Does weed go bad? Here’s how to identify old marijuana

Good vs Bad Weed: How to Tell if Yours is Fresh

There are a few ways you can determine the freshness of your cannabis buds:

• The first thing to note is the smell. Weed that isn’t in the best condition will lose its flavor or smell different than a fresh batch. It can even smell quite unpleasant at times.
• You can also look at it and see if it’s old. Fresh buds will not crumble if you squeeze or break them. If your weed does this, it’s a good sign that it’s old.
• The texture of old weed is also different. It won’t do you any real harm, though, unless it got moldy while sitting in a wet jar.
• Old marijuana doesn’t taste pleasant either. It can often have a tart taste that is likely to make you cough or even vomit.

One of the first things to do when buying cannabis is to look for mold. Weeds don’t have to be old to develop mold. A research study showed mold and bacterial growth on 20 weed samples purchased directly from pharmacies and growers. So even if you just bought your marijuana, check if you can see little white fuzzy spots.

RELATED: How to Preserve Your Cannabis Through the Winter

All of these things can mean that your weed is stale. Smoking stale weed does not usually cause any serious health problems unless you have a weak immune system. Weed that contains fungi or bacteria can cause serious problems for such people, while likely only causing coughing or vomiting in healthy adults. The bottom line is that if you feel your weed is going bad, it’s best to just toss it. If you’re wondering, “What does good weed look like?” it looks and smells fresh, has its own aroma, retains its structure when you break a bud apart, and has no fuzzy white spots.

Do edibles expire?

How long does marijuana stay good in edible form? This depends on the particular edible. When cannabis is incorporated into an edible product in the right way, the expiration date of the actual edible product remains unchanged. In other words, the presence of weed in an edible product should not alter the shelf life of the edible product.

How long a food stays fresh depends on what it is. For example, refrigerated products like condiments and beverages can stay fresh for 5 to 7 days, while dairy products, like a cannabis candy bar, can spoil within a week. So when it comes to edibles, you should follow the same storage principles as you do with regular food. If food isn’t stored properly, it will spoil much faster than if it were kept in an airtight container or in the fridge, depending on the type of edibles you have.

RELATED: Old Marijuana Edibles: To Eat or Not to Eat?

You can tell when a food is going bad by smell or taste. An edible weed starts to smell bad, just like a regular food. The longest-lasting edible products are jelly beans and candies, while products like brownies and cookies also have a long shelf life.

How to properly store weed to keep it fresh longer

There are a few small things to consider when thinking about proper weed storage. The shelf life of weed can change drastically depending on the storage method. Here are some things you should do:

• Get the right kind of containers. Do not use plastic bags or other plastic containers. The reason for this is that plastic holds a static charge, which can reduce your marijuana’s potency by messing with the trichomes. The ideal containers to choose from are glass jars with airtight seals. They don’t let too much oxygen through, nor do they build up static electricity. You can find the ideal weed storage containers at the dispensary where you buy your cannabis.
• Another thing to consider is humidity. The ideal humidity range for storing weed is between 59 and 63 percent. If you have higher humidity, your weed can trap moisture and become moldy. With lower humidity, there is a risk that your cannabis will dry out.
• You should also keep it in a dark place with little to no sunlight. UV rays are very damaging to cured cannabis, so this is perhaps the most important thing to consider. You should also store it in a cool place, but that doesn’t mean you should freeze it. Just don’t keep it in a place where it can trap moisture or get direct light.

How to store other cannabis products

• In case of edibles, it is best to keep them in their own packaging. Keep them in a cool and dark place like you would keep most groceries anyway.
• concentrates should be kept in small containers, often specially designed for them. These are usually made of glass or silicone. You should also keep these in a cool and dark place.
• To the vape pensthe same rules apply: keep the airtight cartridges in a cool and dark place.

Myths about storing old weed and marijuana

When trying to extend the life of weed, many people try many things. While some of these might actually work, others are myths not to be believed:

• It is not advisable to store cannabis in a cigar humidor. These products are usually lined with cedar wood, which contains oils that can damage cannabis. If you are going to use a humidor, there are ones that are specifically designed for storing marijuana and only these should be used.
• Some people think that adding an orange peel to a bag of weed will help maintain moisture levels and keep the cannabis from drying out. That doesn’t really work. On the contrary, it increases the risk of your buds developing mold due to the increased humidity. The orange peel can also change the aroma or taste of your marijuana.
• It is also not advisable to store your cannabis in a freezer. The freezer is likely to make the trichomes on your buds brittle and they may break off if you handle the buds later. Also, the freezer can increase the chances of mold developing due to the moisture inside.

Does weed get old?

The topic is really important, so we encourage you to read the opinions of these industry experts: