> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.highailabs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# How Strain Data Works
> Understand how cannabis strain data is structured — types, genetics, lineage, terpene profiles, and how High IQ curates and verifies data from multiple sources.
## Overview
Every strain profile on High IQ and [thisiswhyimhigh.com](https://thisiswhyimhigh.com) is built from structured data covering the strain's type classification, genetic lineage, chemical profile, effects, medical uses, and more. This guide explains how that data is organized, where it comes from, and what each field means.
The platform currently tracks **16,000+ cannabis strains** — one of the largest curated strain databases available.
## Strain Types
Strains are traditionally classified into three types based on the plant's physical characteristics and geographic origins. While modern research has shown these categories are imperfect predictors of effects, they remain widely used in the industry and provide a useful starting point.
**Origin:** Equatorial regions (Southeast Asia, Central America, Africa)
**Plant:** Tall, narrow leaves, longer flowering time
**Traditional association:** Energizing, uplifting, cerebral effects
**Best for:** Daytime use, creativity, social activities
**Origin:** Hindu Kush mountain region (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India)
**Plant:** Short, bushy, broad leaves, shorter flowering time
**Traditional association:** Relaxing, sedating, body-focused effects
**Best for:** Evening use, pain relief, sleep
**Origin:** Cross-breeding of sativa and indica genetics
**Plant:** Varies widely depending on parent strains
**Traditional association:** Balanced mix of sativa and indica effects
**Best for:** Depends on the specific cross and dominant genetics
Modern cannabis research (2025) has debunked the idea that indica and sativa labels reliably predict effects. After decades of cross-breeding, nearly all commercial strains are genetic hybrids. The chemical profile — terpenes and cannabinoids — is a far better predictor of experience. This is why High IQ developed the [High Families](/guides/cannabis/high-families) classification system.
### Detailed Type Classification
High IQ goes beyond basic indica/sativa/hybrid with a detailed classification system based on actual composition percentages:
| Classification | Criteria | Example |
| -------------------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------- |
| **Pure Sativa** | 100% sativa genetics | Durban Poison |
| **Sativa (95%+)** | Near-pure sativa | Thai |
| **Sativa-Dominant Hybrid** | 60-94% sativa | Blue Dream (60/40) |
| **Balanced Hybrid** | 40-60% either way | White Widow (50/50) |
| **Indica-Dominant Hybrid** | 60-94% indica | Girl Scout Cookies (60/40) |
| **Indica (95%+)** | Near-pure indica | Hindu Kush |
| **Pure Indica** | 100% indica genetics | Afghani |
When a strain's composition data is available (e.g., "70% Sativa / 30% Indica"), the detailed classification is computed automatically. When composition is unknown, the basic type from the database is used.
## Genetics and Lineage
### Parent Strains
Most cannabis strains are the offspring of two parent strains. The strain profile shows:
* **Parent 1 and Parent 2** — The two strains that were crossed to create this one
* **Breeder** — The seed company or cultivator that developed the cross (when known)
* **Year introduced** — When the strain first appeared on the market (when documented)
For example, **Blue Dream** is a cross of Blueberry (indica) and Haze (sativa), creating a sativa-dominant hybrid.
### Lineage Trees
Some strains have deep lineage trees spanning multiple generations. High IQ tracks parent-child relationships so you can explore a strain's genetic ancestry:
The parents of the parent strains. Gives insight into the deeper genetic heritage.
The direct cross that produced the strain. Most influential on the final product's characteristics.
Other strains bred from this one. Helps you discover related genetics you might enjoy.
## Chemical Profile Data
Each strain's profile includes chemical data when available, organized into the following categories:
### Cannabinoids
* **THC** — Primary psychoactive compound. Range given as percentage of dry weight (e.g., 18-24%).
* **CBD** — Primary non-psychoactive therapeutic compound. Many recreational strains are under 1%.
* **CBG** — The "mother cannabinoid." Usually under 1% in mature flower.
* **CBN** — Oxidation product of THC. Increases in aged flower.
* **CBC** — Non-psychoactive anti-inflammatory. Typically under 0.3%.
* **THCV** — Appetite suppressant. Higher in some African landrace strains.
### Terpenes
Terpene data is presented as a ranked list of the dominant terpenes in the strain's profile. When concentration percentages are available, they are included. The terpene profile is the primary driver of the strain's [High Family](/guides/cannabis/high-families) classification.
See the full [Terpene Guide](/guides/cannabis/terpene-guide) for details on all 17 tracked terpenes.
