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How Long Do Cannabis Products Last?
by JARS | December 12, 2024
Is it your lucky day? You just discovered a stash that was once lost and gone forever. Maybe it’s been a couple of months, even years? The first thing we assume is that the weed is stale, dried out, not effective, and probably tastes like dirt. While that is somewhat true and easy to understand, tossing it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It all comes down to understanding how long do cannabis products last, which is directly influenced by storage conditions and the type of product. Even though cannabis comes from a living, breathing plant, it doesn’t act the same as our garden vegetables do. Unlike many fruits and veggies that continue to breathe after being harvested, cannabis undergoes a different process. The process, known as decarboxylation, is where the cannabinoids are activated through heat or aging rather than simply rotting or decomposing. Cannabis flower has properties that make it less prone to expiring quickly. The main reason for this comes from cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) and terpenes, which are natural preservatives. These compounds help protect the flower from bacteria and fungi growth. Havingantimicrobial propertiesprolongs the life of your cannabis products. Anything you purchase “fresh” is suggested to be consumed within a short time. For example, milk. You store it in the fridge because if you left it out, it would curdle almost immediately and go sour. Another example that is more comparable to the proper storage for cannabis is paint. You can’t leave the lid off and sitting out in the sun for a week and expect it to have the same consistency and effect as if it were properly stored. Nothing exciting happens if cannabis is not fresh. If it looks dried up or more brown than it should be, it is still smokeable. Your only concern with stale, dried-out bud is its lack of potency, taste, and smell. Over time, THC will degrade into CBN (cannabinol), which reduces any psychoactive effects. The worst possible thing that can happen if cannabis is not fresh is mold growth. In short, hidden. Keep your weed away from heat, humidity, sunlight, and open air. The best way to store weed is somewhere dark, dry, and comfortably cool. This also means ditching the plastic Ziploc bags and anything that is not airtight. Proper Storage Store cannabis in airtight, opaque containers. Glass jars with airtight lids or high-quality, resealable plastic containers are ideal. Keep the containers in a cool, dark, and dry place. Avoid areas with excessive heat, light, or humidity. Temperatures between 60-70°F (15-21°C) and relative humidity around 55-65% are recommended. Avoid Sunlight Cannabis is sensitive to light, especially ultraviolet (UV) rays. Exposure to sunlight can degrade cannabinoids and terpenes, affecting potency and flavor. Control Humidity Too much humidity can lead to mold growth, while too little can dry out the cannabis, making it brittle and losing its potency. The number one and most important indicator that your cannabis flower is expired is mold growth. There is absolutely nothing good that comes out of consuming moldy weed. Aside from mold, the smell (or lack thereof) will indicate that your flower is expired. Avoid buying in bulk For all of you slow-tokers and those who are stocking up for the zombie apocalypse, you need to know the best practices to preserve your herb. But, for the rest of us, it’s best to stock up on just enough for a couple of months at most. Don’t have your JARS Budtender missing you for too long. Those fancy little bags we give you aren’t meant to be long-term storage for your bud. It would be awesome if you got a dope glass jar with every purchase, but that’s just not practical. Low humidity If you have longer hair, you know just how brutal humidity can be. The National Cannabis Industry Association recommends humidity levels to be between 59% and 63%. Having a humidity level that is too low will cause the trichomes to dry out. You can keep tabs on humidity levels with a hygrometer. This one on Amazon is less than $6. Avoid sunlight Not only does direct sunlight affect our skin, it affects our weed, too! UV rays can penetrate and heat up the container you store your cannabis in. What happens is the THC will convert to CBN (cannibnol), which has no potent benefits. So you have a stash spot in mind, a cool, dark, space. Great! But, there are still a couple of factors that will speed up the shelf-life and cause your cannabis not to last long. For example, try not to store multiple strains together. Each strain has its own terpene and flavor profile and should not cross-contaminate with other strains. Another thing to avoid is cramming as much weed as possible in one container. This will cause a lack of oxygen while increasing the humidity in the container. On the other hand, if you store your cannabis in a container that is too large, the buds will dry out faster. Lastly, stay away from plastics! Those Ziploc bags will only cause static and reduce the potency of the trichomes. Plastic containers are also sub-par when it comes to keeping things tightly sealed. When you store your cannabis correctly, you can expect its freshness to last at least 6 months up to a year. A fail-proof storage option consists of the following: Using an opaque glass jar. Just like some beer bottles, an opaque glass will block out any UV rays. Glass jars with a tight-fitting lid. An airtight seal will keep heat and humidity far away from your stash. Only grind what is needed. Once the flower is ground up, it has more room for oxygen, causing it to degrade and lose potency right away. If you absolutely have to store your flower, and a plastic bag is your only choice… sure. It shouldn’t be your end solution for storage, though. If you’re taking a quick trip to your buddies house for a smoke-down, a large glass jar can seem inconvenient. Fair enough. Since you plan on lighting up within the next few hours, a quick trip in a plastic bag won’t cause any harm. But, for long-term storage, opaque glass jars are the way to go. There are several options on the market for containers that are smell-proof, waterproof, and have an airtight seal. You can try out these budget-friendly options on Amazon. Many brands use vacuum-seal technology along with rubber or silicone seals. These are great qualities to have for a smell-proof container. If you need an immediate DIY option, grab an old pill bottle for a nug or two. Again, don’t resort to this as a full-time storage option. Do you own a freezer? Then technically, yes, you can freeze marijuana and CBD products. But, should you really? It’s a dark and cool place for storage, right? The benefit of storing these products in the freezer is preserving the chemical makeup of the bud, keeping it as potent as the first day you got it. The major drawback is with extremely low temperatures, trichomes easily fall off and lose their stickiness.Proper cannabis storage is important
What happens if cannabis is not fresh?
