FALLACIES
It’s time to Address two of the most common fallacies in the cannabis industry:
1) INDICA – SATIVA – HYBRID
At 710 Labs you will never hear us describe how our cannabis will make you feel. Research has shown that your high is dictated by hundreds of different cannabinoids and terpenes interacting with your endocannabinoid system.
The Sativa vs. Indica dichotomy is another fallacy in the cannabis industry. As a physical construct, Sativa and Indica have meaning – their growth differs greatly. But the idea that Sativas and Indicas deliver uplifting highs and sedative highs, respectively, is simply untrue.
Those cannabinoids and terpenes could be present in a Sativa or an Indica based on the different genetics – but as we said, Sativa and Indica refer solely to the physical growth structure of the plant. Does it have an effect on color? Nope. Sativa typically grows tall, with thinner leaves – like our GMO – and Indica grows short and stocky – like our Papaya.
These two cultivars are great examples of why the Sativa vs Indica construct is inaccurate. GMO wouldn’t be considered a Sativa under popular opinion, with its heavy gas profile that hits extra hard. Papaya, with its fruity, uplifting profile, is likely not an Indica under that construct.
So what’s the point? This plant is not as simple as Indica – Sativa – Hybrid when it comes to grouping these cultivars by effect. Learning more about the different cannabinoids and terpenes and how they interact with your endocannabinoid system is essential in determining what is right for you. Trial and error is the best way to find what works and what doesn’t.
2) THC%
If you work on the retail side, you’re likely well aware that most smokers shop for cannabis based on a combination of two things: high THC % and price point. However, the very idea that THC % relates to the quality of your experience is a misconception. There is little to no correlation between the two.
Truth is, there are hundreds of different compounds in the cannabis plant, a chunk of them are cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavinoids, but those don't tell the whole story. Although THC is the primary psychoactive compound, the entire spectrum plays a crucial role in the symbiotic effect between your personal endocannabinoid system and that of the plant. The specific terpenes, cannabinoids, and other compounds active in any particular cultivar have an array of feelings and experiences associated with them. How they all collectively work together means far more than how THC operates singularly. Factors like harvest date and terpene content also help, but even more important than those is understanding your endocannabinoid system. Everyone is chemically different at our core and in turn, we all experience terpenes and cannabinoids differently. Finding out which genetics work for you is the only way to know what will have the desired effect.
On top of the science behind your endocannabinoid system and the vast array of compounds this plant has to offer, with the industry still in its infancy, the inability to deliver consistent, accurate results from testing labs is another reason THC % is a shitty metric. Over the years, we’ve tested the same batch at different labs and received a huge variance in THC % results (we’ve seen over 20% difference lab-to-lab). In addition, some producers will dry out their flower to the point that it is devoid of terpenes, which in turn produces higher test results...and dried out, flavorless mids lacking effectual nuance. Similarly, a few of the labs in California and Colorado are aware of the “marketability” of higher THC % and favor their bigger clients with fraudulent, inflated data to keep them in business and keep the fallacy pumping.