### Aromas and Flavors
Aromas (what you smell) and flavors (what you taste) are categorized using a standardized taxonomy. Common descriptors include:
Soil, forest floor, mushroom
Lemon, orange, grapefruit
Blueberry, strawberry, grape
Fresh pine, conifer, wood
Fuel, chemical, pungent
Lavender, rose, jasmine
Pepper, clove, cinnamon
Honey, sugar, vanilla
## Effects Data
### Effect Categories
Effects are organized into three categories:
| Category | Icon | Description | Examples |
| ----------- | -------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Mind** | Brain | Cerebral and cognitive effects | Euphoric, creative, focused, energetic, giggly, talkative |
| **Body** | Muscle | Physical and sensory effects | Relaxed, sleepy, hungry, tingly, body high, sedated |
| **Medical** | Hospital | Therapeutic and medicinal effects | Pain relief, stress relief, anxiety relief, insomnia relief, anti-nausea |
### Medical Uses
Medical use data is further divided into **mental health** effects (stress relief, anxiety relief, mood elevation, focus, creativity) and **body** effects (muscle relaxation, pain relief, sleep support, appetite stimulation, anti-inflammatory). Each effect includes an intensity score from 1 to 10.
## Activity and Time-of-Day Recommendations
Strains include recommendations for:
* **Best time of day** — Morning, afternoon, evening, or night
* **Recommended activities** — Creative work, social events, exercise, relaxation, meditation, sleep, and more
* **Activity categories** — Grouped by type (physical, social, creative, relaxation, therapeutic)
## AI-Generated Soundtracks
Every strain in the High IQ database has a unique AI-composed song generated from its chemical and effects profile. These soundtracks give each strain a sonic identity derived directly from its data.
| Field | Description |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Genre** | Musical genre derived from the strain's effect profile and High Family classification |
| **BPM** | Tempo matched to the strain's expected energy level |
| **Key** | Musical key selected to evoke the strain's dominant effects |
| **Duration** | Track length in seconds |
| **Lyrics** | AI-written lyrics referencing the strain's terpenes, effects, and character |
Soundtracks are accessible from the strain detail page in the app, from each strain's encyclopedia page on the website (via an embedded audio player), and from the **Music Hub** at [thisiswhyimhigh.com/music](https://thisiswhyimhigh.com/music) — which lets you browse all tracks by genre, mood, High Family, or curated playlist. Tracks are generated via Google Lyria 3 Pro and auto-trigger after the strain research pipeline completes for each new strain.
## Where Strain Data Comes From
High IQ aggregates and normalizes data from multiple sources:
Strain data is collected from public databases, dispensary catalogs, and research publications. Each source contributes different data points — some are strong on genetics, others on terpene testing, others on user-reported effects.
High IQ uses a multi-stage research pipeline powered by AI to fill gaps in strain data. This includes searching academic databases, analyzing clinical literature, and cross-referencing data points across sources. The pipeline runs on Trigger.dev with 12 specialized tasks.
Raw data from different sources uses inconsistent naming, formatting, and scales. The `@tiwih/api-normalizers` package standardizes everything — normalizing strain types, parsing terpene names, cleaning effect lists, and converting percentages to consistent formats.
AI-powered quality checks validate data consistency, flag outliers (e.g., a strain claiming 50% THC), and ensure that terpene profiles align with reported effects. Strains that do not pass the quality gate are flagged for manual review.
The database is continuously updated as new strains enter the market, new research is published, and existing profiles are refined. A competitor strain monitoring system tracks major databases weekly to identify new strains to research.
## Understanding Strain Scores
Each strain on the platform may include a **quality score** that reflects the completeness and reliability of its data:
* **Data completeness** — Does the strain have genetics, terpenes, cannabinoids, effects, and medical use data?
* **Source diversity** — Is the data confirmed across multiple independent sources?
* **Research backing** — Are the effects supported by clinical or preclinical research?
* **User consensus** — Do user reports align with the documented effects?
A high-scoring strain is not necessarily a "better" strain — it just means the data behind its profile is more complete and reliable. A strain with a lower score may simply be newer or less studied.
## Searching and Filtering
On [thisiswhyimhigh.com](https://thisiswhyimhigh.com) and in the High IQ app, you can search and filter strains by:
* **Name** — Full or partial strain name search
* **Type** — Sativa, indica, hybrid, or detailed sub-types
* **High Family** — Relaxing, Uplifting, Energetic, Relieving, Balancing, Entourage
* **Effects** — Filter by specific mind, body, or medical effects
* **Terpenes** — Find strains dominated by a specific terpene
* **THC/CBD range** — Set minimum and maximum potency thresholds
* **Similar strains** — Find strains with similar chemical profiles to one you already enjoy