Cannabis packaging has gone a long way in recent years, whether your state has a medicinal marijuana program, legal adult-use marijuana, or both. Marijuana products these days are almost always labeled with harvest date, while flowers have an expiry date. So, even with improved packaging, you’re probably still left with the age-old concerns of how long marijuana lasts and how to keep it fresh.
This article will go over why it’s essential to store your marijuana correctly and how long it lasts under optimal circumstances.
Why is it so essential to store cannabis properly?
The most dangerous to cannabis’s shelf life is moisture. Overly wet cannabis may also be harmful to one’s health since it promotes mold and mildew development.
A relative humidity level of more than 65 percent may substantially increase the chances of mold developing on your marijuana. According to the American Herbal Products Association, the drying procedure dehydrates cannabis until it has a moisture level of less than 15%, and the curing step progressively removes the residual moisture to preserve the volatile oils.
So, too much moisture is undesirable, but losing too much may damage your flower’s integrity. Your bud, for example, may grow brittle and lose essential terpenes, which influence potency and flavor.
Fortunately, the process of finding the right balance begins long before you purchase marijuana. While no two cultivators dry their flowers similarly, they all dry their blooms and then cure them.
When cannabis is correctly cured, moisture trapped within the bud can gently evaporate from the flower without harming the cannabinoids and terpenes. The flower is put into packaging with extra oxygen removed after reaching the ideal moisture content (usually between 6 and 9 percent). It’s critical to preserve that equilibrium when you get it home or after purchasing from marijuana delivery in West Hollywood.
The water activity of your cannabis should be between 0.55 and 0.65 for proper storage. Because water activity rises with temperature, keeping buds fresh requires a combination of light and temperature management.
In the end, make sure your marijuana does not get too wet and moldy.
The ideal temperature for storing marijuana
Mold and mildew flourish at temps over 74 degrees, so it’s best to keep marijuana stored below that. The best temperature for storing marijuana is approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). Why? Mold and mildew, the nemeses of safe and healthy cannabis, may be caused by high temperatures coupled with high relative humidity.
High temperatures may dry up your flower and evaporate sensitive terpenes, but this is only an issue if you intend to use a flower vaporizer with temperature control. After all, burning a joint with a flame will kill the majority of them.
When you store flowers at high temps, your terpenes will deplete, and your buds will dry up. This may result in an unpleasant taste as well as a problematic experience. Alternatively, keeping your stash at too low a temperature may cause terpene and cannabinoid levels to degrade.
Keep your marijuana in a cool location, such as a closet or pantry.
Keep marijuana in a sealed container.
A tray exposed to air and light in a plastic sandwich bag, or a clear glass jar, or a similar big glass container is among the worst places to keep your cannabis.
High oxygen levels may accelerate the breakdown of cannabinoids and terpenes. “Does marijuana lose strength once it dries out?” is a frequent question among customers and patients. Yes, it is correct. When a bud is exposed to air, it starts to dry up, and oxygen destroys the terpenes, cannabinoids, and other phytonutrients found in the plant. Keep your stockpile in an airtight container to keep it safe from excessive air. THCA is exposed to air, and light slowly converts to THC and subsequently to CBN; which is believed to aid sleep.
Cultivators go to great pains to ensure that your flower is packed with the right amount of moisture, typically done in opaque packaging to keep the light out. Several businesses have begun replacing the oxygen in their packed flowers with nitrogen for preservation. So you may be perplexed as to why certain dispensaries continue to use transparent containers. In a nutshell, old habits die hard. When choosing cannabis, seeing and smelling the goods on the shelf is still a crucial factor for many individuals.
It’s best to purchase lesser quantities of pre-packaged cannabis through weed delivery service if you don’t care about seeing and smelling the product before buying it.
To summarize, keep cannabis in a cold, dark location in an airtight container with as little air as possible.
Reduce the amount of light exposure
While cannabis plants need light throughout their different phases of development, UV rays may quickly damage your flower after harvesting. It is best to keep your stash away from direct light during storage to prevent losing important terpene and cannabinoid content. If you can’t keep your container in the dark location; utilize opaque containers or use stickers or tape to cover any places on the container where light may penetrate.
How to determine if marijuana has gone wrong?
When it comes to marijuana flowers, various patients and customers may have radically different views about what “gone bad” looks like. It has officially “gone bad” for some when the quality begins to deteriorate, and the terpene and cannabinoid strength diminish. It hasn’t “gone bad” for others until it is moldy.
In general, though, it is simple to determine when your stockpile has died. This is usually seen in the bud’s appearance and its feel, smell, taste, and strength. If it’s dry and dusty, has mold or mildew, or has been sitting in a non-airtight container or plastic bag for many years, chances are it’s gone wrong.
Final Thoughts
The priceless trichomes on your marijuana buds, like nearly everything else, aren’t going to live forever. Exposure to heat, light, and moisture causes changes in the molecular structure over time.
Extreme temperatures, too much moisture, too much air; or too many UV rays cause chemical changes in cannabinoids and terpenes, which decrease the flower’s efficacy. Taste and mouthfeel may also be affected by these variables. Keep an eye on the harvest date and take precautions to prevent exposure to the aforementioned factors to keep your marijuana in peak form for as long as possible.
