They say it is worth its weight in gold! And rightly so.
As expensive as it has gotten over the last few decades and with its growing demand as of late, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to compare weed with gold.The worst part- while gold does not lose its value over time, cannabis, as an organic compound, does.
Even if you keep your precious weed in its optimum storage conditions, chances are, you can only keep it safe for so long.To give you a rough idea, when kept under the best storage conditions, you can make your weed last for 6 months to 1 year or more. After which, it begins to gradually lose its potency and taste until there is nothing left.
Importance of Proper Cannabis Storage
Storing your hard-earned weed properly is of utmost importance if you wish to get the best value for money.
Why Proper Storage Matters
Weed is a medicinal herb, an organic substance that can go wrong in a number of ways as is the case with regular food items.As such, it can be contaminated by exposure to air, water, moisture, and sun or UV light to be specific.
Contaminated weed can develop a lot of bad traits such as bad smell, lack of taste and strength, and in worst-case scenarios, mold which can compromise the overall quality of your weed.
Effects of Improper Storage
Cannabis tends to lose its strength and freshness over time, no matter what.On top of that, if you keep it loose without proper storage, then it’s natural for the whole process to speed up.Improper storage can lead to physical as well as chemical degradation of weed such as a decline in its cannabinoid and terpene content.
Too much exposure to environmental factors can also cause it to catch mold and become unsafe for consumption. In essence, a lack of proper storage can make your weed lose its taste, efficiency, and effects.So, to avoid it and have the best weed-smoking experience every time, it is crucial to store it properly.
Best Way to Store Weed
There are many ways to store weed and prolong its shelf life. Here’s what you can do:
Use Glass Jars
Being nonporous, airtight, and transparent makes glass jars, especially mason jars the No. 1 option for storing cannabis.That’s because contrary to other materials, glass does not have any toxic and static properties that can temper the quality of your weed. With an airtight seal, it also keeps your stash away from any oxidization.To make the most of it, it is ideal to maintain as little headspace as possible between your weed and the jar’s lid.
Avoid Plastic and Metal
While glass is perfect, using plastic or metal containers to store your weed may not be a great idea, especially in the long term.Apart from affecting the taste and aroma, plastic and metal can lose their nanoparticles over time, which can hamper the quality of your weed.Moreover, due to their static charge, storing cannabis in a metal or plastic jar can cause your flower’s trichomes to fall off and stick to the sides.
Cannabis-Specific Humidors
While humidors are mostly meant for storing cigars in over 70% humidity; weed does not need that level of moisture. If you want to use a humidor, make sure that it is cannabis-specific and made from those types of wood that do not affect the flavor or aroma of your weed.
Vacuum Sealed Bags
Vacuum-sealed bags such as ziplock bags could also be a good option to store your weed even if only for a short while. When using such airtight bags, make sure to remove as much air as possible and avoid touching or playing with the bag too often as it can cause a lot of static and thus affect the quality of your weed.
Best Place to Store Weed
Along with the right kind of container, choosing the right place to store your weed is also crucial.
Cool, Dark, and Dry Locations
Since weed is vulnerable to a lot of external factors such as light, temperature, and moisture, it is important to keep them away from any contact with these elements.The best place to keep your weed jar, therefore, is one that is dark, cool, and away from direct sunlight, moisture, and air.
Avoid Refrigerators and Freezers
Regardless of the outside temperature, never store your weed in a fridge or freezer. That is because a refrigerator tends to have a lot of fluctuations in temperature and humidity in itself which can increase the level of moisture as well as the risk of mold on your weed buds.
Proper Environment Setup
Keeping the above ideal storage conditions in mind, there are ample places that you can find to store your weed jar and prolong the freshness of your previous flower.For instance, a wardrobe, drawer, or cupboard.The point is to keep your airtight container away from direct sunlight, moisture, and air as well as from other organic items to avoid any cross-contamination.
Away from Children and Pets
Needless to say how important it is to keep your weed away from the reach of infants and pets.To be safer, it is better to lock the jar inside a locker or cabinet.
How to Keep Weed Fresh
No matter how far you go in your quest to meet the best storage conditions, if you are not able to keep it fresh, all your efforts will be wasted. To keep your weed always fresh, here’s what you need to do:
Maintaining Optimal Humidity Levels
The right humidity or moisture level for storing weed is between 55% to 65%.Unfortunately, moisture is also one of the biggest threats to dried cannabis. Too much of it can even cause the growth of mold on your weed making it unsafe or at least unpleasant and harsh to smoke.