The best way to store weed
Cannabis freshness guidelines
How to tell if your cannabis flower is expired
Quick tips to keep weed fresh
Things to avoid when storing weed
Extending the shelf life of weed
FAQ
Can you store weed in plastic bags?
What's the best smell-proof container for weed?
Can I freeze marijuana and CBD products?
Can Cannabis Stems Get You High?
Cannabis stems contain minimal THC, so they won't provide a noticeable high. It's best to use other parts of the plant for desired effects.
Like most plants that grow flowers, the buds on a cannabis plant receive a lot of attention. But in a desperate moment when you’ve smoked your entire stash (and your local JARS store is closed), it could be easy to find oneself wondering about the leftover stems…
Do stems have the same makeup as cannabis? Is there a way to be economical and get some good use out of this largely ignored part of the plant? Can cannabis stems get you high? Read on to discover the answers to these questions and more.
Do Cannabis Stems Contain THC?
Given that THC (or tetrahydrocannabinol) is the cannabinoid in cannabis that gets you high, this is the big question. So let us save you some time (and a coughing fit) by telling you that, no, cannabis stems do not contain THC—or any magical psychoactive properties for that matter.
Although, people have been grinding up stems with their cannabis flower and smoking them (whether intentionally or not) in bowls and blunts since the dawn of smoking, it’s not going to do much for your high.
If anything, the additional bulky plant matter creates more fodder for fire, which makes for big, nasty, billowing, smokey hits. All of this additional smoke can be bad for your lungs, and the worst-case scenario can be linked to several long-term issues like respiratory problems, and lung disease.
Even though cannabis stems themselves do not contain anything psychoactive, there is still a place for cannabis stems in areas other than smoking—so save your stems, just don’t smoke them.
Preparing Your Stems
Before transforming the humble cannabis stem into something magical, start by dedicating a glass jar to storing the discarded stems from your cannabis hauls. Over time you will collect enough stems to take advantage of its delicious flavor and aroma.
Before doing anything creative with your cannabis stems you must first activate the flavor by putting them through the process of decarboxylation. This is the same process that needs to be done with cannabis flower before it gets made into oils and butter for cooking.
Decarboxylation is a fancy word that describes a relatively straightforward (but incredibly necessary) process of heating cannabis and hemp to activate the cannabinoids within its buds, trim, leaves, or kief. Without using heat to “toast” the plant matter, the psychoactive compounds we know and love would just pass through our bodies without effect.
How to Decarboxylate Cannabis and Cannabis Stems
Set your oven to 235 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare a cookie sheet by measuring a length of parchment paper or aluminum foil that fits just so on the sheet, and doesn’t go over the edges.
Now you can add your cannabis stems and cannabis flower. Be sure to break up the buds so that your cannabis doesn’t burn.
Bake slow and low for about 45 minutes. Check on your herbs about halfway through, or when you start to smell something cooking, to make sure that they don’t burn.
Alternative Uses For Stems
Cannabis Stem Tea -
Some people enjoy the umami quality of the stems and like to make tea with this forgotten part of the plant. Cannabis stems are flavorful in a savory way—whatever flavor profile your nugs have, the stems will likely impart a similar taste.
Using a metal tea ball (meant for steeping loose herbs), or a coffee filter and a rubber band, collect the decarboxylated bits of cannabis stems. Next, boil the water. Grab a mug, and then steep the cannabis stem tea in the hot water for 3-5 minutes. Feel free to throw in one of your favorite tea bags for additional flavor.
And voila! Simply sip on your flavorful masterpiece and give yourself a pat on the back.
Cannabutter -
Often used as a butter substitute when baking edibles, cannabutter is a fantastic thing to keep on hand. Widely loved by cannachefs for its versatility and flavor, this infusion can even be used for cooking in your day-to-day life.
Cannabutter is made by gently boiling decarbed cannabis and stems on the stovetop with butter until the fat in the butter absorbs the THC. Then, using a cheesecloth to strain the bits out, an infusion is born.
Body butters and oils -
There is a bevy of salves and creams on the market made from cannabis and hemp that are designed to topically relieve ailments by delivering some of the benefits of cannabis directly to pain spots.
Now, you can make your own cannabis-infused body butter on the stovetop. The key here is to cook the decarboxylated cannabis and stems in coconut oil instead of butter. You can make cannabis-infused coconut oil using the exact same method that you use to make cannabutter.
Once you’ve prepared your coconut oil, mix it into your preferred lotion, shea, or coconut oil. You can also create your own blend using essential oils to give yourself an aromatherapeutic experience.
Then, apply the product liberally wherever you feel pain. While doing so, give yourself a little bit of love. A massage is free if you give it to yourself.
In Conclusion
There are plenty of creative ways that the not-so-potent cannabis stem of yesteryear can be used today. If you are feeling intimidated by the process of transforming cannabis stems, come by one of our JARS locations to speak with a specialist. You can always purchase similar products instead of making them yourself.
JARS
December 10, 2024
