Comprehensive Guide to Weed

INTRO ​

Ok, so a lot of new stoners don't know a whole lot about the ins and outs of different strains and how they produce different highs (understandably so). So i decided to write up this quick guide to different strains of bud and how they affect the human mind and body.First, we will be focusing on the two main chemical components of the Cannabis plant: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD).We will then be focusing on the two main species of Cannabis, Sativa and Indica, and how they relate to THC and CBD.Finally, we will be focusing on different strains of weed, and how growing and harvesting techniques can affect their chemical content.

CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ​

First of all, Sativa and Indica. Depending on how much you've heard about the species, you'll know more or less that Sativa tends to produce very clear-headed, mind-centered, energetic highs, while Indica tends to produce more foggy, body-fatigue, lethargic highs. This is true, for the most part... but why, you ask? How are the species different? Answer: THC and CBD.THC is the main chemical component in Cannabis. It is the drug that more strongly affects the cerebrum (the part of the brain that controls conscious thought, knowledge retention, and intelligence... in short, what we think of as our mental actions), and is responsible for the mental stimulation and increased psychoactivity which the user experiences. THC produces the mental highs which are associated with Sativa. A THC content of less than 10% would be considered low, a THC content of 10%-15% would be considered average, and a THC content of 15%-25% would be considered high.CBD is the secondary chemical component in Cannabis. It is the drug that more strongly affects the cerebellum (the part of the brain that controls balance, equilibrium, motor skills, instincts, and impulsive, instinctive subconscious processes... in short, what we think of as our physical actions), and is responsible for the sense-numbing and the feeling of fatigue which the user experiences. CBD produces the sleepy, foggy state which is associated with Indica. A CBD content of 1%-2% would be considered low, a CBD content of 3%-4% would be considered average, and a CBD content of 5%-6% would be considered high.

THC :VS: CBD ​

So how are these chemicals present in the different strains? It would seem, from my description, that Sativas have more THC and less CBD, and Indicas have more CBD and less THC. To an extent, this is true. But before we continue, let me say that even the purest Indica has THC, and even the purest Sativa has CBD. It's the ratio that counts.THC is what makes the user high. Let me rephrase: without THC, marijuana wouldn't make you high. CBD is considered a secondary component, not only because there is less of it in relation to THC, but because it is fairly dependent on the THC for its effects. CBD increases certain psychoactive effects of THC and descreases others, but it also produces its own. THC focuses far more exclusively on the cerebrum, and thus it produces a very strong mental high, while not having a significant effect upon the physical body of the subject. THC causes hyper-psychoactivity: AKA, very rapid, often erratic, thought processes. This is why you often feel your thoughts racing too fast for you to keep up when you're high.The effects of CBD alone upon the human body would consist mainly of an anaesthetic effect: it dulls the nervous system and numbs pain. This is why it produces such a strong "body-high" and makes the user lethargic and foggy. CBD is the main component which acts as a painkiller: it is considered to be highly effective in reducing nausea, epilepsy, personality disorders, and even cancer cell growth. Because it stimulates the cerebellum, it has a much wider range of effect upon subconscious and physical aspects of the human mind than upon the mental or intellectual aspects, and thus it produces a numb, almost out-of-body experience for the subject. This is why you often feel "couch-locked" when high.

SPECIES ​

Sativa, as you have guessed, does tend to have a much higher THC:CBD ratio. This is why it has the effects it has: increased psychoactivity and energetic physical results. The less CBD there is to mellow out the effects of the THC, the more intense the psychoactivity will be, and the less tired and foggy you will feel. "Haze" is a nickname commonly used for Sativa-dominant strains.Indica, as you may have also guessed, tends to have a much lower THC:CBD ratio. This is why it has the effects it has: slower, heavier thought processes, and body-numbing lethargy. The more CBD there is to balance the effects of the THC, the foggier the psychoactivity will be, and the more lazy and couch-locked you will feel. "Kush" is a nickname commonly used for Indica-dominant strains.

CANNABIS MATURATION ​

Ok, I'm almost done with the lecture, I promise. If you've stuck with me this far, you're obviously interested in what I'm saying, so read on. If not, I have nothing to say to you because you aren't reading this anyway.Different strains of weed can produce vastly different highs, not only because they contain different THC:CBD ratios, but because of the varying isotopes of said chemicals that can be found in these strains. Basically, chemical isotopes are tiny differences in the structure of the chemical molecule that change minor aspects of the chemical without changing it enough to make it a different chemical. They're basically just different types of THC and CBD, but that gets complicated and we aren't here to talk about that.SO. The final important thing to know about the differences in strains is this: the drug components of cannabis (THC, CBD, and the 80 or so other minor chemical components which can also contribute to a different feeling high, though not significantly so) are contained in the TRICHOMES. That's capitalized because it is an important word. The trichomes (or trichs) are the tiny crystals that form on the cannabis plant. This crystaline substance, often referred to as kief, is what contains the drugs that get you high.

