Over the years, marijuana has become more sophisticated and so have the features that are required to maintain the freshness of cannabis.
According to this study, cannabinoids can remain stable for up to two years if they’ve been properly cured and stored. However, many cannabis users don’t realize that properly storing their cannabis flowers requires more precaution than just throwing their bud in a plastic baggie.
That’s why today, we’ve created a complete guide to help you better understand the best way to store cannabis. Keep reading to learn more!
What Causes Cannabis to Degrade?
For you to better understand how to store your cannabis properly, you need to have an idea of the elements that cause your marijuana to degrade. Storing your cannabis for long-term is possible, but several factors can cause your marijuana to become unstable.
Light
The most influential factor in the degradation of cannabis is light. Just like harsh UV rays damage your skin, UV rays in sunlight damage the terpenes and cannabinoids in your favorite flower.
For you to protect your cannabis, keep it stored in containers away from direct sunlight.
Air
Another influential factor in the degradation of cannabis is the oxygen levels that the flowers are stored at. When cannabis is exposed to too much oxygen, the degradation of your flower speeds up. Plus, unmanaged humidity levels can cause your buds to mildew.
Storing cannabis in an airtight jar that you can easily seal is the best way to limit air exposure. However, you also have to be sure to choose the right size. Even if your cannabis isn’t directly exposed to air, trapped air in a container that’s too large can cause it to degrade.
Moisture
High humidity levels can cause mold and mildew to grow on your bud. This means that it’s essential that you take extra steps to keep your cannabis dry. However, the challenge is ensuring that your flowers don’t get too dry, as it can cause the cannabinoids and terpenes to degrade.
The easiest way to manage the humidity levels in the area that you’re storing your cannabis is to purchase a humidity control solution.
Temperature
If you store your cannabis in a room that’s too hot, it can cause the terpenes to evaporate and ultimately your flower to dry out. This will result in cannabis that has an unpleasant flavor and produces a lot of smoke. Also, mildew and mold grow easily on buds if you keep them in a warm room.
Storing in a location that’s both cool and dark is the perfect environment to keep your cannabis fresh for a long time.
What Not to Do When Storing Your Cannabis
The first common mistake that smokers make is storing cannabis in the refrigerator. Even inside of the refrigerator, there are temperature and humidity fluctuations that make it easy for mildew and mold to grow on your plant. Even stashing your cannabis inside of a freezer causes the fragile trichomes on your bud to break off whenever you handle it.
Storing bud inside of a plastic container or bag can also damage the trichomes on your bud. Since plastic often has static charges, any static electricity on the plastic can damage the quality of your marijuana. While storing in a plastic jar or bag is a simple short-term solution, make sure that you aren’t storing your cannabis in a plastic container for an extended time.
Also, be sure to store your cannabis away from electronics and any appliances. Appliances and electronics give off heat, which can cause your bud to dry out. Instead, consider storing your cannabis in areas of your home that are dark and cool.
You should also avoid storing paraphernalia with your bud. Since the ash and the resin of burned cannabis will stay in your pipes or grinders, it can cause an alteration in the scent of your fresh bud. Keeping your cannabis supplies separate from your stash will ensure that you’re ingesting your marijuana at the highest quality possible.
Speak with a Budtender
If you have more questions about how to properly store your cannabis, you should consider speaking with our budtenders. A budtender will act as your guide to the world of cannabis, which will help to improve the quality of your experience if this is your first time trying legal cannabis.
Our budtenders will walk you through every stage of purchasing cannabis products. If the strain names, potency, and other influential factors of cannabis overwhelm you, a budtender is there to answer any questions. Plus, budtenders even help you learn the best way to go about storing your specific strains!
Understanding the Best Way to Store Cannabis
By figuring out the best way to store cannabis for your unique strain will help to ensure that your favorite strain stays fresh longer. Whether you’re someone who frequently uses cannabis or you’re just looking to try it out for the first time from a dispensary, properly storing your cannabis will make for a better overall experience.
Are you looking to try legal cannabis for the first time? Click here to learn more.