3 Medical Marijuana Strains You Can Use to Heal Any Kind of Pain (And How To Pick It)

There are lots of different hybrids, types, varieties, and names for cannabis, marijuana, weed, or wacky-tobacky. Unlike tobacky, however, marijuana has medicinal properties that help with a variety of issues. When all the smoke has cleared marijuana really comes down to two strains.

Even though there are several hybrids being made to produce a strain more dominant in CBD (cannabidiol – a non-psychoactive compound in marijuana) or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol – the psychoactive ingredient). To over-simplify things, CBD is the “feel good”, THC is the “feel high”.

The Strains

The two strains of cannabis are Indica and Sativa, but most of the strains that exist these days are hybrids of the two. Strains high in Sativa are for daytime use, and being active, and Indica strains are usually reserved for the night time due to their sleep-inducing, and stress-relieving properties.

Cannabis from a Sativa plant, or Sativa-dominant hybrid has more CBD and is said to give a “cerebral high” – mindful, thoughtful, and awake. The Indica-dominant breeds give more of a “body-high” because it is higher in THC. Indicas are calming, easing, and promote a restful state.

Indicas

If you’ve heard the term Kush it was likely naming an Indica strain. Platinum Kush, Hindu Kush, Afghan Kush, Master Kush and more – they’re all Indicas and they help with depression, nausea, eating disorders, as well as acts as an anti-inflammatory and anti-epileptic.

Strains that are Indica-dominant help with the following issues and illnesses:

Arthritis
Cancers

Chronic Pain
Depression
Glaucoma

Joint Pain
Muscle Spasms

Sativas

Sativas like Maui Waui, Hazes, Diesels, and Power Plant are said to be favorites of medical marijuana users because of their uplifting nature and energetic feeling. Some sativa blends have been made for specific purposes.

One hybrid, Charlotte’s Web, is mostly CBD and contains very little THC and was made for a purpose. Charlotte Figi, a 6 year old girl with Dravet Syndrome, was having 300 grand mal seizures a week until her mother contacted the Stanley brothers.

These brothers worked together to farm marijuana in Colorado. Charlotte’s Web was in the trial and error process – the brothers wanted to see if they could manufacture a strain with very little THC. Why? Because they knew sooner or later someone would need it.

“Charlotte’s Web”

“When we first started, it wasn’t about making money, because nobody would buy CBD. They call it the “hippie’s disappointment” — you could smoke it all day and you wouldn’t get high. But we still grew it, so much so that it actually hurt our other crops. It wasn’t ever about turning a profit — it was about a specific goal to help people that have cancer. And now it’s about helping children, specifically children with epilepsy,” says Jesse Stanley, one of the 5 Stanley Brothers working toward making medical marijuana use legal.

Sativa-dominant strains can help with:

Depression
Fatigue

Migraines and headaches
Stimulation

These lists are by no means complete. And because everyone’s bodies work differently there is no sure-fire solution. People also claim that the beneficial effects of some strains are stronger at first but wear off over time. Trial is key here. Try as many different strains as possible and figure out which is best for you and your specific treatment requirements.

Do I Qualify?

I found this fantastic list of illnesses and autoimmune disorders that marijuana helps fight. A few very interesting truths came out of the research for this article, my favorite being that marijuana is a vegetable.