Once a patient has a diagnosis for which medical marijuana can provide benefit, the next step is to select the variety of marijuana suited to provide the appropriate symptom relief. If one is going to grow his or her own marijuana, there will also need to be consideration on whether the marijuana is being grown inside or outside.
Marijuana plants will differ with regards to size and growing habits, temperature preferences and light needs, or whether they do well indoors or outdoors. The most predominant marijuana that many of the purple strains are bred from is Grand Daddy Purple. It is calming, sedating, Terpenes and works well for pain relief. It has a sweet grape taste and aroma. It also has good effects for relieving spasticity, insomnia, and helping with improving appetite.
OG Kush is another popular variety which is common in dispensaries. It smells musky and earthy, and often has an odor of sage. It provides a mind opening, thought provoking type of high which works well for anxiety, depression, and appetite stimulation. New research shows that it is not just the cannabinoids in marijuana that contribute to a patient’s psychoactive experience. It is also terpenes, which are the aroma molecules contained in the marijuana plant. These terpenes help define the way patients feel in the differing varieties, so it is important to know how the various strains smell which defines the eventual effects on the body and may help with varying disease symptoms.
Purple Kush maintains immediate pain relieving effects. It provides deep psychoactive effects for anxiety, depression, stomach problems, and chronic pain along with insomnia. The smell is tropical fruit and it contains numerous terpenes such as myrcene and caryophyllene.
Sour Diesel maintains combination qualities. It smells a bit like sour grapefruit and provides a “psychedelic” high. It is recommended for social anxiety, multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain, and problems with focusing. Interestingly, it assists with clarity while also providing an intense psychoactive experience.
There are very few pure indica or sativa marijuanas on the market. Most are a variety combination strains. With varying genetics and now that it is know terpenes assist with the various psychoactive effects, the eventual result should be specific strains that hone in on a patient’s debilitating condition with low side effects. The research is ongoing, although with marijuana being federally illegal it is difficult to perform research appropriately as with traditional FDA cleared medications.