Saturday, Dec. 21 was the winter solstice, also known as the longest night of the year. Days are now slowly but steadily getting longer, but the nights are still long. Instead of succumbing to the darkness, fight back against it by staying awake with a sativa.
But before you do, it is a good idea to learn just what a sativa is and why it is known as the more energizing of the two broad categories of cannabis.
Generally speaking, there are two types of cannabis: indica and sativa. Specifically, they are varieties of the same species, cannabis indica and cannabis sativa. Both produce a range of cannabinoids, the chemicals that create the recreational and medicinal effects of cannabis, including THC, the chemical that makes people feel stoned.
The difference between the effects of the two kinds is mostly subjective, with sativas typically producing an energizing feeling while indicas tend to be more sedative. That's why indica is sometimes referred to as "in da couch."
Sativa strains with high THC tend to produce more of the uplifting and energizing effects than those with lower THC or more CBD. There are over 100 different cannabinoids in cannabis known to science, but most others aside from THC, CBD and CBG are poorly understood. Strains on the legal market tend to focus on those three cannabinoids, emphasizing the potency of each.
Beyond the impact of cannabinoids, another set of chemical compounds can influence how a strain will make you feel: terpenes. Unlike cannabinoids, which are primarily found in cannabis, terpenes are found in plants of all varieties.
Terpenes were originally known to impact the taste and smell of cannabis, with sativas tending to be higher in terpenes that produce dank or peppery profiles and indicas leaning more toward fruity flavors.
However, since the advent of the legal marketplaces over a decade ago, research into the therapeutic impact of terpenes has become a focus in the world of cannabis.
A 2021 study published in Scientific Reports found that sativa terpenes have what is known as a cannabimimetic impact, or they can mimic the effects of the cannabinoids present in the plant, which often increases their effect.
One common terpene found in high concentrations is linalool, which has been associated with creative and energizing effects. Same goes for the terpene pinene, which as the name suggests produces a piney aroma.
There is no one-size-fits-all map for picking the right strain for you, but knowing which terpenes play well with a sativa will help you maximize the energizing effects. ♦
