Indica, sativa, hybrid

Indica and sativa: where do they come from?

The terms “indica” and “sativa” were developed in the 18th century as a way of differentiating between the types of cannabis. At the time, their distinction was based on their geographical location: sativa cannabis was from Western Eurasia and Europe, while indica cannabis hailed from India and the Middle East.¹. In the 60s, cannabis exploitation and consumption habits changed quite a bit, which is when a third category hit the market: the “hybrid” category, which is a cross between sativa and indica.

Cannabis species

Indica cannabis is a low shrub characterized by large, dark green leaves whose effects are sometimes described as calming and relaxing.*

Sativa cannabis plants, on the other hand, are taller and thinner than indica plants, with pale green leaves. Although sativa varieties don’t always produce the same effects in everyone, they are often described as energizing and even euphoriant.*

There exists a third species, known as ruderalis, which is far less common. It is known for its resistance to hostile environments and auto-flowering properties, both of which make it particularly useful in the creation of hybrid plants.

Hybrids are a cross between the sativa, indica, and ruderalis species. Manmade, hybrids usually boast the best attributes of their parent plants, resulting in increased customization and a bigger variety of products.

Although these three categories are widely used in the cannabis industry, it’s important to point out that they are not mutually exclusive and their effects can vary from one person to the next.

Nowadays, it’s rare to find a 100% indica or 100% sativa plant. Over the years, the species have been mixed, giving rise to new crosses, or strains, which make up the majority of today’s market.

You might be thinking that this means all products sold in stores are, therefore, hybrids. But it’s not as simple as that. Classifying a product in one of the three categories is based on its predominant characteristics. When a product is classified as indica, it’s because its dominant features belong to this category. Same thing goes for sativa-classified products. And finally, when a product is classified as hybrid, it’s because it has equal parts indica and sativa characteristics.

As a result, there exist hundreds of available strains. At the SQDC, more than 140 different strains line our shelves!

 

Other factors that influence consumers’ choice of cannabis products

In addition to the various categories and strains to choose from, other factors might also influence your choice of products, including:

• The aromas
• The price
• The THC and/or CBD levels
• The terpenes
• The format
• The mode of consumption

In conclusion

It’s important to remember that everyone’s physiognomy and endocannabinoid system is unique. Thus, the effects felt from consuming cannabis can vary greatly from one person to another. These effects can be influenced by the category of cannabis and other characteristics, as well as the mode of consumption, product experience, age, gender, and overall health of the person consuming it.

If you need help figuring out which product is right for you, use our online search tools—they’re a simple and quick way of refining your searches. You can also ask one of our in-store advisors to help guide you.

*Please note that these effects are not proven scientifically and may vary from one person to the next depending on a multitude of factors.

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¹ What's the difference between indica and sativa? | Medical News Today

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