It’s estimated that there are more than 700 marijuana strains available today. With so many options, you may wonder how to even get started choosing the one that’s right for you.
While it can seem overwhelming at first, learning a few tips can help you with this decision.
Keep in mind that each marijuana strain will have a slightly different impact on your body and mind. They also have unique therapeutic properties.
Keep reading for some tips and information about choosing the best marijuana strain for your needs.
Get to Know the Three Types of Marijuana Strains
When you begin looking at different marijuana plants, you will encounter three main categories:
- Sativa
- Indica
- Hybrid
Each option provides a different effect on your body.
Sativa
This option has the highest level of THC. It is considered energizing, stimulating and helps to increase focus and creativity while reducing anxiety.
Indica
With indica, you have the highest CBD level (Find out Is CBD or CBG better?). It provides more relaxing benefits, can help reduce pain, relieve nausea, increases appetite, and helps with sleep.
Hybrid
A hybrid strain offers the best of both worlds. The specific effects you experience depend on the traits from the parent strains.
Determine the Effect You Want
Once you know the options, it’s time to figure out the experience you want to have.
For example, if you want to relax after work, then choosing an Indica strain is recommended. However, if you need a boost of energy to help you get through the day, choose a Sativa-dominate or Sativa strain.
Understanding the type of experience you want to have will narrow down the strain options.
Determine Your Tolerance
While other types of intoxicating substances can cause serious and irreversible damage to your nervous system, the influence marijuana has on your brain is mild. It is a short-term, harmless phenomenon called tolerance.
If you use marijuana often, you may experience an increased tolerance. Over time, this can reduce the effect of the strain you use.
When you stop using marijuana, your brain will recover quickly, usually within just a few days or weeks.
Your level of experience and history may impact your tolerance or the total amount of the substance you must consume to achieve the needed effects.
You must consider tolerance when selecting a marijuana strain.
How Does Tolerance Work?
Tolerance is best explained by taking an in-depth look at your body’s endocannabinoid system.
The THC molecules in the marijuana strain will activate your body’s CB1 receptors. This is what causes the psychoactive effects.
Once THC leaves your body, the activity returns to normal or typical levels. If you enjoy repeated exposure to THC, your brain will start reducing the increased activity of your CB1 receptors.
The effects of THC are dampened as time passes, which means you must use more to achieve the initial intoxication level.
If you are a first-time user, your tolerance depends on things like:
- Potency of the strain
- Body mass index
- Sex
People who use marijuana regularly will experience effects differently than people who don’t use it as often. Be sure to consider your tolerance before choosing a strain to get the right option for you.
Understand Your Limits
For those new to using marijuana, you should choose something somewhat lighter when it comes to potency. However, more experienced users can handle higher-potency plants.
You can determine a plant’s potency by looking at how much THC it contains. Anything over 16% with no or little CBD is considered highly potent.
Determine Your Preferred Flavors and Aroma
The terpenes are what determine the flavors and aromas of cannabis. The most common you will find include:
- Ocimene – floral
- Myrcene – herbal
- Terpinolene – floral
- Caryophyllene – spicy
- Humulene – earthy
- Pinene – woody
- Linalool – floral
- Limonene – citrusy
If allowed, as the budtender to smell the cannabis, you are considering. A good rule to follow is if it smells good to you, there’s a good chance it will feel good when you smoke or consume it.
Potential Medical Benefits
Are you planning to use marijuana to treat a medical condition or concern? If so, some strains will have a better effect than others for certain conditions.
For example, some report that a strain called “Dr. Who” works best to relieve symptoms of ADHD, and Triangle Kush is effective for those with PTSD.
Take some time to learn about the different medical benefits of strains to find one that can help with your needs or issues.
Consider Your Budget
Some strains of marijuana are considered hard to get or elite. If this is the case, they will cost more than others.
Make sure you know what you want to spend before trying to buy the strain. Also, get to know strains that are within your budget so you can make an informed decision about what to buy.
Doing this will also help you avoid finding a strain you want to try only to discover it’s too expensive.
Finding the Best Marijuana Strain for You
There are several factors to consider when it comes to finding the best marijuana strain for your needs. Be sure to use the information above to find one that is right for you.
When you put time and effort into this decision, you can feel confident you have found and purchased a strain that will produce the desired effects.
Are you looking for more informative resources and articles? If so, take time to check out some of the other blogs on our site.