THE PROCESS ​

As the cannabis plant matures, the trichomes generate a chemical process that affects the THC:CBD ratio. Basically, when the plant is very young, the trichomes are full of Cannabinol, or CBN (a non-psychoactive chemical that doesn't do much, hence why I hadn't mentioned it before). As the plant matures, the CBN becomes both THC and CBD, depending on the chemical process it undergoes. As the plant continues to mature, the THC becomes CBD as well. Very soon after the THC begins to turn into CBD, both the THC and the CBD begin to degrade back into CBN by means of oxidation. This is why it is such an art to know exactly the correct time to harvest the bud.Phase 1: When the plant is young, the trichomes are translucent, almost clear. This means they are still full of unchanged CBN, and they have the potential to produce THC and CBD. Smoking weed with clear trichs, you would be lucky to get high at all. If you did, the only way I could describe it would be watery. It would be a weak, diluted high, and might feel like nothing more than a slight headache.Phase 2: In the next stage, the trichomes are cloudy white, and this is the stage when the trichomes contain the highest THC:CBD ratio. Cloudy trichs mean a very cerebral high. Smoking weed with cloudy trichs, you would probably experience a more Sativa-esque high, regardless of the strain you smoke (although of course smoking an Indica heavy strain would still produce a foggy high, it would simply be less foggy than if you smoked that same strain harvested a little later).Phase 3: In the third stage, the trichs are a rich golden amber color, and this means that they contain a low THC:CBD ratio. Amber trichs mean very heavy body-lock high. Smoking weed with amber trichs, you are likely to get a more Indica-esque high, regardless of the strain you smoke (although of course smoking a Sativa heavy strain would still produce a clear high, it would simply be more foggy than if you smoked that same strain harvested a little earlier).Phase 4: Cannabis in the fourth and final stage contains dark red or even brown trichs. This means that that the THC and CBD are degrading back into oxidized CBN and will soon produce a weak but often disorienting high. When the trichs are brown, the weed is practically unsmokable and will not give you a very pleasant high, if it even gives you one.

DIFFERENT STRAINS ​

So, to wrap it all up, Sativa strains have a higher TC ratio, while Indica strains have a lower TC ratio. Bud harvested earlier in its maturation process, during Phase 2, will have a higher TC ratio than bud harvested later, during Phase 3.So the clearest mental high you could possibly get would be Sativa harvested during Phase 2, while the heaviest, foggiest high you could get would be Indica harvested during Phase 3.But which has a greater effect on the high, you ask? Species or Harvest Phase? Always species, I reply. A Sativa harvested in Phase 3 will still have a higher TC ratio than an Indica harvested in Phase 2.The harvesting time will certainly affect the high, but species will always be the main determinant of the type of high, simply because regardless of the chemical process occurring in the trichomes, Sativa will have a higher TC ratio and Indica will have a lower TC ratio. Almost invariably. I say almost because, as much as we know about weed, there is still a lot of unpredictability with the number of strains that are out there.

OUTRO ​

The only solution to all this unpredictability and mystery? Try them all! Well, what are you waiting for? You have every strain of weed in the world to smoke.Get to work. For science.

 

Ok, so it wasn't "quick". It was pretty damn long. Sue me. Hahaha

 

 
yeah, i do know there are several species of cannabis, but i figured i would try to keep it simple, since this is a guide for apprentice smokers, and the two most commonly smoked species are sativa and indica. 
 
ruderalis has a much lower concentration of active components, so it is seldom used for recreational purposes.
 
there are also a lot more chemical components than just THC and CBD, but again, i just wanted to keep it simple so i tried to focus on the main factors that most apprentice tokers would be faced with when choosing their weed.
 
thanks for reading!

 

thanks! i appreciate it

 

[quote name="AlwaysUnder" post="19361748" timestamp="1390022227"]Well done, short and sweet teaching in a way anyone can understand while adding in some good vocabulary.Sent from my SPH-D710 using Grasscity Forum mobile app[/quote]Thanks, i think that's what i was aiming for! I wanted to put new stoners a step ahead in understanding the terms they need to be familiar with and the knowledge they need to have about the product. I'm glad you think I was able to accomplish that, and thanks for reading it!

 

I asked a moderator to put this on the Guides for Apprentice Tokers thread.

 

[quote name="simple toke" post="19374808" timestamp="1390241957"]Good write up, answered a couple questions I had in the back of my head about cbd....Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Grasscity Forum mobile app[/quote]Glad I could help! Thanks for reading (Also, bumping for visibility lol)