Portland Dispensaries Top Tips On How To Store Your Cannabis
Written By: Margo Amala & Brittany Adler
How Long Does Weed Stay Good?
If you store your cannabis properly, it can stay good for at least a year. Proper storage techniques used by many Portland dispensaries to preserve the freshness of cannabis include air-tight containers, a dark, temperature-regulated room, and proper moisture content inside the air-tight container.
If you are a person who enjoys consuming fresh cannabis flowers, the best suggestion would be to purchase small amounts of cannabis and use them in a shorter period of time. At our Portland Dispensary Urban Farmacy always has more than 36 marijuana strains to choose from: check out our menu page. That said, if you want to stock-up with an apocalypse cannabis flower supply let’s discuss the best way to preserve your cannabis!
Exposure to oxygen leads to the oxidation of cannabis. This is the process by which cannabinoids break down over time due to their chemical interaction with oxygen. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you store your cannabis in an airtight container. A mason jar works great for this purpose. You can also purchase jars and containers manufactured specifically for storing cannabis.
Heat and Light can also change the potency of cannabinoids. For this reason, we strongly suggest that if you want your cannabis to last as long as possible, keep your airtight jar in a cool and dark location. Definitely do not forget your stash in the car on a hot day! Accidentally baking your weed in the car on a 100-degree day could result in rapid degradation and conversion of the cannabinoids in your cannabis! Generally speaking, if you store your cannabis below 77 degrees, it will help preserve the freshness.
Lastly, the moisture content of your cannabis helps preserve its quality over time. If you cure your cannabis perfectly, then you might be able to store it in an airtight jar without any moisture packs. You can use moisture packets that can limit the amount of humid air the buds are exposed to.
At Urban Farmacy, the best Portland dispensary, we strive to keep the cannabis fresh for as long as possible! We usually purchase our cannabis in amounts that will last us anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, but not usually longer than that. During our storage process, we keep our cannabis flower in airtight glass jars or turkey bags stored in a cool and dark room.
How long does weed last?
Dried marijuana has a varying shelf life depending on storage and your personal preferences. Cannabinoids and terpenes break down and even change into other cannabinoids over time. Most cannabis lovers really appreciate the heady experience and taste of freshly cured marijuana flowers. Other cannabis users prefer a heavy couch-locked experience. The age and cure of your weed are a direct influence on the experience you have when consuming it.
At the time of writing this blog, the cannabis plant contains over 100 different cannabinoids. Over time, in the right conditions, cannabinoids convert into other cannabinoids. This is very useful during the curing process as we desire certain non-psychoactive marijuana cannabinoids to convert into the precious psychoactive compounds that give weed its well-known effects.
A fresh-cut cannabis plant is dominant in the non-psychoactive, acid form of the cannabinoid THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid). THCA is the beginning stage of the weed cannabinoid production. The process by which the acid form of the cannabinoids becomes the more well-known Delta 9 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol acid) happens as the plant dries and oxidizes.
Another lesser-known process of converting cannabinoids happens when a variety of cannabinoids,, including THC, are converted into CBN (Cannabinol). Unlike its fellow cannabinoids, CBN is not inherently present during the plant’s growth cycle. CBN forms only from the oxidation of THC. After about roughly a year weed can lose roughly 16% of its THC, and by four years, that jumps to nearly 40% loss and conversion. During the process of cannabis aging, THC will generally reach the final stage of oxidation and conversion into the form of CBN over a period of one to four years.
CBN is a lesser intoxicating cannabinoid found in higher concentrations of older marijuana. CBN, when combined with THC, does offer a psychoactive experience. You may have noticed after consuming older cannabis, you have a heavy and sedative feeling: that is the CBN experience. While many people prefer fresh cannabis with minimal CBN, other people really enjoy the sedative, couch-lock feeling of CBN. Some CBN users gravitate toward it specifically for its effects. CBN is most widely known for its sedative effects, and many people find they sleep like a rock after consuming CBN. Check out the selection at Urban Farmacy to see what products are in stock high in CBN. You can even have your favorite products delivered right to your door!
How long is weed good for?
Cannabis can last anywhere from a few weeks to months, depending on the freshness of the product. A few key indicators to determine if your cannabis is still viable or not you can see visually. Before storing your cannabis, inspect it for things like; potential mold, dryness, or how easily breakable it can all determine how long marijuana stays fresh.
When picking buds to store over a longer period of time, use your visual inspection to pick between the freshest buds, cured properly. Another way to improve the quality of stored cannabis is to use marijuana accessories like an air-tight container, preferably child safe, that is stored in a semi-cool environment. Regulating between fresh buds and those that have experienced temperature change can provide a better scope of the dramatic shift cannabis faces through aging.
Have you ever wondered why weed begins to smell old? As terpenes break down over time, this will result in your bud losing its flavor and scent. Because of this, old cannabis is practically tasteless and lacks any distinctive smell that most cannabis users are looking for. THC undoubtedly is known for packing a hit, but with the natural aging process, the levels of THC will gradually decrease. More specifically, after a year, cannabis will lose roughly 17% of its psychoactive content and form into the sleepier CBN cannabinoid.
Do you have some old weed laying around? Don’t worry; there are a few ways to put your older cannabis to use! You can use it to make things like edibles, tinctures, or even topicals. Decarboxylating cannabis before combining it with butters or fats, or oils is an important step in the process. In the Decarboxylation process, you heat the cannabis for a specific period of time at a specific temperature, so using your older cannabis won’t even be noticeable once you turn it into edibles or topicals! Over here at our Portland dispensary Urban Farmacy, we have a plethora of options that can be vital for those interested in learning more about cannabis before actively trying.
Does weed get old?
As things do, the weed is bound to get old after a while. If your cannabis has not been used within the first six months of harvest, drying, and curing, your cannabis will start to get old. Proper storage helps preserve freshness and extend the life of your cannabis. However, if you are a lover of heady cannabis with potent flavor, use your cannabis in the first six months.
Using our five senses is another greater determinator for old weed. Does it have a snap? Secondly, does it smell, if at all? Does it look moldy or brown? When you touch it, does it have a coating or crumbles in your fingers? Finally, does the taste resemble harshness or without flavor? When in doubt, use the senses system to examine old cannabis.
If you have questions regarding cannabis and consumption, our Portland dispensary Urban Farmacy website has a Cannabis 101 Q&A that can assist in answering your concerns. We love seeing your smiling face, so feel free to drop by and check out our supply of fresh cannabis, peruse our menu and ask our friendly budtenders any questions you may have, even if it isn’t about how to store your cannabis!
