You come across an advertisement for weed seeds for sale and wondered if there are more to cannabis than the infamous 7-pointed marijuana leaf. 

Cannabis refers to a family of plants called Cannabaceae. There are four main types of cannabis plants – all of which you can find in Pacific Seed Bank – and each of these types offer various forms of utility, largely as to what they active compounds are.  

• Cannabis sativa has a higher tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content than the other types. THC is a psychoactive substance that causes the “high” for people who smoke marijuana. Cannabis sativa also has cannabidiol (CBD), the active ingredient for the medical use of marijuana, which doesn’t cause “high” like THC.
• Cannabis indica variants have higher CBD and lower THC content as compared to sativa variants. This makes indica more favored for medical use.
• Cannabis ruderalis are least favored because has inadequate levels of CBD. It also has low levels of THC. Ruderalis variants are usually mixed with others to form hybrid cannabis variants.
• Hybrid cannabis refers to the combination of at least two types of cannabis plants in order to make the best out of the variants used. (Get to know more about these variants from Pacific Seed Bank, where you can see high quality weed seeds for sale and more.)

Aside from the active ingredients, there are other factors that allow cannabis plants to be used such as the specific species, the form, the method of extraction, and the amount, among others.

Hemp from Cannabis sativa variants is known for its industrial uses. Hemp can produce fibers that can be used for making strings, ropes, sponges, fabrics, paper, and bioplastics. Hemp is also a source of foodstuff in the form of seed, oil, and milk. Hemp biomass is also considered as great source of alternative fuel. With the growing use of biodiesel, hemp biofuel may just become the next big thing.

But out of all that can be done with Cannabis, its recreational and medical uses that are the most talked about.  

Recreational uses of Cannabis

The use of cannabis for recreational purposes is largely linked to its ability to provide a feeling of intoxication. Cannabis acts both as a depressant and as a stimulant, depending on the type of cannabis used, as well as the user’s response to cannabis.

As a depressant, cannabis causes a calm and relaxed feeling by slowing down the user’s brain function. Meanwhile, cannabis can also be a stimulant by increasing the user’s heart rate and blood pressure. 

The effects of cannabis vary from person to person, so it is hard to determine ahead of time how taking cannabis recreationally will manifest in the user.

Medical uses of cannabis

Cannabis is largely shunned because of the addictive tendencies towards its use. But its legalization for medical use is lodged in its potential to address medical conditions.

Pain management is among the most common uses for cannabis. Both THC and CBD have been seem to provide pain relief. Other than that, some of the medical conditions where cannabis is believed to be beneficial for are Fibromyalgia, Interstitial cystitis, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. 

Meanwhile, there are many other conditions for which cannabis is being studied for such as nausea, glaucoma, and even cancer.

CBD, specifically, has proven itself effective in treating epileptic syndromes. CBD is also being researched for its impact on anxiety, pain, insomnia, and even addictions. 

The medical use of cannabis, including the growing list of conditions where cannabis is being proven to be able to provide cure or at least relieves symptoms, is the focal point for the move to legalize cannabis in more locations globally. 

It is the industry’s hope that the benefits of cannabis outshine the stigma on this nature’s wonder.

Tim Williamson, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.