Cannabis 101

Cannabis Education: Cannabis 101

Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Ruderalis.

Cannabis Sativa is a species of cannabis that originated from areas around the equator. The Cannabis Sativa plant typically grows tall in structure, has narrower leaves, and has a longer flowering cycle better suited for warmer climates with a longer growing season. The Cannabis Indica species originated in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. Cannabis indica plants tend to grow shorter in stature, have broader leaves and have a shorter flowering cycle suitable for colder climates with a shorter growing season. Humans have intentionally cross-bred a hybrid cannabis plant to have both Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica in their genetics. Most varieties of cannabis today are hybrids.

Sativa vs. Indica

In the commercialization process of cannabis, we use the terms Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid to define the effects a person will experience after consuming that cannabis labeled as such. For example, it is a common misperception that all Indica strains will give a more soothing, relaxing effect, while Sativa strains have come to be known as uplifting and energetic.

Scientifically speaking, this is an inaccurate application of the terms Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid. The accurate way to deduce the sort of effects a cannabis strain will have is to look at the cannabinoid and terpene content. Our page, Cannabis Education: cannabinoids and terpenes, is here to help you better understand how these cannabis compounds work to define your experience. If you use the terms Indica and Sativa to describe the effects you seek in a cannabis strain, no worries! The Urban Farmacy team understands the commercialized meaning of these words and can translate that into helping you find a cannabinoid and terpene profile that is just right for you!

Each person has an Endogenous Cannabinoid System (ECS). Cannabis contains phytocannabinoids which are very similar to our own naturally occurring or endogenous cannabinoids. When you ingest cannabis, the phytocannabinoids bind to the receptor sites of the ECS – leading to the effects of cannabis. For more in-depth information, visit the cannabis education pages about Cannabinoids and the Endogenous Cannabinoid System.
Each strain has its unique cannabinoid and terpene profile. Our page, Cannabis Education: cannabinoids and terpenesis here to help you better understand how these cannabis compounds work to define your experience.
There can be many different phenotypes of each strain. This means there can be observable physical and biochemical differences in an organism due to genetic and environmental influences. It is even highly likely that if two growers took two cuttings off the same plant and grew them in their own unique grow rooms, with different environmental conditions and nutrients, the final cannabis flowers would turn out differently. Therefore, Urban Farmacy suggests you keep track of your favorite strains and growers.
A landrace strain is a strain of cannabis that has grown wild and free, in its native environment, with little or no human interference for thousands of years. Most all landrace strains will be 100% Sativa or 100% Indica as they maintain remarkable consistency with slight variation. Landrace strains grow in their country or region of origin. Some examples of landrace Sativa strains are Acapulco Gold and Panama Red, named for the regions from which they originated. One example of a landrace Indica strain is Hindu Kush, also named for the area it originated.
The first step to discovering which strains work best for you is to share your desired cannabis effects with your Urban Farmacy budtender. We train our budtenders to educate you and help you find the best strains to experiment with for your specific situation. One option is to keep a journal of the effects you experience from each different cannabis strain, also noting the grower and the specific terpene profile.
There are a variety of ways to consume cannabis other than smoking: edibles, tinctures, Rick Simpson Oil, sublingual drops and mouth sprays, transdermal patches, topicals, and cannabis extract vaporizer pens. Check out our cannabis education pages for more information about each of these methods of using cannabis.
Ensure you have your government-issued ID or passport when you enter. Before entering the store to view and purchase cannabis, you will show your government-issued ID to the receptionist.

As per the OLCC, the following are the only forms of Identification an Oregon-licensed marijuana dispensary may accept:

  • An unexpired and unaltered U.S. state or District of Columbia driver’s license
  • An unexpired and unaltered identification card issued by a U.S. state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, United States Virgin Islands, or American Samoa, with photo, name, date of birth, and physical description
  • An unexpired and unaltered ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe with photo, name, and date of birth
  • An unexpired and unaltered passport or unexpired and unaltered passport card
  • An unexpired and unaltered U.S. military ID card

* A cannabis retailer may require ID from a person in addition to what we list above only if the ID is the person’s registry identification card.

*We CANNOT accept Nexus cards – if you are traveling from another country outside of the United States, you must present your passport.

We have an ATM inside the dispensary available for your use. Due to federal banking restrictions on the cannabis industry, we are a cash-only business.
You cannot legally take any Oregon cannabis products outside of the state of Oregon.
If you are an Oregon Medical Marijuana Program card holder, you may purchase medical grade cannabis and cannabis products. You will need to bring your valid OMMP card and your ID.

All recreational cannabis customers must be 21 with a valid ID per the list of OLCC-acceptable forms of ID.
All OMMP cardholders must be 18 with both a valid OMMP card and a valid ID per the list of OLCC-acceptable forms of ID.

All cartridges are 510 thread and fit in most batteries. That said, this issue is single-handedly responsible for more user errors and cartridge issues than any other issue. The oil viscosity and type of cartridge used by each company may be different and require a different voltage battery. This is why each company offers a matching battery for their cartridge, to ensure that the customer has the proper voltage battery to go with their cartridge. The appropriate voltage battery ensures that your cartridge works and burns correctly. If you are having trouble with your cartridge, make sure you use the correct voltage battery before you assume the cartridge is defective.

Tetrahydrocannabinol: the dominant psychoactive compound in activated cannabis. THC is the cannabinoid known for euphoric feelings associated with being high.

Cannabidiol is the second most abundant cannabinoid in activated cannabis. It delivers little to no psychoactive effects. CBD (Cannabidiol) may influence your endocannabinoid system by slowing the reuptake of your naturally occurring endogenous cannabinoids. Additionally, CBD has the potential to create a more balanced experience when consumed in conjunction with THC.

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