When you’re just starting out with cannabis, it’s normal to have tons of questions, and one of those questions might be – how long does weed stay good for?
How long does weed stay good for? It’s an important question, considering that marijuana can be stored in many different ways and still retain its potency, or at least come very close to doing so.
The Difference Between Strain Freshness And Potency
Many cannabis users wonder about the following questions:
How long does weed stay good in a Ziploc bag?
How long can you store weed?
How long can weed last?
Can weed go bad?
All of these questions are reasonable, and there are different schools of thought regarding potency. While one group believes potency lasts forever, another group contends that it will diminish if you don’t smoke or use it within a certain amount of time.
So, how long can weed last before going bad and how long will it be potent when you do use it? To answer that question, we’ll need to separate two different terms: potency and freshness. Potency has to do with THC levels, whereas freshness pertains to plant matter (bud) life.
In general, the potency will be more affected by storage duration than freshness. To understand why let’s start with THC. It turns out that cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc.) degrade slowly and aren’t very sensitive to heat or light.
They are water-soluble molecules, so if you live in a dry climate where humidity is below 60%, then you should think about how to store your buds properly in an airtight container.
However, if you have a living space with ambient humidity, which is pretty much everyone, then potency and freshness will decrease at a similar rate. In these conditions, buds will spoil within 3–4 months, regardless of whether they’re potent or not.
To understand why potency and freshness change at similar rates when plant matter ages in normal environments and is exposed to normal amounts of humidity, we need to look at plant matter itself.
All cannabis plants store their THC in fat deposits called trichomes. These trichomes aren’t directly affected by moisture levels or light exposure so long as there are enough protective cells around them.
The Effect Of Light, Air, And Heat On The Potency Of Marijuana
Marijuana typically remains potent for around three months, though there are some things you can do to make it last longer. As soon as you get your weed from a dispensary or have your friend across town over with his dank weed, you want to get your hands on it and start smoking (or vaping) immediately.
Heat is important to consider because cannabis needs to be stored in a cool, dark place, or it will lose potency. The reason why light and heat are harmful is that they degrade THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is a psychoactive component of marijuana that’s essential for getting high.
If you plan on keeping your weed fresh by storing it at room temperature, don’t expect to get much out of it if you wait more than three months after opening up your container of pre-rolls or breaking open your newly bought jar of weed.
The potency of marijuana can also be affected by exposure to light, which degrades cannabinoids and terpenes (which influence smell and taste) in your weed. According to a 2014 study published in Plos One, when stored under constant light for 40 days, cannabis was found to have zero psychoactive effect on rats, so you should probably avoid exposing your weed to these levels of light if you want it to be as potent as possible.
Similarly, as soon as you get some marijuana from your local dispensary or friend with a good source, store it in a cool, dark place like a freezer bag or black container.
The Effect Of Time On Potency
The reason weed loses potency over time is because THC is sensitive to light, heat, and oxygen. When exposed to these elements, the chemical reactions produce what is known as activated carbonyls.
These carbonyls give the smoke a burnt taste and cause it to lose some of its potency. In addition to making your weed less potent, they also give it a harsh buzz. However, despite all of that nasty stuff, activated carbonyls don’t have any adverse health effects on humans (though excessive exposure can irritate your lungs).
The best way to maximize THC is to keep your weed away from air, heat, and light as much as possible. If you have it in a tin, then all you need to do is make sure it’s shut tight and avoid excessive shaking or jarring whenever possible.
However, even if you avoid doing anything that physically damages your stash—for example, dropping it on a hard surface—it can still lose some of its potency over time.
How Long Will Weed Stay Fresh In A Ziploc Bag?
Zip-top bags are one of the best ways to store weed long-term. It’s also one of many myths about how long weed stays fresh in a Ziploc bag, which is to say that there is no firm answer and it depends on several factors: lighting, humidity, airflow, and more.
