Weed smoking can get expensive. The average cost of weed for a regular consumer total about 200 dollars an oz for high-quality weed alone. Naturally, you want the weed you buy to remain potent and last as long as possible while keeping fresh. Understanding how to store weed is important for keeping your stash as fresh as possible.
Your weed will be good for as long as you take quality care of it. Often, you may be tempted to smoke a small bud you forgot about in your jacket you haven’t touched in months, or maybe you have leftovers from a party a few weeks back that’s been sitting out on your table since then. There is no fast and easy rule for determining an expiration date on your weed, but if you keep it stored well, it should last you up to a year before losing potency and flavor.
Are you unsure of proper storage for your cannabis? Contact our team at Sparc today!
What Can Degrade Your Weed?
Weed is an organic substance. Like many organic compounds, they need specialized care to remain high quality—things like light, air, moisture, and temperature all influence your weed lifespan.
Related: How to Become a Budtender: a Complete Guide
Light
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are harmful to cannabis plants, and for a good reason. UV tends to damage the cellular structure of organic compounds if exposure is prolonged and intense; it is why we experience sunburn when we’re outdoors for too long. Researchers from The School of Pharmacy, University of London, found that light exposure was the single most debilitating risk factor for cannabis plant degradation. They concluded this by observing the effects of light on destroying cannabinoids, the chemical compounds responsible for cannabis potency. When stored away from direct light, cannabis plants can last for an additional year or more.
Air
Cannabis needs oxygen to live when growing and curing, but after harvesting, you do not want too much air hitting the bud for an extended period. Cannabis needs to strike a balance between elasticity and firmness, and weed that’s been exposed to air for too long becomes dry and inelastic.
Moisture
Humidity in the atmosphere is important for nearly all plant life; it determines the climate and optimal conditions for a certain species of plant to grow. In the case of cannabis, mold is an issue in moist environments.
Temperature
Extreme heat and extreme cold can cause damage to the buds, and dry the cannabis out. This habit of storing your cannabis will destroy the terpenes and cannabinoids contained in the plant. You usually hear people recommend that you store your cannabis in a cool, dark place. People will often think a refrigerator is an optimal choice, but this is a bad gamble for many reasons; condensation can develop within a fridge, and excess moisture can degrade your plant. Avoid the freezer, too, since that will damage the plant’s delicate surface and cause the bud to lose potency.
Any questions about setting the right temperature for your storage container? Contact our team at Sparc with any questions!
What’s The Best Way to Store Weed?
So we have reviewed everything that you should not do, but now let’s switch focus and talk about what you can do to keep your weed lasting as long as possible. The best part is that if done right, you don’t have to make too many modifications to your regular cannabis storage plan.
Ideal temperature
The ideal temperature to store your weed is approximately below 70 degrees F, or 21 degrees C. This strikes the necessary balance to keep your cannabis moist, but not too moist, and simultaneously dry enough to hold its springy texture and retain its potency. Too high of a temperature will dry the bud out and destroy terpenes, making a significant difference in the effects and flavor.
Humidity
The ideal relative humidity (RH) level should fall between 59-63RH since too dry conditions can degrade the cannabinoids in the weed.
Light Setting
If your bud is fully cured, you want to avoid exposing it to direct sunlight for too long. Keeping your weed inside of opaque containers is your best bet since your cannabis really doesn’t need any sunlight to remain potent once cured properly.
Air Control
We recommend storing cannabis in a Mason jar or a similar container with a tight enough seal. The seal should be tight enough to keep excess air out, but forgiving enough to allow a small amount of air inside. Depriving weed of too much air can have the opposite effect.
How to Store Your Weed?
Your choice of container matters; a vacuum seal may be overkill depending on the strain, but blocking out as much air as possible is important. You can improvise with a Mason jar if you cannot find any other tight materials.
Some folks choose to throw rinds of fruit into the containers where they store their cannabis, but doing so runs the risk of throwing the humidity within the jar off. You can end up growing mold and destroying your weed. It is for that reason the only thing you keep in your cannabis container is cannabis. You should avoid tossing your cannabis into containers that also store your pipes and lighters since those can mess with the flavor if they’re allowed to mingle for too long.
Related: How Long Does Weed Stay in Your System? Everything You Need to Know
How Not to Store Your Weed?
Do not ever store your weed in containers that don’t provide a good seal. While it doesn’t have to necessarily be a vacuum-sealed container, you want a container that maintains a tight seal. Keep your container in a dry place at a moderate temperature, and never place it in the fridge or freezer.
Closing Thoughts
While cannabis can be a tool to help you live a happier, healthier life, it can be costly. That’s why it is critical to engage in the best storage practices for your cannabis, so you can enjoy your money’s worth.
Still have lingering questions? Contact us at Sparc to learn more!
