A Brief Introduction to the Cannabis Plant
Cannabis is a genus of plants that umbrellas three species: cannabis Indica, cannabis Sativa, and cannabis Ruderalis, commonly known as hemp.Indica and Sativa are the two species of cannabis used for consumption, as both species contain cannabinoids cannabidiol (aka CBD), and tetrahydrocannabinol (aka THC). Hemp is used more commonly to create textiles and topical products.
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the cannabinoid responsible for creating the euphoric “high” that cannabis users feel when consuming psychoactive products. This high is caused by an increase of blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, and can be used to reduce anxiety and effects of depression, increase creativity, or simply as an enjoyable experience, similar to drinking a glass or two of wine.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is the second most prevalent cannabinoid in cannabis Indica and Sativa, and while it does not have psychoactive effects, it can be used to mitigate muscle and joint pain, anxiety, effects of clinical depression, and insomnia. You can read more about CBD here.
What’s the difference between Indica and Sativa?
Cannabis Indica is a short, broad-leafed plant containing more CBD than its counterpart, Sativa, and is known to produce specific physical and psychoactive effects. These effects include:
Physical sedation
Mental calmness
Reduced muscle and joint pain
Cannabis Sativa is a tall, short-leafed plant whose leaves contain a higher THC to CBD ratio than that of cannabis Indica. Sativa provides a more cerebral high than Indica, which induces a physical, or “body,” high. The effects of cannabis Sativa include:
Physical invigoration
Mental alertness
The Many Forms of Cannabis
Cannabis products come in a variety of forms, including flower, edibles, concentrates, vaporizers, tinctures, and topicals. Each form of cannabis product suits a different need or desired goal from the user: edibles are typically ideal for microdosing, topicals are perfect for soothing localized discomfort, flower and distillate capsules are favoured by cannabis users looking for as refined a cannabis experience as possible, and vaporizers are lightweight and discreet, making them ideal for people looking to benefit from the effects of CBD or psychoactive cannabis on the go. If you’re not sure what form of cannabis product would be best for you, be sure to drop us a line and we’ll help you out.
Products for Cannabis Newbies
We’ve specially selected a curation of products specifically for cannabis newbies. These products maintain our Magnolia Edibles Canada quality standard while providing a less intense psychoactive experience, ideal for people with less cannabis experience. (CBD products aren’t psychoactive, so we’ve simply chosen our top picks for people who haven’t tried CBD yet!)
