All plants and plant materials, whether the vegetables in your crisper drawer or the flowers in your garden, will eventually wilt, dry up, or grow mold. Although cannabis flower is no exception to this rule, when properly dried and cured it lasts much longer than most plant material. So much so, in fact, that some people are left asking, does weed go bad? Keep reading to learn about cannabis flower’s shelf life, how you can distinguish good weed from bad weed, and how to buy top-quality flower from the jump.
Does weed go bad?
Yes, weed goes bad. After six months to a year, your cannabis may lose its potency, aroma, and flavor. However, in certain storage conditions, cannabis can stay good for up to two years.
Additionally, cannabis flower can grow mold, mildew, or other fungus. Flower with fungal growth should not be consumed whatsoever since doing so can make you sick. By comparison, less potent, aromatic, or flavorful flower may still be possible to consume, though you may prefer to avoid smoking it as it can be dried out and harsher than fresh flower.
What makes cannabis go bad?
Like any other plant, cannabis flower will gradually go bad no matter what. The four environmental factors that make cannabis go bad, which are all but impossible to avoid, are:
- Oxygen. When exposed to oxygen, the delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis flower gradually degrades into Cannabinol (CBN). This chemical reaction reduces the flower’s potency and CBN is often associated with couch lock, which some consumers may prefer to avoid.
- Humidity. The more humid the air around your flower, the more moist your flower becomes. High moisture levels may encourage mold and mildew growth that makes your flower go bad. Conversely, low humidity dries out flower and makes it brittle, leading to a harsh consumption experience.
- Light. Exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun rapidly breaks flower down. Indoor lighting has this effect on flower too, though less intensely than with natural light.
- Heat. Outside the temperature range of 65°F to 73°F, bacteria and mold can grow on cannabis flower. Bacterial growth may occur at temperatures above this range, whereas mold can more easily grow at temperatures below this range.
Of course, manufactured cannabis products, such as concentrates and tinctures, have a different shelf life than flower. However, proper storage is still important to preserve potency and flavor.
How can you tell that cannabis flower has gone bad?
The main three ways to tell that your cannabis flower has gone bad are:
- The smell test. Give your flower a gentle sniff right before you use it. If you notice a substantial change in smell, including the total absence of the usual aroma, your cannabis has likely gone bad. Musty aromas that remind you of hay mean that your cannabis has grown mold and should be discarded.
- The visual test. Look at your cannabis closely in good lighting, such as right under a desk lamp. If you notice a shift from the plant’s usual green color to gray or brown, your cannabis may have gone bad. Fuzzy or powdery white spots indicate mold growth. Trichomes that have transformed from that classic milky white color to a more amber-brown hue are also a sign of degrading cannabis.
- The touch test. Flower that feels overly dry has likely gone bad — not moldy, but brittle enough that it would be unpleasant to consume. Overly moist flower is an even worse red flag. The ideal middle spot is nearly equal amounts of spongy and sticky textures.
Can you use cannabis flower that’s gone bad?
Although you should never use flower with mold, mildew, or other fungal or microbial growth, there are ways to use flower that’s just become less potent or fresh. You can repurpose this flower for:
- Edibles. Through a process known as decarboxylation, you can prepare flower for infusion into oils or butters. From there, the kitchen options for homemade edibles are endless, from classic brownies to dressings for your lunchtime salad.
- Topicals. Coconut oil can be used as either a cooking oil or a topical. Infuse it with cannabis to create homemade THC topicals that may bring relief when applied to the skin above sore muscles or joints.
- Dry herb vaping. Most dry herb vapes are powerful enough to release the remaining cannabinoids present in cannabis with diminished freshness or potency. Your flower might be less flavorful since terpenes, which largely determine the flavor, degrade as THC does. But you’ll likely still experience THC’s psychoactive effects.
- Kief. The best weed grinders come with screens that separate your flower’s trichomes from the rest of your bud. These separated trichomes, which are exceptionally high in cannabinoids and terpenes, are called kief. Grind up your weed to catch these trichomes, then sprinkle your kief atop fresh, potent flower in a joint or bowl.
Additionally, you can stash your dried-out flower with humidity packs, citrus peels, or a damp cotton ball to rehydrate them. Doing so may restore enough hydration that your flower essentially becomes somewhat fresh again. If using citrus peels, store them with your cannabis for at most 24 hours, and if using a damp cotton ball, avoid direct contact between the cotton and your flower.
