For the new medical marijuana patient there can be a bewildering, even overwhelming choice of marijuana strains available from their pharmacy. Most pharmacies have competent, qualified care professionals who can advise the patient on what strain of cannabis generally offers the best relief from the patient’s particular condition. In an attempt to simplify things we offer the following.

There are two major strains of medical marijuana: indica and sativa. Within these two strains are numerous varieties of cannabis. There are also hybrid strains as well, which are a mix of indica and sativa. It is important for the medical marijuana patient to know the differences between indica and sativa.

According to patient anecdotes, the Indica strains are a relaxant, effective for anxiety, pain, nausea, appetite stimulation, sleep, muscle spasms and tremors, among other symptoms. In other words, the indica high is more physical in nature. It’s great if you’re trying to sleep, relax or ease pain.

Indicas originally come from the hash producing countries of the world like Afghanistan, Morocco, and Tibet. The buds will be thick and dense, with flavors and aromas ranging from pungent skunk to sweet and fruity. Indica has higher CBD and lower THC counts than sativa which produce a heavier, sleepier type of effect.

GROWERS CHOICE: OG KUSH

If you, as a medical marijuana patient opt for growing your own Indica, we strongly recommend OG Kush as your first option.

Now, there are many different plants that are called OG Kush. Some OG Kush plants are more sativa than indica, but the true OG Kush that comes from Southern California is indica dominant. It is a very easy to grow plant, especially from clones and can be harvested within three months. It has a fairly good yield. As one connoisseur put 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.”

When flowering OG Kush is known for a heavy “snow” of crystals covering the buds and adjacent leaves. The buds break apart easy and are very sticky and pungent.

FOR YOUR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH

Some other notable “brand names” for indica strains are: Blue Moonshine, Blueberry Kush, Bubble Funk, Hawaiian Indica, Mango, Maple Leaf Indica, Master Kush, Rooty Tooty, Sensi Star and Snow White.

If Indica seems to offer you the most relief, we suggest that you sample as many “brand names” as you can. 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’s advisable to alternate marijuana “brands” so that your body doesn’t gain any tolerance to either one) decide if you wish to keep on buying from the pharmacy, or want to graduate to growing your own. If you decide to grow your own, see if the pharmacy has any clones of the marijuana strains you deem best for your medical needs.