Generally speaking, you can expect marijuana to stay good for at least three months if kept in a zip-top bag. A typical five-gallon bucket with an oasis moisture barrier liner will keep weed fresh for as long as 18 months.
If you’re looking for something more specific than that, here are some examples. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and other pro-cannabis organizations have a variety of online articles about how long weed will stay fresh.
According to NORML, Generally speaking, properly cured cannabis can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to two years. That means just two months when it comes to zip-top bags! However, we should note that NORML only recommends storing your marijuana in zip-top bags as a last resort—which means they should be avoided whenever possible.
3 Ways To Check If Weed Is Still Good
In order to prolong its shelf life, cannabis should be stored in a cool, dry place where it is shielded from both sunlight and heat. There are many different ways of storing weed depending on how long you intend to keep it.
Three main things will determine how long your bud stays fresh:
1) The quality and strain of your marijuana
2) How you plan on using it (baked into edibles or smoked)
3) How old your weed is when you buy it.
When considering the freshness of your weed, the first step is to find a reputable source where you know that they test their products to guarantee their quality. Once you have your weed in hand, there are 3 main ways to check if it’s still good.
The first method is easy: stick your nose up to it and take a deep whiff! If your cannabis still smells like marijuana, then it’s still fresh.
The second way to check how long your weed will last is by looking at it. The higher quality of your weed, the longer it’ll remain and look fresh for. Top-shelf bud with deep green color will remain good for much longer than lower-grade cannabis with a yellowish tint.
This method of checking if your weed is still fresh may take a bit more time and effort but remember: If you want top-quality marijuana, then you have to be willing to pay more for it too! When you’re shopping around, make sure that any seller guarantees their products.
The third and final way to tell if your weed is still good is by checking back to see how long you have had it for. This is similar to how you would check how old milk or bread was, but less convenient as cannabis can be stored in various ways depending on your personal preferences.
Key Takeaways
For new cannabis users that are just purchasing weed for the first time and don’t smoke all that often, it helps to know how long it will stay fresh for. Those who don’t use cannabis very often need to be aware of this so that they aren’t smoking compromised weed.
A Guide On How Long Does Weed Stay Good For?
When you’re just starting out with cannabis, it’s normal to have tons of questions, and one of those questions might be – how long does weed stay good for?
How long does weed stay good for? It’s an important question, considering that marijuana can be stored in many different ways and still retain its potency, or at least come very close to doing so.
The Difference Between Strain Freshness And Potency
Many cannabis users wonder about the following questions:
All of these questions are reasonable, and there are different schools of thought regarding potency. While one group believes potency lasts forever, another group contends that it will diminish if you don’t smoke or use it within a certain amount of time.
So, how long can weed last before going bad and how long will it be potent when you do use it? To answer that question, we’ll need to separate two different terms: potency and freshness. Potency has to do with THC levels, whereas freshness pertains to plant matter (bud) life.
In general, the potency will be more affected by storage duration than freshness. To understand why let’s start with THC. It turns out that cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc.) degrade slowly and aren’t very sensitive to heat or light.
They are water-soluble molecules, so if you live in a dry climate where humidity is below 60%, then you should think about how to store your buds properly in an airtight container.
However, if you have a living space with ambient humidity, which is pretty much everyone, then potency and freshness will decrease at a similar rate. In these conditions, buds will spoil within 3–4 months, regardless of whether they’re potent or not.
To understand why potency and freshness change at similar rates when plant matter ages in normal environments and is exposed to normal amounts of humidity, we need to look at plant matter itself.
All cannabis plants store their THC in fat deposits called trichomes. These trichomes aren’t directly affected by moisture levels or light exposure so long as there are enough protective cells around them.
The Effect Of Light, Air, And Heat On The Potency Of Marijuana
Marijuana typically remains potent for around three months, though there are some things you can do to make it last longer. As soon as you get your weed from a dispensary or have your friend across town over with his dank weed, you want to get your hands on it and start smoking (or vaping) immediately.
