A survey of 455 medical cannabis patients found strain preferences were highly dispensary-specific, with many using sativa by day and indica at night
A survey of 455 medical cannabis patients in New England found 1,987 strains listed in online databases, with patient preferences highly state/dispensary-specific, and many patients reporting a time-dependent pattern of sativa during the day and indica at night for sleep.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers conducted two studies to understand cannabis strain preferences among medical patients.
Study I catalogued strains from the online database Leafly.com, finding 1,987 strains listed. Hybrids were significantly more likely than Cannabis indica strains to have gustatory (taste-related) names.
Study II surveyed 455 medical cannabis patients from New England about strain preferences.
Strain preferences were highly state and dispensary-specific. For example, 21.5% of Maine patients preferred Mother of Berries (M.O.B.).
Many respondents reported developing time-dependent patterns: sativa strains during the day (for energy/focus) and indica strains at night (for sleep).
Hybrid and indica strains were most common across dispensaries.
The authors called for longitudinal and controlled investigations to determine which strains are most effective for specific conditions.
Key Numbers
1,987 strains catalogued. 455 patients surveyed. 21.5% of Maine patients preferred M.O.B. Many patients used sativa by day, indica by night.
How They Did This
Study I: cataloguing of Leafly.com strain database. Study II: anonymous online survey of 455 medical cannabis patients in New England. Descriptive analysis of strain preferences by state and dispensary.
Why This Research Matters
The vast number of strains (1,987) with minimal standardization means patients are essentially navigating an unregulated product landscape. The finding that preferences are dispensary-specific rather than condition-specific suggests strain selection may be driven more by availability than by evidence.
The Bigger Picture
The indica/sativa distinction is scientifically questionable (chemical profiles do not reliably map to these categories), yet patients organize their use around it. The time-dependent pattern suggests patients are self-titrating for different symptom profiles throughout the day.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-selected online survey. New England-specific sample. Strain names are not standardized across dispensaries. The indica/sativa classification has limited scientific basis. No objective measures of strain effects.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are patient-reported strain preferences driven by pharmacology, expectation, or availability?
- ?Would chemotype-based selection (by cannabinoid/terpene profile) be more effective than strain-name-based selection?
- ?Can the day/night pattern be optimized with specific chemical profiles?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 1,987 strains available but preferences driven by dispensary, not condition-specific evidence
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary. Descriptive survey providing useful landscape data but no controlled comparison of strain effects.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2018. The strain landscape has continued to expand, and calls for chemotype-based rather than strain-name-based selection have grown.
- Original Title:
- Mother of Berries, ACDC, or Chocolope: Examination of the Strains Used by Medical Cannabis Patients in New England.
- Published In:
- Journal of psychoactive drugs, 50(2), 95-104 (2018)
- Authors:
- Piper, Brian J(11)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01793
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is there really a difference between indica and sativa?
The traditional classification suggests indica is sedating and sativa is energizing. However, chemical analyses show that cannabinoid and terpene profiles do not reliably correspond to these categories. Patient experiences may be shaped by expectation as much as pharmacology. Researchers increasingly advocate for chemotype-based classification instead.
How do patients choose which strain to use?
This study found preferences were highly dispensary-specific, suggesting availability drives selection more than evidence. Many patients developed personal routines (sativa/day, indica/night) through trial and error rather than medical guidance.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01793APA
Piper, Brian J. (2018). Mother of Berries, ACDC, or Chocolope: Examination of the Strains Used by Medical Cannabis Patients in New England.. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 50(2), 95-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2017.1390179
MLA
Piper, Brian J. "Mother of Berries, ACDC, or Chocolope: Examination of the Strains Used by Medical Cannabis Patients in New England.." Journal of psychoactive drugs, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2017.1390179
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Mother of Berries, ACDC, or Chocolope: Examination of the St..." RTHC-01793. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/piper-2018-mother-of-berries-acdc
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.