Sativa vs. Indica vs. Hybrid

“Sativa,” “Indica,” and “Hybrid” are terms popularly used to classify cannabis plant strains, but they are actually botanical names that refer to the plant’s structure, not the effects the plant produces. 

Most of the cannabis industry uses the Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid classifications because it’s easy to identify cannabis strains that way. But there’s a push to drop this system because it’s not based on data and science. And these terms describe their physical structure, not their chemical structure.

Before we go into a more scientific way to identify the effects different cannabis plants produce, we’ll go into each of these terms. 

Sativa vs. Indica vs. Hybrid

The standard way these terms are understood is that:

• Sativas are energizing with uplifting cerebral or “heady” effects that go great with socializing, creative projects, or physical activity.  

• Indicas are physically sedating and great for relaxing or taking before bed. 

• Hybrids are a combination of Sativas and Indicas.

While these terms are not wrong, they are an overgeneralization of what each plant's effects will have. Again, they are botanist terms, not chemical terms. 

Scientists in the 1700s coined these cannabis plant species. “Cannabis Sativa” comes from Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753. “Sativa” comes from the Latin “sativum,” which means cultivated. 

French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck updated the cannabis classifications in 1785 with two different species. He introduced “Cannabis Indica,” a short, stout, and more psychoactive plant, and he distinguished “Cannabis Sativa” as a taller, lankier, and more fibrous plant. He named it “Indica” after India, where people of the time believed the species of plant originated. 

A more accurate measure of cannabis strain effects

In How does cannabis get you high?, we talk about how many factors – not only cannabis strain – can affect your cannabis experience, including dosage, set and setting, individual body chemistry, and individual sensitivity or tolerance to cannabis. 

As you can see, cannabis is profoundly nuanced. Each strain's unique chemical profile will interact differently with each person’s body chemistry. And there are more accurate and subtle ways to categorize cannabis effects based on their chemical profiles. It comes down to cannabinoid and terpene composition and the entourage effect. 

What are cannabinoids?

Each cannabis plant contains hundreds of chemical compounds that create unique effects. Cannabinoids are the primary chemical compounds. THC and CBD are the most common cannabinoids and are the main compounds responsible for the most sought-after effects of cannabis. 

THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the compound that makes you feel high and relieves symptoms like pain and nausea.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-intoxicating compound that alleviates anxiety, pain, inflammation, and many other medical maladies. 

What are terpenes?

Terpenes are chemical compounds found in many plants and fruit, such as flowers, lavender, hops, oranges, and cannabis. Terpenes are responsible for cannabis aromatics – making it smell fruity, earthy, floral, or like fuel or gas.

There are many terpenes found in cannabis, but the most common are:

• Myrcene – the most common terpene in cannabis, present in thyme, mango, and lemongrass, and believed to promote calming effects.

• Caryophyllene – the only terpene known to also act as a cannabinoid, present in black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon, and can provide anti-inflammatory effects.

• Limonene – a terpene commonly associated with fruity and citrus aromas, present in lemon rind, orange rind, and juniper, and believed to provide anxiety and stress relief.

• Terpinolene – about one in 10 strains is terpinolene dominant, present in lilacs, nutmeg, and cumin, and believed to have uplifting effects.

What is the entourage effect?

While there is still a lot to learn about cannabinoids and terpenes, we know that they work together to produce effects in a person – this is a phenomenon called the entourage effect. As these chemical compounds interact with each other and activate the body’s endocannabinoid system, they cause you to feel high, experience pain relief, or other healing properties and benefits from cannabis. 

When you know a plant’s chemical composition, you can make more informed decisions about the strain you want to choose to achieve your desired cannabis outcome. 

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