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Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/sativa-marijuana-p-585.html

Knowing which kind of marijuana to get is the first problem that confronts every medical marijuana patient. A visit to a medical marijuana pharmacy will provide the patient with a wide selection to choose from. This whole dilemma can be overwhelming - what with all the various names and prices of each type.

To simplify things, just bear in mind that there are two types of marijuana: Indica and Sativa. In each type lies countless exotic strains and blends. It is highly similar to tobacco which comes in regular, menthol and light types which are available in various strains and blends such as Winston, Marlboro, Camel, etc.

The Sativa strains are considered as stimulants - as such, they are great for stimulating appetite, relieving depression, migraines, pains and nausea. We are now aware of specific strains, or "brand names" that are effective for specific symptoms and conditions. The sativa high is considered as mental in nature. But if you prefer a more specific piece of advice, inquire from your pharmacist.

Sativa is wide ranging in origination; native to Colombia, Mexico, Thailand as well as Southeast Asia. The flavors of this kind of marijuana are varied, ranging from earthy to sweet and fruity. Sativa plants take longer to mature and have a longer flowering cycle compared to Indica plants. In addition, they can be less full but taller compared to the other kind. These facts, that is, longer growing period and lower yield, result to most pharmacies having low stocks of Sativa. All these being said, it's then a wonderful idea for patients to consider growing their own.

GROWERS CHOICE: SOUR DIESEL

We recommend Sour Diesel partly for its medicinal effect and partly for its relative convenience in growing compared to other Sativas. Sour Diesel is known for its high pungency during flowering and throughout the drying as well as curing process. The buds have a strong smell as well. The leaves around the buds are highly sticky.

Other brand names of Sativa are Big Fatty, Swiss Miss, Blue Heaven, Durban Poison, Hawaiian Sativa, Train Wreck, Lamb's Bread as well as White Widow.

To further illustrate the differences among strains and methods, read on the following testimonials from the patients themselves:

As a medical marijuana patient, I medicate (vaporize) using the Indica strains. My major medicine is the old school UBC Chemo which is an 80/20 Indica/Sativa and literally melts away the horrible muscle cramps I get with this MS.

A good friend spent years fighting depression and went through the whole arsenal of big pharm's offerings to no avail. Rather, taking those pills only worsened his condition. He uses a sativa to make cannabutter. He cooks it in his food each day and is currently taking no prescription antidepressants at all. I have also acknowledged that many people claimed miraculous health benefits from the use of cannabis. I read that they're getting effective results with cannabis therapy in children with autism.

It seemed the Indicas were more helpful for treating pain with a sedative property, and the Sativa was better for use when I did not want to feel tired. Personal experience shows me that Indicas help me sleep at night while Sativas are great for daytime use - when I need to feel energized. Both help relieve my pain. They also have helped with my swelling.

Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/indica-marijuana-p-584.html

New medical marijuana patients needs not worry as there can be a perplexing and even overwhelming choice of marijuana strains available from the pharmacies. Countless pharmacies have knowledgeable, qualified care professionals who can advise the patient on what strain of cannabis generally offers the best relief from the patient's particular condition. To have things in a simple light, we offer the following.

There are 2 primary strains of medical marijuana: indica and sativa. And in each of these strains, there are several varieties of cannabis. Hybrid strains are those that include the mix of indica and sativa. As a medical marijuana patient, it's important for him/her to know the difference between the two.

Indica strains are useful as a relaxant, thus they are effective for pain, anxiety, nausea, appetite stimulations, sleep, muscle spasms and tremors, as per testimonials from patients. In simpler terms, the indica high is more physical in nature. Taking this is a wonderful idea if you want to induce sleep or to relieve pain.

The hash producing countries like Afghanistan, Morocco and Tibet are said to be where indicas have originated. With buds that are thick and dense, flavors and aromas also vary: pungent to fruity. Indica has higher CBD as well as lower THC counts than sativa which produce a heavier, sleepier type of effect.

OUR CHOICE: OG KUSH

We strongly suggest OG Kush as your primary option if you, as a medical marijuana patient, want to grow your own Indica.

