Ask a Stoner: I'm Sick of Using the Terms "Indica" and "Sativa"

Some dispensaries have already ditched the indica and sativa monikers.

September 18, 2018

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Dear Stoner: Are the terms “indica” and “sativa” even worth listening to anymore? I feel like some sativas make me sleepy and some indicas keep me wide awake.
Pain Patient

Dear Pain Patient: More and more cannabis studies, growers and users are championing a new — or at least tweaked — narrative when it comes to the differences between said strain designations. According to this new school of thought, “indica” and “sativa” should apply only to a strain’s growth characteristics, such as how tall the plants stretch, flower or perform in certain climates.

In addition, it’s believed that terpenes are responsible for the effects strains have on consumers. Terpenes such as myrcene, linalool, limonene and pinene, which give certain plants their smell or flavor, could affect how your body reacts to cannabinoids (THC, CBD and so on), meaning those smells and flavors might be more important than previously thought. Research continues to support this theory, so it could be time to change the way we talk about cannabis strains. Some dispensaries have already ditched the indica and sativa monikers, opting to use “daytime” and “nighttime” instead.

Send questions to [email protected].

Herbert Fuego is the resident stoner at Westword, ready to answer all your marijuana questions.

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