For many years I thought that “pot” was pot. I knew about hemp or what we called ditch weed back in the day; no one wanted it, not to smoke anyway. Well, it turns out that there are at least four strains of cannabis, who knew?
Well now I do and so do you.
There is the Sativa L., Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis. Each has it’s own physical characteristics and cannabinoid make up. They all have a slightly different effect on the human body when consumed or smoked.
I will go over each strain’s use, benefits, effects, and side effects in this article. I hope to give a better understanding of cannabis in general.
It is not the ugly demon drug it was labeled as for many years. This plant has potential medicinal values, industrial uses, textiles, health and beauty products, and more. Scientists are researching all aspects of each strain to see just what the potential is with cannabis.
As far as plants go, this plant in any strain is beneficial to mankind, at least that’s my opinion. There are just too many uses for it to be pushed to the side and labeled poorly.
Cannabis Sativa L.
Cannabis Sativa L. or industrial hemp can reach heights of 20 ft., they have a long stem like stalk, and the leaves and very few branches are located more at the top of the plant. This strain has very little to no THC content, what this plant does have is CBD cannabinoids. So you can get the medical benefits without feeling “high” or intoxicated.
This is the medicinal cannabinoid that has been making news, there is no “high” or intoxication as a result of consuming this oil.
I am not a doctor or a scientist by any means so I will not be making medical claims of any kind relating to this oil or any other drug as far as that goes. I can suggest that you do your own research and come to your own conclusion if you like.
I do know that research is being done on all cannabis types to see what potential medical benefits could be linked to each one.
With this strain it’s not all about the CBD oil, there are so many uses for industrial hemp that it would make your head spin. I will name a few to give you an example.
Totally recyclable and biodegradable plastic can be made from it, paper (1 acre of hemp will create 4× the amount of paper compared to 1 acre of trees), textiles and fabrics that are more durable yet biodegrade when trashed, bio fuel that is superior to petroleum diesel or gasoline, and far safer to use and transport, paints, health and beauty products, and so much more.
It is said that there are over 25,000 uses for this strain of cannabis. That is simply amazing!
Cannabis Sativa
This strain of cannabis grows taller and skinnier plants, the leaves are slender and long. Sativas are known for their more uplifting happy high. They are good for daytime use as they combine well with physical activities.
The medical benefits people claim from using the sativa strain are controlled mood swings, increased energy, help with nausea, increased concentration, stress relief, physical pain relief, and promotes creativity.
You can use this herb in two ways, you either smoke it or consume it. There are many products that you can choose from depending on your preference.
Cannabis Indica
Unlike the sativa strain, the indica plants grow shorter and bushier, the leaves are wider and thicker in comparison as well. The high from this strain is more physically sedating, and calming. This would be good for the evening after a long day and you just need to relax on the couch and get lost in a movie or fall asleep during it.
People that prefer the indica for medicinal reasons claim that it helps with a variety of ailments such as; anxiety, insomnia, physical pain, muscle spasms, nausea, headaches, and seizures.
Just the same as the sativa you can either smoke it or consume it depending on your preferred usage and there are just as many products to choose from.
Cannabis Ruderalis
The ruderalis strain is the least common of all, it is disputed between scientists whether it is a sativa subspecies or it’s own strain. It depends on the scientist that you talk to I guess. It is very low in THC just as industrial hemp and has higher amounts of the CBD cannabinoids as well.
Ruderalis strains are used to create hybrid auto-flower plants with the sativa and indica strains to produce a quicker flowering marijuana plants. This gives these two strains after cross-breeding, higher amounts of the CBD cannabinoids which turns them into a more powerful medicine.
I have not found too many other uses for this strain, but if it can create a more efficient medicinal plant, that very well could be the best use anyhow.
Personal Choice
While my site focuses on the CBD products, I am not against the medical and recreational use of marijuana.
I plan to be the one stop shop for all hemp products however, and I plan to push the use of hemp in all forms possible on my site.
We really need to think about our planet’s survival for our children and their children and so on and so forth. We need to make drastic changes and now.
Our landfills are continuing to fill with non-recyclable plastics and other crap that just won’t biodegrade, our air is polluted every day with harmful and poisonous toxins from the plastics sitting in the sun in the landfills, we pump petroleum based fuel in our vehicles that pump so many poisons and toxins in the air.
And then, as a slap to the planet’s face, we cut down trees at massive rates for paper and other senseless items. Trees that we need for ecosystems (rain forests GREAT example), cleaning our air, protecting us from the sun and wind.
Our fore fathers tried to set a good example by growing and utilizing hemp for all their needs that it filled. They even wrote the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of The United States on hemp paper, probably by oil lamp light that was more than likely fueled by hemp oil.
They made it law that all farmers grew hemp, and made it possible to pay taxes with it as well. What more could they have done to proved that hemp was the way to go?
Which ever strain you choose to use, make sure you research it first. If it’s for medicinal reasons, make sure you speak with your physician first, never self diagnose or medicate for serious illnesses, mental or physical.
I would love to hear your view on this article. Was it informative and helpful in any way? Do You agree or disagree with anything I have mentioned? I love a good discussion and look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you as always.
Stacie Fortson
Go Green With Hemp
