In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 best cannabis strains for anxiety and stress relief. If you want to check out the cities with the most astronomical ganja prices, please refer to 20 Cities with the Most Expensive Weed in the World.
Cannabis culture is deeply embedded in human history and continues to evolve in modern times. Most early civilizations didn’t grow the plant to get high but as herbal medicine, since the ancient varieties of hemp had very low levels of THC – the chemical responsible for the drug’s psychoactive properties. Even until 1995, the average THC content in cannabis seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration was around 4%, but with a growing acceptance of ganja around the world, as well as legalization in many countries and states, cultivators and connoisseurs have developed increasingly sophisticated breeding techniques that have enabled them to select for more potent strains, each one better than before. As a result, much to the pleasure of the potheads out there, the average THC content of America’s favorite herb had already skyrocketed to 17% by 2017 … with no end in sight even today.
Global Cannabis Industry:
As we mentioned in our article – 20 European Cities with Highest Weed Consumption – the global cannabis market was valued at $47.32 billion in 2022, and is projected to expand from $57.18 billion in 2023 to $444.34 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 34% during the forecast period.
Marijuana legalization is gaining momentum around the globe, driven primarily by the increasing recognition that the product may have a range of legitimate medicinal benefits and therapeutic applications. It is the most widely cultivated, trafficked, and consumed drug worldwide.
E-Commerce in the Cannabis Sector:
Demand for online ordering, e-commerce, and delivery options spiked during the Covid-19 pandemic and many businesses were forced to evolve. As an essential business during the lockdowns, cannabis dispensaries and brands also needed to take steps towards e-commerce platforms to meet growing consumer demands. Ultimately, this pandemic-driven shift in e-commerce sales motivated many cannabis brands to implement online dispensary management software and management systems.
Jane Technologies is a California-based startup building the backends for dispensaries that are quickly taking their offerings online, and the platform accounts for 20% of all legal cannabis sales in the U.S. The company announced a $100 million Series C financing round in August 2021, bringing the total amount raised since its founding in 2015 to $130 million.
According to Jane Technologies, online sales account for 38% of all legal cannabis sales. In 2020, the retail tech company powered more than 17 million orders totaling over $2 billion in transactional volume. JT was also quick to launch its first iOS app in 2022 and even launched an innovative point-of-sale platform for cannabis dispensaries last year.
Fastest-Growing Category in the Cannabis Market:
The cannabis beverages segment is the fastest-growing area of the rapidly booming industry, with the global market for cannabis-infused drinks estimated at $1 billion in 2022 and projected to reach $2 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 16.9% over the forecast period.
The United States, being the Country that Consumes the Most Weed in the World, accounts for a 70.9% share in the global cannabis drinks market. CBD-infused beverages are gaining popularity in America where they are becoming easily available through mainstream retail outlets. The growing interest in wellness drinks is also likely to drive gains in the category. Weed-infused potables are popping up in more and more places, with major beverage giants, including Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) and Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD), already looking for their share of the sweet green ganja pie. However, these efforts have not always gone to plan.
The New York-based Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) invested $4 billion in Canopy Growth and launched its first CBD drinks brand called Quatreu in the U.S. three years ago. However, the move hasn’t had the positive impact the company hoped for and in 2022, Constellation took a $1.1 billion non-cash impairment charge on Canopy and a $651 million equity loss.
Similarly, the beer behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE: BUD) also entered the market for cannabis-infused drinks in December 2018 in a $50 million joint venture with Tilray Brands. Again, things didn’t turn out so well for the venture – called Fluent Beverage Co. – and the two companies decided to part ways, also in 2022.
Both, Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) and Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD), rank among the Most Valuable Alcohol Companies in the World.
Photo by CRYSTALWEED cannabis on Unsplash
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we referred to sources such as Leafly, Cannabis Business Times, High Times, and Reddit etc., looking for the Best Weed Strains to Relax. To make sure we only give you the best of the best, we picked strains that appeared multiple times in the aforementioned sources, assigned them a score of 1 each time they were recommended on these websites, and then summed up the scores and ranked our list accordingly. When two or more strains had the same score, we ranked them by the number of upvotes they received on Reddit.
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20. White Widow
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Developed by the Green House Seed Company in Amsterdam, this well-balanced hybrid is a cross of two landrace strains – a Brazilian Sativa and a resin-heavy South Indian Indica. While WW offers energizing effects, it also provides a sense of relaxation and stress relief.
Known for its ability to survive harsh outdoor conditions and short flowering time, White Window is a Great Weed Strain for Novice Growers.
19. Wedding Cake
Insider Monkey Score: 4
A truly sought-after delicacy, Wedding Cake is a potent Indica-dominant hybrid attained by crossing Animal Mints and Triangle Kush. Whether day or night, the high from this strain is incredibly uplifting yet relaxing, providing a burst of energy even as it soothes the mind into a state of relative calm.
18. Remedy
Insider Monkey Score: 5
A cross between Cannatonic and Afghan Skunk, this is a popular High CBD Strain with a reputation for body relaxation and helping with all that life throws at you. Due to its low THC content, it induces little to no psychoactive effects.
