# When it comes to medical marijuana, does the strain matter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 9, 2015, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416 "2015-09-09T06:00:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/21 "2015-09-09T20:44:36Z")
Eh, don’t mind him. He’s just here to shit on the thread. No? It’s a thread asking if strains matter when considering medical marijuana. Not a thread about the scientific method or whether marijuana is legal or any of that other nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/22 "2015-09-09T21:24:52Z")
I’ve used this place for info some time: [https://www.leafly.com/explore](https://www.leafly.com/explore) They have been pretty accurate when I have compared with the strains I am familiar with. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/23 "2015-09-10T14:22:45Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Dude, ignorant stone age savages invented agriculture and civilization. Without a peer reviewed study published in Nature, mind you. They also invented voodoo and astrology. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/24 "2015-09-10T15:51:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > They also invented voodoo and astrology. > > Regards, > Shodan Do you discount the Ancient Greeks because they also happened to believe in some pretty ridiculous Gods? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/25 "2015-09-10T16:01:17Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > Do you discount the Ancient Greeks because they also happened to believe in some pretty ridiculous Gods? Pray to Zeus for a week, then pray to Jesus for a week. Compare your results. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/26 "2015-09-10T16:25:29Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > Do you discount the Ancient Greeks because they also happened to believe in some pretty ridiculous Gods? Do you believe everything [Aristotle](http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/physics.html) said? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/27 "2015-09-10T16:37:17Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Right, right - it’s not like the scientific method has achieved anything in medicine anyway. So we might as well rely on the word of the stoner behind the counter. > [@DrCube](#): > > Dude, ignorant stone age savages invented agriculture and civilization. He said, STONER behind the counter, not STONE AGER behind the counter. (The latter were considerably more capable.) ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/28 "2015-09-10T16:42:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Do you believe everything [Aristotle](http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/physics.html) said? > > Regards, > Shodan No. But that was kind of my point. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/29 "2015-09-10T16:58:18Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > No. But that was kind of my point. What point was that? Most of what the ancient Greeks thought about medicine was bunk, too. I know that in part because the scientific method has been applied to what they said, and thus we found out which of it was valid and which was bullshit. I don’t see a drawback to applying the scientific method to whatever variety of boo Peter Pothead is recommending for my hemmorhoids, and finding out thereby how much of what he is saying is valid and what is bullshit. Apparently some people think I should believe him because he has been stoned more or less continually since junior high, and not ask any qeustions. My mileage varies. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/30 "2015-09-10T17:40:17Z")
**Stentorian voice from the depths:** MIDDLE! THOU ART BANISHED FROM MY SIGHT! I EXCLUDE THEE! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/31 "2015-09-10T17:48:57Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Eh, don’t mind him. He’s just here to shit on the thread. > > No? It’s a thread asking if strains matter when considering medical marijuana. Not a thread about the scientific method or whether marijuana is legal or any of that other nonsense. Chimera, please don’t accuse other posters of threadshitting. It’s not your place to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/32 "2015-09-10T18:06:44Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > I’ve used this place for info some time: [Find, order, and learn about weed | Leafly](https://www.leafly.com/explore) > > They have been pretty accurate when I have compared with the strains I am familiar with. What you get in states with legal sales of recreational or medical pot are accurate analysis of the THC levels, and that is about it. The leafly type descriptions are often quoted by the sales staff but it is more like wine snobbery than science. Right down to the “fruity taste with a hint of blueberries” type crap. Go read some of the reviews at leafly and laugh at the wine snobbery descriptions. Like blind wine tasting, Two Buck Chuck may beat the finest import. It is really an excellent example of “Your results may vary.” But generally, I say generally, it is correct to say that Indica dominate strains have effects on the body, muscles and sleepiness. And Sativa is more cerebral, more of the traditional happy, thoughtful “high” that you may think of when you think of smoking pot. If something hurts, or you just want to hit the couch and relax, Indica. If you want to enjoy your day and stay awake, Sativa. But there are so many cross-breeds and hybrids now that you really can’t separate the two very well anymore. So you rely upon what the breeders are trying to accomplish with their new strain and take the wine snobbery with a grain of salt. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/33 "2015-09-10T18:08:38Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Chimera, please don’t accuse other posters of threadshitting. It’s not your place to do so. I wonder if they have some strains that cure the runs. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/34 "2015-09-10T18:18:03Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > If something hurts, or you just want to hit the couch and relax, Indica. If you want to enjoy your day and stay awake, Sativa. But there are so many cross-breeds and hybrids now that you really can’t separate the two very well anymore. So you rely upon what the breeders are trying to accomplish with their new strain and take the wine snobbery with a grain of salt. For the most part, yes. The whole wine-snobbery parts are pretty stupid. ACDC and another high CBD strain I’m blanking on right now are Sativa strains or Sativa dominant hybrids. And you might run into some unpleasant and undesired effects on yourself. I tried a Grape-something Indica strain recommended for sleeping and it made me paranoid and messed with my head too much. Just like anything else, your mileage will vary and different things will affect different people in different ways. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/35 "2015-09-10T18:23:24Z")
There actually have been a bunch of [reliable studies](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=cannabinoids)on cannabinoids showing that there they have an effect on controlling nausea, appetite, relieving pain and inducing sleep. However, most of these, (although not all) are done using carefully controlled doses of THC in pill form rather than consumption in organic form. This is primarily because the science is better if you can actually control the dosages rather than leaving it up to the chance of the particular bud, and so should not be construed as saying that only controlled dosages will work. Getting to the OP I highly doubt that any reliable studies have been done looking into the differential effectiveness of different cultivars, and while I certainly wouldn’t let anecdotes trump science, in the absence of science anecdotes may be the best you have. So if the guy at the head shop says that purple haze helps you sleep better than Aztec gold, you might as well take his advice since the alternative is just to pick at random. Worst case scenario they are all pretty much the same and it doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/36 "2015-09-10T18:43:23Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I wonder if they have some strains that cure the runs. Cite? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/37 "2015-09-10T20:45:28Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I wonder if they have some strains that cure the runs. That would be our new **Shits and Giggles** strain crossed with our more traditional **Tijuana FoxTrot.** ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/38 "2015-09-10T21:39:08Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I wonder if they have some strains that cure the runs. If you have the runs you don’t need to strain. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/39 "2015-09-10T21:44:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The next time the clerk in the head shop tells you that Maui Wowie is better for headaches than Purple Seedless, ask to see the double blind studies that show it. Then consider the fact that there aren’t any. Gosh, why do you suppose that is? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416/40 "2015-09-10T22:03:30Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Cite? Why are you asking for a citation for a question? It contained no assertion, so there is nothing to cite. = = = = = That said, EVERYONE should note that sarcasm is not the same as trolling. Aside from the quoted example, (that is more odd than anything else), **Shodan** ’s posts have not been in violation of the rules of this forum, so he will not be Mod Noted, Warned, or otherwise admonished for any of the preceding posts. [/Moderating] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-it-comes-to-medical-marijuana-does-the-strain-matter/730416.md?page=3)