We’ve got it pretty easy here with our Washington state dispensaries providing us with lots of variety and choices. While most of the products from the shop are resealable, keeping your weed in the packaging it came in might not be the best way to store it, especially if it’s just a resealable bag that could experience some airflow.
If you’re one of the people who don’t go through their marijuana stash quickly and prefer to keep a stash hidden away for the right moment, storing it properly is crucial. There’s nothing worse than coming to your stash only to find it’s completely dried out or worse, moldy.
When properly stored, cannabinoids can last for up to two years, says one study. Improperly stored cannabis can degrade much quicker and become unpleasant or even unsafe to use.
THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF CANNABIS STORAGE
There are several things that can damage your stash while storing it. Avoid these elements to prevent degrading your weed prematurely.
STORE YOUR WEED AWAY FROM THE LIGHT
Studies have shown that ultraviolet light contributes to the breakdown of THC, so it’s a good idea to keep your stash away from natural light. UV rays are capable of quickly degrading your bud, so be sure to keep it far away from their reach.
KEEP YOUR CANNABIS COOL AND DRY
Another surefire way to degrade your cannabis quickly is to allow in moisture or heat. A drawer, cabinet, or other places that shut and work well to store other objects are good choices to prevent this.
If it gets too dry in the storage space, your cannabis could actually become brittle and lose some of its most important trichomes. It’s a balancing act, but the goal is to keep moisture and humidity out without making your cannabis too dry.
USE AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER
Avoid anything like Tupperware with snapping lids, as these do not fully seal the air out. The best option is something like a jar that will seal completely without excess oxygen. It’s best to cater your jar size to the amount of cannabis you have to keep it freshest. If you’ve got a small amount of cannabis you want to store, don’t put it in a large jar where most of the contents are air, but instead put it in a small jar with little room to spare.
DON’T FREEZE OR REFRIGERATE YOUR STASH!
Freezers and refrigerators can be lifesavers when it comes to storing things we’re not ready to use. You can keep endless amounts of food frozen and heat it up later without losing much flavor. This is not the case for cannabis.
Trichomes will become brittle and crumble as you handle your cannabis, resulting in the loss of precious terpenes and cannabinoids that make cannabis what it is.
DON’T STORE ABOVE ANYTHING THAT PRODUCES HEAT
Maybe you’ve got a great, dark cupboard above the stove or a nice drawer above an electronic that gives off heat. You should avoid storing your cannabis above anything that gives off heat, as this can make its way to your stash and cause problems. The lower you can store your cannabis, the better.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON STORING CANNABIS
If you’re not someone who blazes through a dispensary haul in a week, you’re going to want to find a way to store your cannabis and keep it fresh. Nothing is more of a buzzkill than pulling out the weed you bought weeks ago and seeing that it’s degraded due to sunlight or other factors.
Happy storing, and here’s to fresh weed all the time.
