Low THC Strains: Which is Best for You?

For people who don’t want the euphoria or high often associated with using cannabis, it’s important to identify strains that have much lower levels of THC. These low THC strains have grown in number and popularity over the last decade or so.

But how do you choose the right one for your medical condition? Here we take a closer look.

The Benefits of Low THC Strains

If you need cannabis, for example, to help with a mental health problem such as depression or anxiety, or a physical issue such as pain, the last thing you want is to get high. Medicinal users generally like to go about their day to day business without feeling out of it or incapacitated in any way.

The rise of products like CBD oils are essentially a response to customers looking for products that are beneficial to their health but not recreational in the traditional cannabis sense. The good news is that low THC strains are pretty widespread today, whether you want to buy a manufactured product or grow your own plants from seeds.

The top medical and therapeutic uses of low THC strains are:

• Pain relief.
• Preventing epileptic seizures.
• Reducing nausea, including during chemotherapy.
• Appetite improvement.

Lower THC strains can also support conditions such as anxiety and depression without delivering a recreational high.

Choosing the Best Low THC Strains

There’s a big choice out there and that can make things difficult for medicinal cannabis users.

Our first piece of advice is to do your research. Check online what’s available and look for a strain that is around 1 part THC to 20 parts CBD if you are just starting out and exploring the possibilities.

Once you start to understand the relationship between THC and CBD, you’ll realize that they actually have an effect on each other.

For example, if you have a relatively high THC strain with a modicum of CBD, the latter can dampen or reduce the effect of any high or euphoria. If you are choosing low THC strains because you have a medical condition, however, you may need to try a few different varieties before you find the one that works for you.

Growing Your Own Low THC Strains

If you are eventually going to grow your own plants, buying premade or manufactured products first and trying them out is probably the quickest way to settle on the ideal strain that is going to work for you. After that, you can look at how easy the seeds are to grow. For example, can you grow them indoors? Do you need to cut and prune or train the plant a lot to improve yield? How long will it be until flowering starts?

A lot of these questions and their answers will depend on your developing experience. If this is your first time growing low THC strains (or any strains for that matter), you ideally want one that is quick and easy to grow.

The Top 5 Low THC Strains at Seedsman.com

We have a catalogue of thousands of seeds online and a great range of low THC strains from different breeders. This is an area that has really developed over the last couple of decades as the popularity of medicinal cannabis has grown and we’ve learned more about the potential uses. Here are some of the low THC strains you can buy today.

Very Low THC Strains

If you want to reduce the entire influence of THC in your strain to almost nothing, these seed varieties certainly fit the bill.

1. Candida (CD-1) Feminized Seeds

Produced by the team at Medical Marijuana Genetics, this has fast become a staple in the low THC strains catalogue, not least because of its 10-20% CBD level. It’s a mix of ACDC and Harlequin and the balance of CBD to THC (less than 1%) remains fairly constant whether you’re growing indoors, outside or in the greenhouse.

This is an award-winning strain that is being used for a wide range of health problems including depression, stress and anxiety, inflammation and seizures, as well as conditions such ADHD. There should be good yields of 400 gm/m² and you should expect flowering to commence around week nine.

2. Therapy CBD Feminized Seeds

Created by CBD Crew, this derivative of high THC strains was four years in the making so it deserves a second look. Because this doesn’t come from the usual hemp strains, this has a lot more variability in the way that buds produce levels of both CBD and THC. Overall, however, you should expect about 0.5% THC and 8 to 10% for CBD.

There’s a relaxing and soothing effect you get with this seed strain and it produces a good yield of around 500 gm/m². It is mainly to be grown indoors, however, and you can expect flowering to take place as early as eight weeks.

3. Purplediol CBD Feminized Seeds

This strain was developed from Kush Rose Auto CBD and Afghan Rose Auto CBD, so it’s got a pretty good heritage. It’s got one of the higher CBD levels at around 17% with less than 0.5% for THC. The therapeutic applications are fairly widespread and you can expect a calming and relaxing effect however you take your cannabis.

Compared to some other low THC strains, you should see pretty quick flowering, often as soon as 63 days from germination. The pine and earthy flavor and smell makes it an attractive choice for those who prefer their cannabis with plenty of body.

4. Doctor Seedsman CBD 30:1 Feminized Seeds

One of our own brands, this has been developed from CBD Asia strains and is a great choice for those who are searching for purely medicinal solutions. Its calming effect makes it suitable for treating conditions such as anxiety and, with high yields, you can expect a good crop whether you grow indoors or outdoors.

Flowering time, within 56 days in some cases, is pretty quick and the ginger/pine aroma and taste also make it a great choice.

Medium Low THC Strains

If you prefer your medicinal cannabis to have a bit more kick for one reason or another, choosing a higher level of THC which is offset but not completely masked by the CBD can be a good option. Here are four to choose from:

1. Shark Shock CBD Feminized Seeds

Another one of our own brands at Seedsman.com, this is a mix of Mr.Nice Shark Shock and Remedy, delivering creditable yields of 400 gm/m². You can grow this plant indoors, outdoors or in a greenhouse and flowering should take about eight weeks. With a fruitiness mixed with onion and garlic, some would say it’s an acquired taste but many of our customers love it.

The strain is used to reduce inflammation, help with anxiety and take the edge off pain without the accompanying strong high that you get with many other strains.

2. Critical Mass CBD Feminized Seeds

If you want a higher yield when it comes to low THC strains, this Mr Nice Critical Mass and Remedy genetic mix is going to tick all the right boxes. Expect 500 gm/m² on average and equal quantities of CBD and THC (about 6-8% each). It’s a strain that has a honey, sweet flavor and is used for a wide range of medicinal purposes by our customers.

3. OG Kush CBD Feminized Seeds

Talk to any regular cannabis user around the world and they will certainly have heard of OG Kush. More often associated with euphoria and relaxation, this particular strain is designed more for medicinal use. Our customers have used it for helping with arthritis pain, reducing epileptic seizures and combatting muscle spasms as well as for mental health conditions such as PTSD.

Depending on the lighting, you can achieve good yields up to 500 gm/m² and flowering will take place between 9 and 12 weeks.

4. Peach Puree CBD Feminized Seeds

A mix of Sweet Diesel and The Orange, this one may not be on your radar but is proving popular with our customers. You should expect around 10% CBD and 5% THC that delivers an uplifting effect. Customers have used Peach Puree CBD for a variety of conditions including dealing with stomach problems, improving insomnia, counteracting anxiety and reducing muscle spasms.

These are just a few of the different low THC strains that are on sale on the Seedsbank.ie site. Finding the strain that suits your medical condition can take a bit of work before you find something that covers what you need. The good news is all our seed listings come with comprehensive descriptions about what affects they deliver and how easy they are to grow. You can also contact us directly if you are looking for something specific or just need advice on making the best choice.