Choosing a Marijuana strain can be a daunting task, especially if it’s your first time. There are so many unknown variables, but hopefully, we can shine a light on them and assist you in making the right choice. In this blog, we will dive into wake makes a cannabis strain unique, the differences between various strains groups, and some things to look for when choosing what marijuana strain is best for you.

“What makes cannabis strains unique.”

  • Cannabinoid content
    • Cannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds found in the cannabis plant. One unique trait of each cannabinoid is its level of psychoactivity, for example, CBD, CBC, and CBG are nonpsychoactive, and THC, CBL, CBN are psychoactive.
  • terpene content
    • Produce flavor and aroma and assist the cannabinoids in producing effects in the mind and body. The cannabis plant has 200 terpenes, and each strain can be a combination of any of them.
  • Environmental variables.
    • The way the strain is grown is an important factor when it comes to a strain’s uniqueness. For example, the same strain could be grown indoor and outdoor and produce different effects. The soil (or lack of) and nutrients used can also affect the strain’s final product.

Choosing between Indicas, Sativas and Hybrids.

If you haven’t heard by now, Indicas, Sativas, and Hybrids are a way to categorize marijuana strains. Here a quick breakdown of each, but if you’d like to learn more, take a look at our blog. “What is the difference between indica, sativa, and hybrid.” Indicas are known for producing a body high and used for pain and relaxation. Sativas are known for their head high or mental high. Great for daytime use and keeping energized while enjoying the benefits of marijuana. Hybrids can have attributes of both indicas and sativas since their parent plants were derived from those strains. Now all of this is very subjective since various factors contribute to the effects of marijuana.

“How to decide which cannabis strain is best for you.”

  • Flavor and aroma
    • Take a look at the strains terpene profile. Leafly has a great tool that displays each strain’s terpene profile with a summary of each terpene. 
  • Desired Effects
    • What are you looking to get out of smoking weed? Search for strains that contain terpenes and cannabinoids that will contribute to reaching that effect. 
  • Potency
    • Potency plays a considerable role when it comes to marijuana affecting the body. A strain with high THC levels will produce more substantial effects and require less marijuana to achieve your goal. If you enjoy the act of smoking and find that to be a significant part of your marijuana experience, a strain with a lower potency may be what you’re looking for—allowing you to smoke an entire joint without feeling like your too high to function.
  • Growing method
    • There are various growing methods, and each can affect the outcome of the plant. There’s outdoor and indoor-grown marijuana with variations of each. Indoor marijuana is seen as more desirable to some marijuana smokers since the growers have more control over the elements. While outdoor can still produce plants as good and, in some cases, better than indoor, there’s more room for error.
  • Potential medical benefits
    • Marijuana is known to produce a variety of medical benefits, and these can vary between strains. If you’re looking to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, I highly recommend speaking to a consultant. There are many variables for cannabis, and getting proper effects and removing some of the experimentation of talking to a consultant can be the best thing you can do.
  • Budget
    • There isn’t one set price to any strain. You may find the same strain for different prices at your local dispensary. The difference between those is all of the variables we’ve talked about before. An indoor strain of Gorilla Glue will usually be valued higher than that same strain grown outdoor. If one grower can reach a higher THC value than another, dispensaries will price their products higher.

Why is lab testing so important?

Lab testing helps take out a lot of the guessing work. With a lab-tested strain, they will put some of the essential information on the packaging. The lab testing process is also great because it makes growers abided by regulations for using pesticides.

Choosing your strain

Choosing what strain is right for you will require some testing at first and will change with time. Find a strain that works for you in the moment, identify what makes that strain your favorite, and search for it in other stains. Dispensaries change their products out often, so you may not always be able to get your favorite strain. Learn more about yourself and various marijuana strains, so you still know to make the right choice for your needs.