Now, there are many different plants that are called OG Kush. The true OG Kush, the one that originatedfrom Southern Californa, is indica dominant, even if several OG Kush plants are characteristically sativa dominant. It is a really easy to grow plant, specifically from clones and can be harvested within a period of 3 months. In addition, this action will give you a better yield. As one connoisseur described it, "True OG Kush is one of the 'ultimate' kush strains found in sunny Southern California. Very few other strains seem to compare to True OG's unique scent, taste, and mental & physical effects."

Do not be surprised if a heavy "snow" of crystals cover the buds and adjacent leaves of an OG Kush, this strain is known for that. Moreover, know that the smell of the buds is pungent and the buds themselves are extremely "breakable."

FOR YOUR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH

Blue Moonshine, Blueberry Kush, Hawaiian Indica, Bubble Funk, Mango, Master Kush, Maple Leave Indica, Sensi Star, Snow White as well as Rooty Tooty are just some of the other recognized brand names of indica strains.

It's a good move though to sample as many "brand names" as possible if you believe that Indica gives you the most relief. Most pharmacies sell small amounts (1 gram) for between $10 and $25 so you can get acquainted with which marijuana works best for you, without going broke. Once you settle on a favorite or two (it is advisable to alternate marijuana "brands" so that your body doesn't develop any tolerance to either one), decide if you want to keep on buying from the pharmacy, or want to graduate to growing your own. If you want to grow your own, check if the pharmacy has any clones of the marijuana strains you deem best for your medical needs.

Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/medical-marijuana-clones-p-583.html

Clones have numerous benefits for the home grower. They'll hasten your growing cycles. They'll predetermine sex of the plant, they'll preserve the exact strain and they'll save you money. To appreciate the benefits of medical marijuana clones more, let us discuss them one by one.

SPEEDING UP GROWING CYCLES

By nature, marijuana often takes four or five months, or even more to mature. Add another couple of weeks for harvesting, drying and curing and you could find yourself limited to two crops per year. But if you use hydroponics, however, growing cycles can be lessened to 3 months; so one year would give you at least 4 crops, or at most 6, if you alternate 2 grow areas). With this method, you will obviously produce more medical marijuana; but on top of that, you'll have less expenses for electricity and nutrients per crop as well.

PREDETERMINING THE SEX OF THE MARIJUANA PLANT

Starting with clones is the only guaranteed way of producing female plants. Otherwise, natural law divides your odds to 50/50 mix of male and female plants. If you like, you can use marijuana strains that are considered as feminized seeds - these claim to produce 70% females. Don't forget, not only will male marijuana plants have considerably less medical effect for the patient, but if left in place, they will weaken the medical potency of the female plants through pollination (since the female plant turns its energy into producing seeds rather than flowers (buds). We suggest starting with medical marijuana clones. It's a fail-safe and guaranteed way to have 100% females.

PRESERVING THE EXACT STRAIN

Clones, which are basically a small cutting of a marijuana plant that is placed in a block of rock wool, are as the name clone suggests, an exact replica of the original plant. In theory, once you find a strain of marijuana you like, and locate a clone for this strain, you can grow the same plant over and over again forever. The real advantage here is that there are several times when your pharmacy is out of stock of your favorite strain. Rather than depending on the pharmacy flowering cycle, you can guarantee yourself a fixed supply of your favorite medicine.

SAVING MONEY BY GROWING YOUR OWN MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Complete Hydroponic Starter Kits, including grow tent, cost approximately $400 from Stealth Hydroponics. (We recommend this hydroponic growing system for medical marijuana clones because it includes everything, is easy to setup, simple to use, and works.) While these kits normally have "space" for six plants in their reservoir setup, our suggestion is to grow 3 plants. Even at a low growing rate of three crops per year, with each plant yielding 2 ounces of medicine, you will end up growing around $4000 worth of medicine, at pharmacy prices, yearly. Add in electrical and nutrient costs and you will raise the total cost of your yearly harvest to between $600 and $750 while still enjoying at least $4000 worth of buds.