Like open beer and uncorked wine, weed will eventually go bad. Leave it long enough in the packaging and it might dry out and become crumbly. It can become a breeding ground for mold, too. Here are some ways to prolong the duration of your weed’s quality.
One option is to put it in an airtight glass container like a Mason jar. These present the ideal vessel for two reasons. Firstly, marijuana has a tendency to dry out, and although dry weed is easier to roll with, smoking these dry dregs taste like eating the crumbs from the bottom of your toaster. That’s because the excessive dryness can destroy the terpenes and cannabinoids, which feels unpleasant on your throat to smoke. So until you open it, your cannabis should stay as fresh as the day you decided to store it safely.
The second reason mason jars are great for storing weed is because glass, unlike plastic, keeps your cannabis tasting wholesome and weed-y. As you probably learned in your environmental science classes (or from practical experience), plastic secretes chemicals that affect your bud’s taste as the temperatures change. Glass, on the other hand, does not. Furthermore, the airtight component helps to preserve your weed’s natural aromatics.
UV Rays & Marijuana
But other things can hurt your weed. As with beer, light and heat are your enemy. Light’s UV rays have been attributed to destroying cannabinoids. It also contributes to heating up the container. This can dry out, or, depending on the relative humidity level, sweat out your weed, increasing the risk of mold developing.
One alternative to glass is an airtight titanium container. Although any metal would work on some level, titanium does not taint your bud with flavor-altering chemicals. Furthermore, unlike glass, it does protect from the cannabinoid-destroying UV rays, although it’s still best to keep weed out of the sun to avoid turning your container into a furnace. If all else, titanium is less likely to break than glass, an experience that would ruin any smoke session.
The Humidity Factor
If you’re really invested in guaranteeing your cannabis maintains its tip-top form (especially if your supply costs you a pretty penny), then you might as well shell out for a humidor. These devices will ensure your supply stays at the ideal humidity level to prevent mold. A cigar humidor can also be used for cannabis preservation, so long as if you can decrease its humidity levels to around 60 percent humidity.
Some Quick Storage Stats:
Store weed in a cool dark place. Mildew and mold do best in temperatures between 77° to 86°F. However, keep in mind too low of a temperature makes decarboxylation (the process that turns non-psychoactive THC-A into THC) more difficult, and can even turn it into cannabinol, which, while great for sleeping, isn’t as effective in producing the euphoric high of THC.
Humidity also plays a huge role in mold production, and it’s recommended that you keep the relative humidity level below 65 percent, ideally around 60 percent. However, keep in mind that when your weed gets too dry, you can wind up with decayed cannabinoids and a bad smoking experience.