17. Strawberry Cough
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Strawberry Cough is a potent Sativa strain known for its fresh smell of strawberries and high THC content. Thought to be a cross between Strawberry Fields and an unknown Haze, SC is an excellent weed strain for socializing, and can provide some euphoric effects leading to a boosted mood and reduced stress.
16. Charlotte’s Web
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Developed by the Stanley Brothers of Colorado, Charlotte’s Web is a Sativa medical marijuana strain famous for its high CBD and low THC content. Although it gained popularity for helping a young girl (named Charlotte) with a rare seizure disorder, Charlotte’s Web is also used in several health and wellness products to help ease anxiety, pain, and depression without any psychoactive effects.
Known as one of the Strongest CBD Strains in the market, Charlotte’s Web is a Great Sativa for Anxiety and Depression.
15. Trident
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Notable for its extremely high CBD content of 12%, Trident is an excellent strain for managing anxiety and stress, while remaining mentally focused. This also makes it a great choice for novice consumers.
14. Sour Tsunami
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Created by the Southern Humboldt Seed Collective by crossing Sour Diesel and NYC Diesel strains, Sour Tsunami became famous for being one of the first to be specifically bred for high CBD rather than THC content. Sour Tsunami is an excellent option for people looking to treat physical pain, inflammation, and anxiety disorder without producing a significant ‘high’ that is linked to THC.
13. Harle-Tsu
Insider Monkey Score: 6
A short, stout, busy, and Sativa-dominant strain, Harle-Tsu is created through a cross of the infamous Harlequin and Sour Tsunami strains. With a CBD content that typically falls between 13-18%, Harle-Tsu comes with a clear-headed high and vast therapeutic potential, making it an excellent strain for stress management and racing thoughts.
12. Pennywise
Insider Monkey Score: 7
A cross between Harlequin and Jack the Ripper, this Stephen King-inspired strain is admired for its well-rounded and gentle effects. Pennywise has a very well-balanced CBD-to-THC ratio, making it a great option for individuals seeking anxiety and stress relief.
11. Canna-Tsu
Insider Monkey Score: 8
Also bred by Northern California’s Southern Humboldt Seed Collective, Canna-Tsu is a strain that combines the genetics from two CBD-rich parents – Cannatonic and Sour Tsunami. Its lineage is a testament to the breeder’s intention to create a strain that offers the best of both worlds – the calming effects and mental clarity of CBD, with the gentle uplift of THC.
10. Sour Diesel
Insider Monkey Score: 8
Created by an accidental pollination of a Chemdawg 91 by Super Skunk, Sour Diesel is a prolific Sativa-dominant strain that packs quite a punch. Its energizing and uplifting properties have provided a source of inspiration for artists, musicians, and creatives alike.
9. Harlequin
Insider Monkey Score: 8
Developed primarily from Colombian Gold, a Nepali Indica, and Swiss and Thai Sativas, Harlequin is a strain that has gained notoriety for its elevated CBD content and induces a very mellow, yet uplifting and happy high. This award-winning medical marijuana strain’s gentle cerebral stimulation can induce relaxation without causing anxiety.
8. OG Kush
Insider Monkey Score: 9
Although it has been around since the early ‘90s, OG Kush is one of the most popular strains at the moment, renowned for its distinct aroma and potent effects. With a THC strength of 23% to 26%, this powerful strain delivers the relaxation and body buzz that one expects from an Indica, but unlike most, it also provides an extremely euphoric but clear-headed high like a top-shelf Sativa.
Highly popular among the online community, OG Kush sits among the Best Strains for Anxiety According to Reddit.
7. Northern Lights
Insider Monkey Score: 10
Northern Lights is one of the best-known cannabis strains in the world, cherished for its resinous buds, fast flowering, and resilience during growth. This multi-award-winning, Indica-dominant strain offers a serene embrace, akin to watching its namesake light show in the Arctic sky, thus alleviating stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Made by crossing Afghani with Thai, Northern Lights has itself also been a parent to many other popular hybrid strains, further solidifying its influence in the cannabis breeding world.
6. Girl Scout Cookies
Insider Monkey Score: 11
GSC is an award-winning hybrid strain that has taken the cannabis world by storm, both in the U.S. and internationally. Made from a legendary cross of OG Kush and Durban Poison, this highly potent strain is super effective in relieving stress and anxiety, considering it is taken in low doses.
5. Blue Dream
Insider Monkey Score: 12
Considered by many as a top-shelf strain, Blue Dream is a highly popular Sativa-dominant hybrid created from a cross between two well-loved and potent strains – Blueberry and Haze – creating an ideal balance for both recreational and medicinal use. A handful of accolades, including 1st place in the ‘Sativa’ and ‘Outdoor’ categories at the Cannabis Cup, have earned this variety an unwavering legendary status in the international cannabis community.
With its mid-range potency, Blue Dream induces a happy, uplifted, and euphoric cerebral high, making it one of the Best Strains for Social Anxiety.