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Storing your cannabis products properly ensures they stay fresh for months to come. But more importantly, storing them correctly keeps them out of the hands of people and pets who shouldn’t access your weed. Here’s what you need to know once you bring your cannabis home.
Is it worth it to store cannabis properly? Absolutely. Properly preserved cannabis products can sit long-term and maintain their level of potency and flavor, stretching your investment. Conversely, poorly storing your cannabis products can make them go “bad” (meaning: stale, tough, harsh, or moldy) faster.
If you live with adults, proper storage is key to preserving product quality (and keeping other people’s hands off your stash). But if you live with kids or pets, proper storage is even more important. Kids, dogs, cats — every mammal has an endocannabinoid system, which means that cannabis (even CBD) will have an effect on their system. Plus, there may be ingredients in your products that are toxic to animals. Properly storing cannabis out of reach and locked away helps keep everyone safe from unintentional consumption.
No one wants to get high accidentally. Keeping cannabis products tucked away is the best way to ensure that no one except you can access your products. For keeping cannabis away from pets, placing it in a cabinet overhead is typically enough of a deterrent. But if you live with kids (or nosy roommates), you’ll want to invest in a locking stash box to ensure that you and only you get to enjoy your adult goodies.
Cannabis loses its potency over time. Stale cannabis flower loses its rich aroma and much of the stickiness of the trichomes, diminishing the experience along with the THC content. Properly stored cannabis will stay flavorful much longer than products left on a countertop or coffee table.
Cannabinoids, especially THC, are not shelf-stable and degrade over time, Exposure to light, heat, or humid conditions will speed up this aging process and slowly (or quickly) degrade your THC, dry out your flower, and let your precious trichomes fall to the bottom of the bag.
Four main factors affect cannabis degradation.
Light. Ultraviolet light is invisible to our eyes, but it can have a big impact on cannabis. Leaving your products exposed to UV light from the sun’s rays is the fastest way to break the product down and reduce the potency. Storing cannabis in a dark area solves this problem.
Heat. Not too hot, not too cold: just like Goldilocks, cannabis has to be kept at just the right temperature. A range of 65°F – 73°F is ideal. Any warmer, and bacteria can start to grow. Too cold temperatures can encourage mold growth, too.
Humidity. High humidity levels introduce moisture to cannabis products, which can quickly encourage mold and mildew development. But too little humidity and your cannabis flower can dry out to a brittle crisp, creating a harsh consumption experience.
Airflow. Oxygen can and will degrade cannabis over time, so keeping your products in an airtight container is crucial for their longevity.
When it comes to trichome preservation — that’s the part of the plant where most cannabinoids and terpenes live — an airtight glass container is the gold standard.
Glass is the best material to store cannabis products in. Glass mason jars make great cannabis storage containers, because they’re airtight, have screw-on lids, and won’t let scents in or out. The best mason jars are the ones with tinted glass to keep out light along with moisture, but clear glass containers work fine too, as long as they’re stored away from light.
Silicone containers are becoming increasingly popular for concentrate storage. Always use food-grade silicone to ensure there’s no contamination of your product, and keep the silicone in a cool, dry place. Plus, unlike glass, silicone is also shatter-proof.
Cigars are best preserved in humidors, and cannabis can benefit from humidors too. Cannabis humidors are remarkably similar to cigars and offer the same protection and preservation. Some stash boxes double as locking humidors for protection on multiple levels.
Plastic is a common way of storing cannabis products, but it’s not ideal for the long term. Use glass over plastic whenever possible, but if you have to use plastic, opt for a thicker plastic like a food storage container, rather than a plastic bag. Plastic containers like Tupperware are airtight and you can add a humidity control pack to combat temperature fluctuations. Plastic baggies, however, don’t lock in aromas and may contaminate anything kept near them with the scent of weed. Bags can also encourage moisture build-up that leads to mold.
Metal is not a great option for long-term storage. If you’re keeping your cannabis products in a metal container, opt for a strong metal like titanium or food-safe stainless steel. Weaker metals like aluminum can affect the taste of your cannabis products over time. Many grinders are made of metal and work well for short-term storage of ground flower, but don’t leave it in there too long, or it will start to degrade.
The best way to store cannabis products is in an airtight container, in a cool, dark, dry place that is fairly temperature stable. In these conditions, cannabis products can hold onto their potency for months to come.
But if you want to go above and beyond, consider using these:
Boveda packs. These humidity packs are common in the cannabis world because of the way they control humidity in sealed containers. With Boveda packs, cannabis lasts longer, retains more terpenes and cannabinoids, and stays sticky. Boveda helps combat humidity build-up from temperature fluctuations and can keep your bud from growing mold.
Lockable stash box. Whether you’ve got roommates with sticky fingers, curious kids, or want to keep your stash a secret, a lockable stash box ensures that no one but yourself has access to your products.
How well you store your cannabis flower has a direct effect on how potent it stays. Flower should be stored in an airtight container. Keep your flower somewhere dark and temperature stable. One of the easiest places to store in the home is in a cabinet (or in a locked box, if you don’t live alone).
Keeping your flower somewhere like the car where temperatures fluctuate often is a recipe for cannabinoid degradation and mold growth.
Larger amounts of flower will need more care to remain fresh, so we recommend including Boveda humidity control packs in large flower quantities.
Keep pre-rolls and joints in a “doob tube” to preserve potency.
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Keep your vape cartridges upright in a cool, dark place. Leaving the cartridge upright when it’s not in use minimizes the risk of leaks, clogs, or spills. Don’t leave your vape cart out in the sun, either, as light and heat can degrade the potency of your cannabis oil faster than you may think.
>> Shop vapes at The Travel Agency
Cannabis concentrates need to be stored much like flower, in an air-tight container in a dark, cool, dry space. Glass is the best type of container for concentrates to keep air, mold, and mildew out. Medical-grade silicone containers also work well.
While most cannabis should not be kept in the fridge, some cannabis connoisseurs swear by keeping concentrates in the freezer because the low temperature preserves the high THC concentrations. Just be sure to put the concentrates back in the freezer when you’re done so they don’t warm up and attract mold.
>> Shop concentrates at The Travel Agency
Cannabis edibles are the products that present the biggest risk for accidental ingestion. Gummies, chocolates, beverages, taffies: edibles can be confused for a sweet treat or refreshing drink, even with all the childproof packaging and markings on the product. If you have kids or pets, keep your edibles high out of reach, away from prying eyesight, and consider using a locked container. If you live with adults, make sure your edibles are clearly labeled if they’re in a common area.
Edibles should be tightly and individually wrapped for the best protection. If you’re dealing with homemade edibles like cannabutter, follow food safety best practices and store in the fridge or freezer.
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Storing cannabis properly keeps your products safe in more than one sense of the word. First, proper storage keeps cannabis out of curious hands and ensures that you’re the only person who can access the products you buy. Proper storage also preserves your product quality and makes the money you spend on cannabis products go further.
Need help choosing the right containers? The Travel Agency can help. The budtenders at our Brooklyn and Union Square locations can help you choose the right container for the stash you’re bringing home. Happy travels.
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