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The Many Different Types of Medical Marijuana Plants

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Different Types of Medical Marijuana Plants

There are different types of medical marijuana plants with designer hybrids and strains used to treat certain conditions. This stems from the legal use of medical cannabis and cannabidiol CBD. There are now 32 states in the United States with legal use. Each of these states has established a board that approves the medical conditions that can be treated with cannabis products. The National Institute on Drug Abuse researches specific marijuana varieties, strains, and chemotypes. If you have a debilitating medical condition that is listed in your state, you would need to obtain a medical marijuana card before you can access any of the different strains.

Medical Marijuana Doctor Evaluation

Before you are given the card, a qualified medical marijuana doctor would review your case. If the doctor believes your approved medical condition would benefit from medical cannabis treatment, you would be given a medical marijuana card. The card allows you to walk into dispensaries and request high-quality medical marijuana that has been cultivated and processed under the most hygienic conditions.

Dispensaries Have a Variety of Products

When you get to the dispensary with your medical marijuana card, you are certain to see a variety of products. They have different active ingredients and fancy names such as White Widow, Sour Diesel, or Granddaddy Purple. Cannabis plants include options for Indica, Sativa, and hybrid which can be confusing for many. The dispensary should have someone knowledgeable enough to advise you on the different types of cannabis strains. Differentiating between one with cerebral effects, body effects or a hybrid determines what is best for your pain, nausea, muscle spasms, or other condition. However, you should also have some knowledge of the available strains so you can make an informed decision. This guide provides all you need to know about the different strains and their unique properties. For dosing tips on a specific strain, visit our post 4 Ways to Dose Your Medical Marijuana. Two main strains for marijuana products are Sativa and Indica.

Indica vs Sativa

Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica are the most popular varieties of medical cannabis. These two varieties are responsible for most of the marijuana strains you’ll see in your local dispensary. Asides from differences in physical characteristics, Indica vs Sativa also differ in their cannabinoid profiles. These differences are ultimately reflected in their therapeutic activities and psychoactive effects. Much of today’s medical marijuana market is dominated by hybrids of Indica vs Sativa. By crossbreeding these two varieties, the breeder can create strains that would combine the different characteristics of both to give users excellent therapeutic options.

The Pure Cannabis Sativa

You’ll hardly see pure Cannabis sativa strains on the shelves of your local dispensary. For one thing, pure Cannabis sativa plants could prove difficult to cultivate. The plant does not do well in cold conditions. They are primarily cultivated in equatorial regions like Mexico, Colombia, and some parts of Southeast Asia. Users of this variety commonly experience paranoia and palpitations. These could turn out very bad if the individual already has a history of heart diseases. Thus, most people stay away from this variety.

Availability is Limited

Although the availability is limited, pure Cannabis Sativa is reported to work well for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome or severe depression. The uplifting effects of this variety are well documented. If large quantities of pure Sativa are consumed, the individual may exhibit signs similar to those exhibited by people who drink excess caffeine. As mentioned earlier, the side effects of pure C. Sativa makes it less desirable for medicinal applications. Its seeds are, however, still very useful for breeders. They are genetically stable, enabling breeders to create custom C. Sativa hybrids.

Sativa Dominant Hybrid

Sativa hybrids have been cross-pollinated in controlled conditions by breeders. Many hybrid strains have been obtained using pure Sativa seeds and they have unique characteristics such as great tastes, exotic smells, and varying stimulant effects. The pure Sativa seeds are cross-pollinated with C. Indica but they chiefly retain the strains of C. Sativa, hence the ‘Sativa dominant hybrid tag.’ Some of the popular dominant hybrids that have been widely embraced in the world of medical marijuana include Burmese, Malawi Gold, Acapulco, etc.

Uplifting Properties of Sativa Dominant Hybrids

The Sativa dominant hybrids are majorly used when the uplifting properties of Sativa are desired in medical marijuana. The paranoia that is usually experienced after ingesting or smoking pure Sativa is absent from the dominant hybrids. They are used in cases of depression or as an appetite stimulant. Many illegal users of cannabis that have successfully switched to medical marijuana testify that the Sativa dominant hybrid strains give the perfect therapeutic effects. They also enjoy the standardized dosing that comes with buying your cannabis from a licensed dispensary. There is a little chance of overdosing on the medication when you buy your medical marijuana in this manner. However, you'll need a medical marijuana card before you can have access to medical marijuana in the state of Florida.

Pure Cannabis Indica

Pure Cannabis indica is perfectly suited to indoor growth, making it possible for cultivation in America. This variety of Cannabis originates from the hash-producing countries, including but not limited to Morocco, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. This variety of cannabis is far more relevant in the medical world than the pure Sativa counterpart. It boasts a high concentration of CBD and a low concentration of THC. THC is responsible for most of the ‘high’ cannabis users experience after taking the drug while CBD is responsible for most of its therapeutic effects. However, it should be noted that some synergy has been observed between the two compounds.

The pure C. Sativa works well for chronic pain and neuropathic pain relief. It also boasts impressive relaxing and sedating effects. Patients suffering from insomnia benefit greatly from these effects. The Hashplant, Pakistani, and Herijuana are common examples of pure Cannabis indica strains.

Indica Dominant Hybrid

The Indica dominant hybrid is a crossbreed of Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa that retains more of the Indica traits. The Indica dominant hybrid is the most revered in the medical world. They are both easy to grow and highly effective medically, making them a favorite of patients and breeders alike. Even scientists and physicians confirm that the Indica dominant hybrid is the most beneficial for patients. The ‘kush’ strain is perhaps the most popular of the many Indica hybrid strains around. Others include Dutch Treat, Northern Lights, Romulan, Blueberry, etc.

Some Indica hybrids are obtained by cross-breeding Cannabis indica and cannabis ruderalis. These strains possess higher CBD levels than other hybrids and are quite useful in pain-relieving, severe inflammation, and insomnia.

Cannabis Ruderalis

Cannabis ruderalis is the least popular variety of cannabis. Chemically, it shares similar characteristics with Cannabis indica, having low concentrations of THC and high concentrations of CBD. It originates from Central Russia and is commonly cultivated in the Northern parts of the world. Its therapeutic effects are not as pronounced as the other two pure breeds. Therefore, it attracts little interest from researchers and users. However, breeders find it useful in the production of different hybrids because of the high CBD contents.

The different strains and their medical applications have been discussed above. If you want to have access to any of the breeds listed and more, all you need to do is to obtain your Florida medical marijuana card. Once your card  is issued, a visit to the local dispensary is in order. Their knowledgeable staff members will help guide your options.  You can contact the licensed marijuana doctors at Kind Health to obtain your medical marijuana card.

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