If you’ve ever looked for an expiration date on your fresh bought flower, you’ve noticed that there is none. There might be a harvest date, test date, and packaging date, but cannabis doesn’t necessarily have an expiration date. So how do you know if it’s still good? Quality packaging does a lot to help keep your weed good as new, but it can’t keep it fresh forever.
How to Store Your Weed
Air, light, temperature, and moisture all make a difference when it comes to storing your weed.
You want an airtight container to store your cannabis, like the container you bought it in. While it’s best to keep your cannabis in something opaque to keep light out, many containers at dispensaries are clear. You can keep your jar in a paper bag or stash it away in a cabinet to help keep light out. According to a study by the University of London, light exposure has a large effect in losing cannabinoids.
Keeping your cannabis cool is another important tip, as mold thrives in warm temperatures, and the terpenes will evaporate if the cannabis is too warm. We don’t mean you should put your cannabis in the freezer! Storing your weed at around 65 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
Another important note when storing cannabis is moisture. You want to keep the moisture to a minimum if you’ll be storing your cannabis. Some brands sell cannabis in containers with built in humidity control, but others you might have to buy a humidity pack. This will help keep the moisture out.
If stored correctly, your weed can stay good for about a year.
Is My Weed Still Good?
Weed will lose potency overtime, even if you follow all of our advice. Cannabis loses THC, terpenes, and other cannabinoids over time. But how do you know if it’s still good? You can smell the cannabis to see if it’s too old. Old weed will lose it’s scent or at the very least smell different from when you first purchased.
Another way to know if your weed has gone bad is the look and feel. If your weed was stored with too much moisture, it can grow mold, which will be white or gray and powdery looking. If your weed has mold on it, throw it away! You don’t want to breathe mold into your lungs, especially if you’re allergic.
While too much moisture causes problems, not enough moisture does too. If you find that your weed is a little dried out, you can place a small apple slice, a lemon rind, or an orange rind in your container overnight to rehydrate your cannabis. Make sure the fruit you choose is something you like, as it will give the weed a little bit of that flavor! Dried weed won’t harm you like moldy weed will, but the older it is, the less potent it’ll be.
If stored correctly, your cannabis should last about a year, but we like to opt for buying as much as you can smoke in about a month. This will ensure you’re smoking fresh weed every time!
