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Post: Indica vs. sativa: Science suggests there’s not actually a difference

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Indica vs. sativa: Science suggests there’s not actually a difference
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SCIENCE

Have you heard that sativa is an upper and indica is a downer? It’s not quite that simple. Here’s what cannabis research shows is really affecting your high. Dense, medicine filled trichomes give this Compound Z bud a frosty coat. Often classified as either indica or sativa, cannabis has hundreds of different compounds that impact how it makes you feel Photograph by Rebecca Hale, Nat Geo Image Collection

August 9, 2024

Cannabis is one of humanity’s oldest crops. Ancient civilizations the world over cultivated the plant for food, fiber, medicine, and its mind-altering properties.

Today, some 12,000 years after the first harvest, the global cannabis industry is worth an estimated $65 billion . Modern-day consumers living in places where cannabis is legal are spoiled for choice—there are now more than 700 cannabis strains to choose from, including colorfully-named cultivars such as Cat Piss, Purple Monkey Balls, and Unicorn Poop .

But for all this remarkable diversity, cannabis goods primarily fall into just one of two categories: indica or sativa—each with purportedly distinct psychoactive effects.

"People think that if you smoke an indica, it’s like taking a Xanax and you’re going to be falling asleep, whereas a sativa is almost like doing a line of cocaine and you’re going to be jacked up and hyper," says Alex Pasternack, co-founder and president of the international cannabis brand Binske.

This dichotomous labeling system is deeply entrenched among consumers, be they in a California dispensary, Dutch ‘coffee shop,’ or Bangkok smoking lounge.

However, mounting scientific evidence suggests that these labels are largely meaningless, with no significant chemical or genetic differences between the two—implying that consumers may not be getting the specific effects they seek. Become a subscriber and support our award-winning editorial features, videos, photography, and much more. For as little as $2/mo. GET STARTED “The idea of indica-sativa is heavily misconstrued,” says Pasternack. What’s in a name? It’s believed that the terms ‘indica’ and ‘sativa’ originated in the late 18th century, when French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed classifying cannabis plants by their physical appearance. Indicas, he noted, were shorter with woody stems and thick stubby leaves. […]

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