Types of Marijuana.

Marijuana is the only plant known to produce the active ingredients called cannabinoids. Over the course of evolution, there has developed two major types of marijuana, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Sativa. Indica is associated with Asia and India, while sativa was the predominant type in the Americas. Now, there are all sorts of new cross-blends and genetic permutations being bred.

Cannabis indica has been the primary source for marijuana-based medicines of the past. It is high in the kind of cannabinoids that produce relaxation and pain relief. It was usually in liquid form, often combined with other drugs. Cannabis sativa is generally more psychoactive than indica, due to having a higher ratio of THC, the cannabinoid that gets one "high". THC heightens visual, audio and other sensations, and can cause hallucinations and or anxiety in larger doses. Sativa is considered to be more recreational, whereas indica is considered more sedative.

These are broad generalizations, and both sativa and indica types have strains that don't fit this pattern. The overall effect on the body and mind results from the blend and balance of the many different cannabinoids present in any given strain. New strains are being developed all the time, the variety and number of medicine strains available today is staggering - several hundred at least. - see chemotypes charts -

Physically, the indica plant is short and broad compared to the sativa, which can reach 18 feet or more in height. The buds of the indica are rounder and the leaves are broader than the sativa leaves which can be more needle-like, and sativa buds are more elongated. Indica provides some of the most fragrant and dense smoke, readily inducing cough reactions. Both types can be high in terpens, the pine/turpentine pungence that indicates medicinal potency. Many patients state they can determine a marijuana's type by simply smelling it. That makes sense, as certain aroma molecuels are associated with specific cannabinoids. Exploring the various strains of cannabis is akin to sampling wine, each variety has something special to appreciate, such as aroma, taste, color, etc.

Historically, hashish or hash, has been derived from indica strains, but sativa hash is also found with increasing frequency, as patients request their favorite types. Indica type hash is sleep inducing and is often the main ingredient in medicinal teas and edibles for that reason. The plant resin, in which the THC and other active ingredients accumulate, is apparent in the "trichomes", the tiny crystals that can be seen with the naked eye, expecially on the female buds. That's where the medicine is strongest, and these trichomes are strained/filtered using a chilled-water process to harvest the trichomes, basically intact, to create hash. Hash is many times stronger than regular marijuana, however many of today's medical strains are nearly as potent as hashish, and prices are comparable.

Hash oil is probably the most concentrated form of medical marijuana. It is the resins of the plant extracted by dissolving them into a solvent, such as alchohol or liquid butane. The entire plant, flower, leaf and stems are soaked until the active ingredients leach into the liquid, out from the plant. The plant material is then removed, the solvent/solution of dissolved resin is strained, the solvent is then evaporated off until what is left is only the resin (insignificant traces of solvent may remain). Butane hash oil is considered by some to be the best, as it only disolves the active ingredients, not any of the vegetable matter, which does dissolves into alchohol and other solvents besides butane. BHO, or butane hash oil is very dark but somewhat transparent with a greenish-brown cast. Other types of hash oil can be opaque, blacker or lighter in color, and sometimes called honey (hash) oil. A cautionary note - the solvents used are flammable, and making your own hash oil can be dangerous because of the possibilty of igniting the solvent. Butane itself boils off at room temperature, howerver, it is toxic, and for this reason it is banned in some MMJ jurisdictions of the country.

As far as edibles are concerned, it is advised to use care when ingesting edible cannabis products. Most are delicious and can tempt you to eat/drink more than needed. Wait long enough after the first dose before you try a second. It's recommended to use indica strains for edibles, as it is less likely to cause anxiety, "freak-out" or hallucinations in the event that too much has been consumed. Overdosing on edible marijuana is easy, and as any patient who has overdosed will tell you, it is not a pleasant experience. Always wait... wait long enough to be sure that the first dose has had plenty of time to kick in - anywhere from thirty minutes up to two hours, depending on the product and recipe. As a note of assurance, fatality by eating too much marijuana is extremely difficult, if not impossible to accomplish. Experiencing an anxiety attack from overdosing on cannabis and or difficulty standing and walking, are some typical reactions.

All the above warnings and admonitions concerning overdose being said, countless patients prefer the smoke-free method of medication. Their lungs are not involved and there is no tell-tale scent of smoke. They never have any problems with over-consuming and using edibles works perfect for them. Patients can have a steady, long-lasting effect that fits perfectly into their lifestyle. There is a wide array of edibles available, from beverages like tea and soda, to cakes, cookies and candies. Also, available; cannabis infused canola oil and dairy butter, used for home cooking your favorite cannabis version recipes. - see edibles - see recipes -