Using Humidity Control Packs
To maintain the right humidity levels of your weed, you can always use a humidifier or humidity pack by attaching or placing it inside the jar.As a cheaper alternative to cannabis-oriented humidors, a humidity pack is designed to keep the moisture level of a content around 62% at all times which is perfect for weed.
Clean Containers
Before using any container for your weed, make sure to clean it inside out to prevent any kind of contamination.If the jar was being used for some other food item previously, take time to clean it thoroughly to remove any particles or stench.
Practical Tips for storing weed for a long time
One of the major challenges of storing weed is to sustain its quality and freshness for a long.
While somewhat challenging, here’s what needs to be done:
Avoiding Light Exposure
UV light and heat, as in sunlight could be quite detrimental to weed. When exposed to it directly, it can degrade or break down the potent chemicals of cannabis such as cannabinoids into less potent compounds.For example, converting THC (the key psychoactive compound) to CBD or Cannabidiol which is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid and does not produce a high.
Temperature Control
Speaking of heat, any temperature above 70° F or 20° C could be harmful to weed as it can demolish its cannabinoid and terpene content.This is why it is important to store cannabis in a dark and cold place only.
Minimizing Air Exposure
At the same time, since air and oxygen have enough moisture or water in them, it is recommended to keep your weed away from them.Aside from keeping it in air-tight glass containers, you might also want to check the state of your weed from time to time, whether you use it daily or not.
Regular Checks
Checking the condition of your weed regularly is also crucial to detect any early signs of weed deterioration and mold.If you find any irregularities or additional growth, you can change the jar or use the remaining weed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid when Storing Weed
Despite knowing the ins and outs of storing weed, sometimes it is just not enough. For starters, it is not always possible to fight the forces of nature and keep your plant intact at all times.On the other hand, it is our negligence or the ‘high’ that causes us to make mistakes when storing the rest of our weed.
For instance,
Using Plastic Bags
One of the most common mistakes that people make when storing weed is the use of plastic bags.As I mentioned earlier, plastic is a toxic material that tends to release its chemicals and tiny particles called nano-plastics over time. It also has enough static electricity to fry the trichomes and other fragile compounds found in cannabis.
So, say no to plastic if you want to keep your weed stock safe and effective. In case there is no other way to store your weed but a plastic bag then make sure to use it only for the time being.
Overpacking Containers
Stuffing the jar or container with too much cannabis is yet another mistake that users make. Overpacking your weed container can spoil the richness of the texture and taste as well as the effectiveness of your weed.
Ignoring Humidity Control
Similarly, paying a lack of attention to the moisture level of your weed is a major error in maintaining its best quality.To keep it under control, you can use multiple devices such as a cannabis-specific humidor or a humidifier or humidity pack.
Storing Different Types of Cannabis Products
While the above guidelines work just fine when it comes to storing dried weed buds or flowers, they may not be as useful for other types of cannabis products.
Depending on the type of the product, the right way of storing it may also vary. Let’s take a quick peek:
Edibles and Perishables
Cannabis edibles are rapidly becoming a popular choice among cannabis users, especially those taking them for medicinal purposes.
Due to the wide range of these edibles and beverages, the ideal storage conditions for them may differ. To get a fair idea, it is advisable to check the storage instructions and expiration date of these cannabis-infused products and use or store them accordingly.
Tinctures and Concentrates
Being highly potent and viscous makes cannabis tinctures, oils, and other types of concentrates quite vulnerable to heat, moisture, and light. Even more so than dried cannabis flowers.So, when storing them, make sure to keep them in their original packing and in a dry, cool, and dark place.
Pre-Rolls and Joints
Pre-rolled joints have the same type of raw dried buds that are meant for smoking.As such, they need a similar way of storage as is the case with dry cannabis flowers. That is an air-tight container with zero exposure to light, air, moisture, and heat.
Conclusion
All in all, storing weed is all about maintaining its original flavor and freshness.As an organic compound, the best way to store it is in an air-tight glass jar or container with a humidity pack. To keep it unaffected by external factors such as heat, sunlight, and other weather fluctuations, place the jar in a cupboard or cabinet that is out of the reach of kids and pets.
Finally, only store a month’s or two worth of weed at once and not more than that to obtain the best-desired taste and effects.To get your hands on the finest weed in California, visit our West Coast Safe Delivery and avail a straight 30% off on your first order.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cannabis Storage
Ans: The best window for storing weed and maintaining its topmost state is somewhere about 6 months as after that the quality or potency of the stuff starts to deteriorate.
Ans: Storing weed, especially dry cannabis in a fridge or refrigerator is never a good idea due to the extent of moisture and unstable temperature in it.However, cannabis-infused edibles and beverages along with certain tinctures and other distillates can certainly be stored in a fridge given that it is mentioned on the product’s label.