Heat is important to consider because cannabis needs to be stored in a cool, dark place, or it will lose potency. The reason why light and heat are harmful is that they degrade THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is a psychoactive component of marijuana that’s essential for getting high.
If you plan on keeping your weed fresh by storing it at room temperature, don’t expect to get much out of it if you wait more than three months after opening up your container of pre-rolls or breaking open your newly bought jar of weed.
The potency of marijuana can also be affected by exposure to light, which degrades cannabinoids and terpenes (which influence smell and taste) in your weed. According to a 2014 study published in Plos One, when stored under constant light for 40 days, cannabis was found to have zero psychoactive effect on rats, so you should probably avoid exposing your weed to these levels of light if you want it to be as potent as possible.
Similarly, as soon as you get some marijuana from your local dispensary or friend with a good source, store it in a cool, dark place like a freezer bag or black container.
The Effect Of Time On Potency
The reason weed loses potency over time is because THC is sensitive to light, heat, and oxygen. When exposed to these elements, the chemical reactions produce what is known as activated carbonyls.
These carbonyls give the smoke a burnt taste and cause it to lose some of its potency. In addition to making your weed less potent, they also give it a harsh buzz. However, despite all of that nasty stuff, activated carbonyls don’t have any adverse health effects on humans (though excessive exposure can irritate your lungs).
The best way to maximize THC is to keep your weed away from air, heat, and light as much as possible. If you have it in a tin, then all you need to do is make sure it’s shut tight and avoid excessive shaking or jarring whenever possible.
However, even if you avoid doing anything that physically damages your stash—for example, dropping it on a hard surface—it can still lose some of its potency over time.
How Long Will Weed Stay Fresh In A Ziploc Bag?
Zip-top bags are one of the best ways to store weed long-term. It’s also one of many myths about how long weed stays fresh in a Ziploc bag, which is to say that there is no firm answer and it depends on several factors: lighting, humidity, airflow, and more.
Generally speaking, you can expect marijuana to stay good for at least three months if kept in a zip-top bag. A typical five-gallon bucket with an oasis moisture barrier liner will keep weed fresh for as long as 18 months.
If you’re looking for something more specific than that, here are some examples. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and other pro-cannabis organizations have a variety of online articles about how long weed will stay fresh.
According to NORML, Generally speaking, properly cured cannabis can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to two years. That means just two months when it comes to zip-top bags! However, we should note that NORML only recommends storing your marijuana in zip-top bags as a last resort—which means they should be avoided whenever possible.
3 Ways To Check If Weed Is Still Good
In order to prolong its shelf life, cannabis should be stored in a cool, dry place where it is shielded from both sunlight and heat. There are many different ways of storing weed depending on how long you intend to keep it.
Three main things will determine how long your bud stays fresh:
1) The quality and strain of your marijuana
2) How you plan on using it (baked into edibles or smoked)
3) How old your weed is when you buy it.
When considering the freshness of your weed, the first step is to find a reputable source where you know that they test their products to guarantee their quality. Once you have your weed in hand, there are 3 main ways to check if it’s still good.
The first method is easy: stick your nose up to it and take a deep whiff! If your cannabis still smells like marijuana, then it’s still fresh.
The second way to check how long your weed will last is by looking at it. The higher quality of your weed, the longer it’ll remain and look fresh for. Top-shelf bud with deep green color will remain good for much longer than lower-grade cannabis with a yellowish tint.
This method of checking if your weed is still fresh may take a bit more time and effort but remember: If you want top-quality marijuana, then you have to be willing to pay more for it too! When you’re shopping around, make sure that any seller guarantees their products.
The third and final way to tell if your weed is still good is by checking back to see how long you have had it for. This is similar to how you would check how old milk or bread was, but less convenient as cannabis can be stored in various ways depending on your personal preferences.
Key Takeaways
For new cannabis users that are just purchasing weed for the first time and don’t smoke all that often, it helps to know how long it will stay fresh for. Those who don’t use cannabis very often need to be aware of this so that they aren’t smoking compromised weed.