THC and CBD are mind altering substances. Their concentration and ratio are what determine effects. We don’t measure alcohol strength by the grains used to make it; we measure it by alcohol content. You can buy indica with 30% THC and 0% CBD and indica with 0% THC and 30% CBD and they’re going to have way different effects in the same way you can buy grain alcohol at 2% and 40%.

That being said, there isn’t a lot of studies on what ratios give what affects and in what dosages. Because of that, it isn’t bad to see how people rate a particular product, assuming the product always has the same amounts of THC and CBD.

On leafly? Basically useless.

Unfortunately, you will need to taste test a strain yourself to see how it effects you.

Theres no hard evidence on why different strains produce different experiences. Some think it is the terpene profile, or the plant age at harvest, or your mentality and expectations and mood, or your personal bodily chemistry, etc.

Maybe its one of these, maybe its a mix. Maybe its something we havent considered.

Sadly, this means no website or budtender can accurately tell you how a strain will make you feel.

In my personal experience? Strains with similar terpene profiles have similar-ish effects. Sour, heavy citrus strains give me headaches and make me anxious, while pine heavy strains make me sleepy and mellow. I trust my nose with strains I do not know.

Try and find a pattern that works for you. Stick with it until the science can catch up.

I think it’s a nature vs nurture issue, it can be accurate under ideal conditions, but grow conditions vary. With a grain of salt, strains seem to be sort of accurate, but also wildly variant, kind of like dog breeds.