Medical Marijuana

Working at a medical marijuana dispensary in Denver has allowed me to see a wide variety of people, who all use cannabis for different reasons. One of the most common things patients tend to look for is a strain or two that will help them to sleep at night, either because of chronic pain or insomnia.

For those searching for a strain of cannabis for sleep aid and pain relief, an indica is most likely the best bet for you.

Indica strains are higher in the cannabanoid CBD, which has little to no psychoactive effect and has been proven to help patients with pain relief; many people who complain that indica makes them sleepy are experiencing that feeling because of the higher CBD and CBD content of a good indica strain. These strains still do contain THC and when smoked or consumed as an edible will still have some “head high”, but it won’t be a strong as a sativa strain.

A vast majority of Kush strains are great options for indica. The word “indica” is actually said to come from the Hindu Kush mountain range that stretches from Afghanistan to Pakistan, where these kinds of strains are said to have originated.  There are many, many, many different variations and crosses of Kush, from the classic OG Kush to all kinds of crazy strains like Diamond Kush, Purple Kush, Kush Dawg, and lots more.

Master Kush

Master Kush

One of my personal favorites is one I have seen seldom in Denver, but is always a consistent and insanely strong smoke: Master Kush. This strain has dark green leaves and is usually very dense, with round and heavy buds. It also has a very distinctive taste and smell that I can only really describe as a Kush taste. It’s the kind of strain that I literally take 2 or 3 hits then fall asleep; it’s got great pain relieving properties and will certainly not disappoint anyone looking for heavy, effective medicine.

Many “purple” strains also tend to be indica. These are strains whose phenotype is predominantly purple instead of the standard green. While I’ve never really thought that purple strains taste any different than every other green one, I will say that the “purps” does tend to be a good indica smoke, if not nearly as heavy as some of the best Kush strains I’ve seen.

Grape Ape is a popular indica that I’ve definitely used as a good pain reliever. Typically showing just a bit of purple with mostly darker green leaves, well grown Grape Ape can be great to help patients with pain. Another good purple strain is Grape Crush, which when grown right should have almost all purple leaves with a pungent, heavy odor.

Grape Crush

Grape Crush

Indica dominants, or strains that have been crossed to make then a mix between a sativa and indica, tend to be better for general relaxation and mild pain relief, but because they often contain less CBD and CBN, these aren’t as great for sleep or very serious chronic pain relief. Northern Lights and Blueberry are typically “lighter” indicas that won’t knock you straight out, but still will have more of a “body high” effect.

As anyone who has tried different strains will be able to tell you, everything is dependent on you and your body, so it is not strange if you yourself have had different results with any of these strains.  What are some of your favorite indica strains for sleep and pain relief, Weedists? Let us know in the comment section!