What you should know about cannabis.
Four chapters. Two minutes. After this, you'll know more than 90% of people.
The Sativa-Indica Check
Why the label often lies.
Sativa
Narrow & tall
Indica
Bushy & compact
Everyone knows the rule of thumb: sativa wakes you up, indica puts you to sleep. Sounds logical — but it's not actually true.
Sativa and indica describe the growth pattern of the plant: narrow and tall vs. bushy and compact. They tell you almost nothing about the effect.
What really matters is the chemotype — the interplay of cannabinoids and terpenes. A "sativa" can calm you down just as easily as an "indica" can perk you up.
Quick Summary
Sativa/indica describes the growth pattern, not the effect. The chemotype (cannabinoids + terpenes) determines how a strain actually works.
The THC Myth
Why 30% is not a quality marker.
Wine
14%
Alcohol ≠ quality. Terroir, grape variety and vintage make the difference.
Cannabis
30%
THC ≠ quality. Terpene profile, cultivation and interplay make the difference.
Higher percentage doesn't mean stronger effect — neither with wine nor with cannabis.
Many patients ask about the THC content first. The higher, the better — so the assumption goes. That's roughly like judging wine solely by its alcohol content.
A 14% wine isn't automatically better than one at 12%. What counts is terroir, grape variety, vintage. It's the same with cannabis: the interplay of all compounds determines quality — not a single number.
Scientists call this the entourage effect: THC, CBD, terpenes and flavonoids work together. A strain with 18% THC and a rich terpene profile can be significantly more effective than one with 30% THC but a flat profile.
Quick Summary
THC content alone says little about quality or effect. The entourage effect — the interplay of all compounds — is what matters.
Terpenes
The real drivers behind the effect.
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds in cannabis — and at the same time the most important effect modulators. Over 200 different terpenes have been identified. These three are the ones you should know:
Limonene
Smells like citrus. Associated with elevated mood and stress reduction. Also found in lemons and oranges.
Myrcene
Earthy, musky note. The most common terpene in cannabis. Potentially calming and muscle-relaxing. Also found in mangoes.
Linalool
Floral, lavender-like. Known for its calming properties. Used in aromatherapy for centuries.
Quick Summary
Terpenes steer the direction of how cannabis works. Not whether it works, but how. Knowing three terpenes is enough to classify most strains.
Bio-Matching
Why your body speaks cannabis.
CB1 Receptor
Primarily in the brain. Influences mood, pain and appetite.
Endocannabinoid System
Your body's own regulatory system — discovered in 1992.
CB2 Receptor
Primarily in the immune system. Modulates inflammation and immune response.
Your body produces its own cannabinoids — called endocannabinoids. The system that uses them is called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), and it was only discovered in 1992.
The ECS regulates things like pain perception, sleep, mood and appetite. It has two main receptors: CB1 (primarily in the brain) and CB2 (primarily in the immune system).
Plant-based cannabinoids like THC and CBD dock onto exactly these receptors. So your body essentially has a built-in interface for cannabis — it speaks the language.
Quick Summary
Your body has its own cannabinoid system (ECS) with matching receptors. Plant-based cannabinoids speak the same language — that's no coincidence.
Now you know more than most.
Find the form of application that matches your knowledge.