Beat the Heat With These Summertime Sativas

Is there a fast-forward option for the rest of July? I've been waking up with a sweaty back every morning for three weeks now. I understand that our trash cans aren't melting and our airports aren't being shut down, as they are in Arizona, but we're not used to this shit.

Getting motivated to play outside like you once did during the summer gets harder as the years go by, especially when it's 90 degrees out in the morning. These eight sativas might not lower your body temperature, but they'll chill your mind enough to stop worrying about those musty britches you've been walking around in all day.

Colombian Gold
Because of Colombian Gold’s easygoing effects, I never worry about what time of day I indulge. The comedown isn’t very strong unless it’s getting dark and you’re on the tenth bowl of the day, and the high allows users to stay focused and upbeat — which makes this strain preferable for patients looking to medicate without strong side effects and for potheads trying to toke without giving themselves away in a conversation.

Moonshine Haze
Despite having just a hint of spicy smell and flavor, Moonshine Haze makes up for its Haze lineage with an inattentive high and spindly flowers. Like its liquid inspiration, the strain doesn’t seem too scary after a hit or two, but it’ll shoot you up like a roller coaster shortly after that. The sativa high keeps me moving forward with little crashing, but focus and organization are hard to come by.

Nurse Jackie
Nothing about Nurse Jackie’s stank is subtle, with an initial burst of citrus cleaner quickly drowned out by a cheesy, spicy funk reminiscent of Chiesel or Ingrid. Some cuts have more citrus or cheese than others, but my favorite is a stiff combination of both. True to its name, Nurse Jackie’s a healer. Her high is uplifting and manageable while relaxing your body and stomach at the same time, making it an obvious choice for those who have pain or trouble eating in the morning.

Keep reading for more summertime sativas.
Grapefruit Durban
Although the tart, juicy and resinous flavor of Grapefruit and sweet, piney notes of Durban don’t pair up as strongly in this sativa hybrid as I would hope, Grapefruit Durban’s high brings the best of both worlds. Durban Poison can leave me paranoid and irritable when it wears off, and Grapefruit can make my head feel dizzy if I smoke too much. Their child, however, brings a more subtle sativa high, which allows me to stay focused without the heavy drop-off or paranoia of pure Durban.

Grapefruit Durban won’t amp you up as much as Durban or make you pucker your lips like Grapefruit, but its high is easier to handle in public or at a boring family dinner.

Ghost Train Haze
Although it’s known for testing above 25 percent THC, Ghost Train Haze has more desirable qualities than other top testers, with a much more dynamic flavor profile than Gorilla Glue and more consistent sativa effects than Blue Dream. Needless to say, a little bowl goes a long way with the Ghost. Toked in moderation, it can make users feel uplifted and creative, motivating them to do anything from write a poem to climb a Fourteener. But overdoing it can also cause paranoia and bring on a harsh case of cottonmouth, so start light and go from there.

Cherry Diesel
Any sativa that opens both eyes wide with a simple sniff is almost guaranteed to boost your energy, yet Cherry Diesel still exceeded all expectations in that department. As with other strong Diesel strains, you don’t want to go overboard with this one, as it can cause restless legs, slight paranoia or lack of focus if you smoke more than you can handle. I’ll save it to impress connoisseur friends who’ll appreciate the honeydew flavor; its high is more for the active and productive crowd. Those trying to curb their caffeine addiction should consider a toke or two as an alternative.

Bruce Banner
Like the Incredible Hulk Bruce Banner morphs into when angry, his namesake strain comes in multiple forms and can obliterate a man’s face with one punch. There are three different phenotypes of the sativa, with Bruce Banner #3 being the most popular. All three were bred with OG Kush and Strawberry Diesel, but #3 was the charm with its pudgy bud structure and high THC percentage. It has tested above 28 percent THC but carries an easy high suitable for most situations — if you don’t hit the joint one too many times.

Tangie
Tangie is a sativa-dominant hybrid of California Orange and an unknown Skunk strain that smells like a dank bag of clementines. The freshly squeezed stank and energetic high make the strain stand out in an already powerful line of tangerine-flavored strains like Tangerine Haze and Tangerine Dream. It’d be hard to differentiate between members of the group blindfolded, but Tangie separates itself from the pack with an impressive THC potency and awards won at multiple cannabis competitions for its cured flower and concentrates.