Can weed go bad?
As we all know, cannabis is an incredibly fantastic product, but it is also unprocessed and unpreserved (other than through drying over time). And so, while the cannabis is unadulterated, it is even more at risk of going bad.
We’ll teach you the cool dark storage tips you need to know to do your part in keeping your cannabis from getting bad. In this following article, we’ll talk all about this topic of when weed go bad – you’ll also learn about the other negative impacts of poor storage, including reduced potency of your cannabis. That means less THC, which is no good!
Can Weed Actually go Bad?
Yes, as most of you out there would know if you’ve ever smoked old weed.
Most problems with old weed involve overly dry weed and reduce potency. We’ll explore both of these very unfortunate but only minor concerns as far as your health goes, in this article.
Sadly, weed can go bad in ways that are also dangerous to your health, which is more similar to the risks of spoiled food. As you’ve likely figured out in your life, there is a big difference from food that’s been in your freezer too long and rotting food that has started to grow mysterious stuff. The same goes for weed.
Later on, we’ll discuss these two major ways that weed can go bad and the impacts of them. But before that, let’s look at what ideal storage conditions look like. We’ll explore ideal storage in hopes that you can learn how to keep weed fresh as long as possible.
Weed Storage
First, let’s mention what ideal storage conditions look like. Making sure you follow these simple steps can reduce the chances that your weed will go bad. Store your medical marijuana in an airtight container, somewhere cool and dark. Darkness is critical, as sunlight will rapidly age the weed.
Temperatures need to be maintained at an appropriate level, around room temperature, but the exact number isn’t super important. Also, you shouldn’t have to worry about cooling the weed unless your storage spot is much warmer than room temperature.
The situation we want to avoid is the conversion of THC to CBN. While CBN is still psychoactive and produces a high, it appears to promote more sedation than THC.
If you’ve ever felt rather tired after smoking some older cannabis, the presence of more CBN and less THC may be at play.
Light exposure impacts the conversion of THC to CBN in negative ways, including the speed.
Temperature impacts only the speed of this conversion of THC to CBN. It should go without saying, but do not let your bud get wet.
Lastly, and this might be obvious, but keep your weed dry. Water will quickly damage the bud and, more importantly, increase the risk of more serious problems like mold. Do not let your marijuana get wet, ever.
So, ensure your weed is stored properly in a cool, dark place in an airtight container. Vacuum sealing can be a good idea if you can do so. This would be especially important if you want to store large amounts of weed for more than a year. We’ll discover later why vacuum sealing would be more beneficial for that time duration.
Yes, weed can both spoil and deteriorate with age. For our full guide on how to keep weed fresh, click here!
Spoiled Weed?
Let’s talk about spoiling first. This includes weed going bad for reasons other than normal aging. Examples include growing mold or rotting away. Often, these effects are a sign that not even moisture was removed during the drying and curing process. Assuming you have stored the cannabis well, you can solace in the fact that this isn’t your fault.
If you note any white substance is growing on your marijuana, similar to what you’d see growing on old food, then you’re in trouble. DO NOT smoke this weed. It should be tossed in the garbage. This growth almost looks like a spider web or white moss.
Mold growth is bad, but burning and inhaling the smoke from moldy weed is very, very bad. You’ll know if your old cannabis has gone bad by simply taking a close look at it.
Deterioration With Age
Another major factor to consider is potency. We know that THC, CBD, and the other cannabinoids degrade over time, even under perfect storage conditions.
Keep in mind that ideal storage conditions produce a significantly slower rate of aging, nonetheless. More research is needed to fully understand this aging process, as studies already completed had some major flaws.
That said, the evidence suggests that you’ll lose a small but significant portion of THC during a year of storage. Various types of storage change how fast this reduction occurs, but it occurs slowly regardless.
What About Cooling Down Your Weed?
Some people store weed in their refrigerator or freezer. Does this prevent spoiling and deterioration with age? It does make sense that using a freezer may prevent spoiling of weed, but it also may just postpone it. Once again, unless you’re drying and curing your weed, spoiled cannabis is generally not your fault or due to storage factors alone.
Now, when it comes to preventing the loss of potency and maintaining fresh bud, is a frig or freezer the right call? in general, the answer appears to be yes.
This study found that storing cannabis in the fridge or freezer reduced the loss of THC over several years in samples of hash and dried flower.
One note, this dried flower was ground-up and stored in that state. The average person keeps their bud intact, and this does seem like the best way to go. They only ground the bud for testing purposes. Other studies have found that issues with your fridge and freezer at home that are worth considering when deciding how to keep your marijuana stored properly.
The problem with our appliances at home is that we open them often, and they generally do not maintain temperature perfectly. These fluctuations in temperature are not helpful. If you have an industrial freezer, then we may be having a different conversation.
Keeping Cannabis Fresh
There you have it, you’ve become an expert on storing cannabis. You’ve learned that you should seal your bud in an airtight container and keep it in complete darkness. Also, we’ve discovered that using a fridge or freezer may be helpful, but it has some issues as well. Consider using cold storage only if you plan on keeping your bud for over a year.
For the average consumer who smoked their bud much more quickly than this, a cool spot in your house will do just fine. The importance of storage is to prevent cannabis from going bad. You also don’t want to lose potency over time from poor storage. So, to prevent cannabis from getting old and getting worse, keep it stored properly.
Finally, sometimes we can develop more serious problems, most commonly mold growth. All it takes is a careful eye to spot this problem if it arises. If it does throw that bad weed away. Always keep your buds dry, and try to smoke them within six months if you can. For more tips on how to rehydrate weed and bring it back to life, check our guide.
With that being said, the best way to avoid weed from going bad is to abstain from purchasing bad weed in the first place! We get it, it’s convenient and easy to buy cheap, low-quality weed but if it’s something that’s going into your body, you deserve the best.
And at Herb Approach, high quality and affordable aren’t mutually exclusive. Check out our shop today to shop the latest deals!