hybrid.
A new study found that these general categories are not always useful.
Are indica and sativa really different?
If someone grows a real cannabis sativa plant, will grow tall and thin and provide strong euphoric effects.
In contrast, a true indica plant will grow short and dense with wider leaves compared to a sativa plant, and the effects it provides are very sedative and mild.
Researchers in Canada recently examined 297 samples to see if their indica and sativa labeling was accurate.
“Our results show that the ‘sativa-indica’ scale currently used to label cannabis misunderstands overall genomic and metabolomic variation,” the researchers said.
“Cannabis labeling is probably mainly due to a small number of key terpenes whose concentrations contribute to the characteristic aromas commonly associated with ‘sativa’ and ‘indica’,” the researchers concluded.
What is the best way to classify cannabis?
The names of the cannabis varieties and the indica / sativa categorization model are archaic in many ways, and the cannabis community should move to a better model.
Terpene profiles offer a much more detailed view of what a particular cannabis crop really is and what effects it can provide.
It is estimated that the cannabis plant is made up of dozens of terpenes. Terpenes are the ones that provide the aroma of cannabis.
Knowing which terpenes a particular crop contains, and at what levels, is a much better way to classify cannabis compared to indica and sativa.