How to choose cannabis that’s high-quality from the jump
Whereas low-quality cannabis may already be on its way to going bad, high-quality cannabis is cultivated, dried, cured, and packaged in ways that maximize its shelf life. To choose quality cannabis at a dispensary, consider the following:
- Appearance. Look for plenty of trichomes on the flower since this part of the plant is where cannabinoids and terpenes are the most concentrated. Beyond the milky-white trichomes, high-quality flower will be green but may have hints of purple or orange. It should never be brown or appear dull or dry.
- Aroma. As mentioned earlier, musty and hay odors are signs of moldy cannabis, though flower is unlikely to arrive at a dispensary in this condition. Instead, see if you can smell earthy, floral, fruity, or woody aromas when choosing cannabis. These are common and welcome smells in high-quality flower.
- Texture. Although you can’t touch flower until after you buy it, use your eyes to figure out what it might feel like. Buds that appear like they’d be dense and resinous to the touch are a sign of high-quality flower. Buds that instead appear on the verge of crumbling should be avoided.
How to store your cannabis so it stays fresh
Storing cannabis so that it stays fresh comes down to your product type, choice of storage container, and whether you use accessories.
Cannabis product type
Up to this point, we’ve talked mainly about flower since other types of cannabis products are much less subject to degradation. Still, though, other types of cannabis products can lose their potency if stored improperly. We’ll share advice for storing flower momentarily, but first, here’s advice for other types of products.
- Vape carts. Keep your disposable vapes, vape carts, and vape batteries upright in a cool, dark place. Upright storage makes clogs, spills, and leaks less likely. Cool, dark storage minimizes the significant damage that light and heat can do to vape carts.
- Concentrates. Airtight storage in a cool, dark, dry environment is ideal for concentrates. Keep your concentrates in a glass container to best avoid exposing them to oxygen, mold, and mildew. If you’d rather use a container material that can’t shatter, medical-grade silicone works well too.
- Edibles. Keep your store-bought edibles’ in their original packaging. Homemade edibles should be wrapped tightly and stashed in the fridge or freezer.
- Pre-rolls. Store your pre-rolls in their packaging or in doob tubes. These storage options are designed to maximize your pre-rolls’ shelf life.
For both flower and these other products, keep your cannabis in spaces that pets and kids can’t access and that aren’t in shared areas in your home.
Choice of storage container
When storing cannabis flower, the material your container is made of makes a huge difference. Regardless of which material you choose, always keep the container airtight, and always store it somewhere cool and dark that’s not subject to temperature fluctuations.
Your options for storage material usually include:
- Glass. Without a doubt, glass is the best storage material for flower. Mason jars are especially ideal since their screw-on lids keep your container airtight while trapping odors, keeping your stash discreet. Clear glass is perfect if you’re storing your flower in the dark as recommended, but if that’s not possible, tinted glass provides an extra buffer against light exposure.
- Silicone. Food-grade silicone containers are a reliable alternative to glass, especially if shatterproof material is your top priority. Only use food-grade silicone, as other types could contaminate your flower. Regardless of your silicone’s color or translucency, keep your container somewhere cool and dry.
- Plastic. Thick plastic food storage containers are fine for cannabis storage, though you’ll need a humidity control pack to make this storage method work. Single-use plastic bags should be avoided since they don’t trap odors but do trap moisture, increasing the likelihood of fungal growth.
Never use metal containers for your flower unless you’re eyeing titanium or food-safe stainless steel containers. Other metals can gradually add an undesirable metallic flavor to your flower. The environmental conditions in metal containers are also known to lead to quicker flower degradation than in glass or silicone containers. Plus, glass containers are significantly easier to come by than metal ones.
Cannabis storage accessories
You might find Boveda humidity packs useful for maximizing your flower’s shelf life, and we definitely recommend them if you’re storing your cannabis in a plastic container. These cannabis storage accessories control your container’s humidity, leading to a longer shelf life and less reduction in cannabinoid and terpene content over time.
A lockable stash box might also come in handy. Think of your stash box as a second line of defense if you have kids or pets, or if you’re storing your cannabis in a shared part of your home. Stash boxes typically block light too, further protecting your flower from one of its greatest environmental enemies.
Start with high-quality cannabis at High Street
One of your best lines of defense against your flower going bad is to buy top-quality cannabis in the first place. At High Street Dispensary, our menu is replete with craft cannabis grown by the best weed brands in New Jersey as well as beloved national companies. Visit us in Hackettstown for flower that lasts extra long, pre-rolls that are easy to store, and all kinds of other cannabis products. At High Street, everyone’s a high roller.