How long is weed good?

It’s happened to almost every long-time stoner at least once.  You get high and put a sack of weed somewhere but can’t remember where to save your life.  Then eventually, sometimes months, or years later, you come across the misplaced quarter ounce like a pirate finding a lost treasure.  But, you wonder, how long does weed stay good?

How long is weed good?  It’s a top five question for any weed smoker although the answer can vary a lot. Under perfect conditions, cannabis can stay relatively fresh for a surprisingly long time and, on the flip side, under poor conditions can become degraded very quickly

If it’s been harvested properly, then dried, cured, and stored properly (in an airtight opaque glass container for instance), you can expect that weed to stay fresh for somewhere between six months to a year. However, if you’ve gotten some super premium bud and have done an exceptional job of storing (think cannabis humidor) you might, with a healthy dose of luck, stretch that out to a year and half or two years.  Most of us do not fall into the exceptional storage category.

Most weed smokers, present company included, employ storage containers and conditions that are much less than ideal in the name of convenience. In the absence of humidity controlled storage containers and with the assumption that your weed will be exposed the less that ideal temperatures, air, and light, you probably should not expect to get a full year out of your weed.  That’s not to say you couldn’t still smoke it, but it will likely have lost some of it’s potency.

So, back to the original question of how long is weed good? In general, a good rule of thumb is to try to consume all your weed within six months of getting it. Of course if you’ve invested in some really high-quality storage equipment, including a humidor, then you can possibly get past the year mark.

Now that we’ve established a general shelf life for weed, let’s look at the science behind why it loses it potency.  So, let’s look at what happens to processed bud as it ages.

The main cause of good weed gone bad is exposure. Whether it is exposure to light, air, heat or any combination of the three this will lead to the breakdown of the cannabinoids and terpenes, the chemicals that make marijuana magic.  Over time, as these terpenes and cannabinoids slowly break down, cannabis loses its potency, taste, and smell.   

As a result of the terpenes break down, you end up with stale old bud that is relatively tasteless and lacks that distinctive, sharp odor that you get from fresh bud.  Often, dry old weed will end up burning very hot and tasting harsh and nasty. Regardless of dryness, when the terpenes have broken down, your weed won’t taste or smell the way it did when it was fresh.

Like terpenes, although probably more important when it comes to getting high, cannabinoids will also break down over time. The main reason old dried out bud won’t be as potent is because a lot of the THC will have broken down and dissipated.  Because the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime actually has research on this we know the rate, on average, at which cannabis loses it THC potency.  It breaks down like this:

• After one year, weed loses roughly 16-17% of its THC.
• Two years in storage results in a loss of 26-27% of its THC.
• Weed loses around 34% of its THC after three years.
• After four years in storage, weed loses 41% of its THC
• After five years, throw it away 😊

So, Does Weed Go Bad?

Yes, marijuana really does go bad. In fact, there are a couple different ways it happens. First, if your weed sits unused for too long, or you leave it exposed to too much light or open air, it will simply dry out and become dusty, crumbly flower. On the other hand, if your weed is exposed to too much humidity or other contaminants it become moldy. And you should NEVER smoke moldy weed as it can make you very sick.

Aside from not making you sick, keeping your weed fresh will give you a much better product and a more positive cannabis experience.  Fresh bud with the terpenes and cannabinoids still intact will allow you to experience the full spectrum of effects that a strain has to offer. The longer cannabis is exposed to environmental factors such as light and air, the more the cannabinoids and terpenes deteriorate and the experience is less than it could be. If you want weed that will taste and smell great, while giving you the you high, or energy, or focus, or sleep or whatever else you want out of your weed, store your bud the right way.

 Is Your Weed Bad?

Circling back around to that newly found quarter ounce of green treasure. How do you know if it’s good or bad? Basically, you can check for a few tell-tale signs:

• Is it moldy? This is a big one. If your weed stored too moist or humid, it may develop mold. NEVER smoke moldy weed!
• Is it completely dried out? If your bud has crumbled into dust, it’s obviously too old.
• Does it smell like fresh bud? Old marijuana lacks the crisp scent of fresh weed that comes from intact terpenes.
• Does it break apart? If it’s spongy and doesn’t make any noise when you break it up, it might be damp and moldy.

If you determine that your weed has indeed gone bad, it’s not the end of the world. Technically speaking, you can still usually still smoke it. It just won’t taste very good. And since most of the cannabinoids will have probably already broken down you probably won’t get very high. But smoking old weed won’t kill you or make you sick with the exception of moldy weed. If your bud has encountered too much moisture before being stored it may become moldy.

If you see any fuzzy discolored spots, fuzzy mold, or if it smells like anything other than cannabis the best rule is to just get rid of it. Smoking or otherwise ingesting mold can definitely leave you very ill.  It really is never worth the risk.

Now that we’ve explored how long weed stays good, let’s consider ways to maintain your delicious smelling, terpene packed buds freshness for as long as possible. This starts by practicing proper storage techniques. These include controlling exposure to light and air, temperature, and humidity. It is important to store it in an opaque or dark container, away from direct sunlight, in a cool, dry, dark location. With a little bit of care and planning and some everyday household items, you can keep very easily keep your bud fresh for many months.

How to Keep Your Weed Fresh for as Long as Possible

Depending on how you prefer to enjoy cannabis your storage needs can vary.  You see different classes of products have slightly different needs if you want to keep them fresh and potent. Here’s a quick breakdown of common cannabis products and how to extend their shelf life:

Flower

• Limit exposure to air by storing in an airtight container. Use a container no larger than what you need to hold your bud.
• Limit exposure to light by using an opaque or dark colored air tight container.
• Maintain proper humidity. This can be accomplished through a humidity control pack – or if you have the money and gumption, a cannabis humidor.
• If you have a large quantity of cannabis it is a good idea to enough for a weeks use or so and properly store it in a smaller container.

Edibles

• To keep edibles fresh, leave them in their original package.
• Store them in a place that’s away from open air and direct light.
• Be sure they’re in a cool location, as many types of edibles can easily melt.

Concentrates

• The best way to keep your concentrates fresh and potent is to store them in small containers designed specifically for dabs.
• These are typically made of glass, silicone, or a similar material.
• Keep the lids on tight and store the containers in a cool, dry, dark place.

Vape Pens Cartridges

• Keep vape cartridges away from direct light.
• The cannabis oil is inside an airtight cartridge you don’t have to worry much about humidity or air.
• Store your vape pen carts standing upright to keep the oil at the bottom of the cartridge,

Tips for Reviving Zombie Weed

If you absolutely have no choice but to smoke or vape this hypothetical old dry quarter of emergency weed there are a couple of things you can do to bring it back to life, try the following tips:

• Use a small piece of citrus peel (orange or lemon) inside a tightly sealed glass container with your dry weed. Start small and be sure not to over moisten as it could lead to mold.

Use a small, moistened piece of paper towel or Q-tip in a tightly sealed glass container with your dry bud.  Again, start with a small slightly moist piece to control humidity.  You don’t want to induce mold