How to Choose the Right Weed Strain for You

To choose the right weed strain for you, look at its THC-to-CBD ratio first (that's what mostly shapes the experience), then at whether it leans sativa (energizing, heady) or indica (relaxing, body-focused), and finally at the flavors and terpenes you enjoy. With so many strains out there, some are all head high while others hit mostly in the body. Flavors, effects, aromas and terpenes are different for every strain, and it can be tough to figure out what you're actually after or which strain is the right one.

The best way to find your strain is to look at a few different aspects of the cannabis plant.

What makes a weed strain unique? The structure of any cannabis plant is shaped by two things:

-Genetics (genotype)

-The growing environment, which helps bring out the physical traits written in the genetic code, like shape, smell, color and resin, that the plant ends up showing.

Every strain has its own defining traits, but each individual plant expresses its genes in its own way, depending on the environment it grows in.

Cannabis is incredibly diverse. Seed banks and dispensaries around the world offer a huge range of strains with different effects and active compounds. Depending on how a strain was bred, it will have its own unique mix of active compounds.

In most strains, there's a balance between THC and CBD that helps determine its effects and potency. For the most part, that THC-to-CBD ratio decides the experience you'll have with a strain. A strain's chemotype (its chemical profile) is largely determined by the plant's genetics.

Most growers and seed banks tell you whether a strain is a sativa, indica or hybrid, but they usually don't mention its chemotype. You can still figure it out by checking the cannabinoid potency info on the label, which strains list both at seed banks and at dispensaries.

THC and CBD are two active compounds in cannabis that can create very different experiences when you consume weed. THC is known to be more psychoactive and cerebral, while CBD is associated with more body effects, and research suggests it may help reduce inflammation throughout the body.

It's worth pointing out that CBD and THC share many of the same potential medical benefits. Patients report relief from many of the same issues with both, like insomnia, depression, chronic pain and more.

However, CBD doesn't produce the euphoric, mind-altering high that comes with THC. Some people prefer CBD precisely because it skips that side effect.

Indica vs. sativa is the oldest debate in the cannabis world. These two categories share many of the same compounds, but they can deliver very different experiences.

For example, sativa strains are more mentally stimulating, and people who smoke them usually feel an energetic, uplifting buzz. Indicas, on the other hand, are the kind of strains people reach for to fall asleep, beat stress and ease pain. Their effects are mostly felt in the body, giving you what's known as a “body high.”

If you want a strain that wakes up your senses and gets the creativity or the conversation flowing, sativas are a solid pick. Indicas give you a mellower, more sedated experience. Hybrids are hugely popular too and can give you the best of both worlds, which can make for some unique and potent experiences. 

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