What’s the best method for storing marijuana flower? There’s a lot of confusion, and even obliviousness, about the importance of properly storing marijuana. To clear the air and settle all our storing questions, we talked with CEO of Cannador, Zane Witzel. Cannador is an artisan designed cannabis storage and accessories company, so Witzel’s advice comes with great expertise. Witzel is passionate about challenging the way we interact with cannabis, and he enjoys working closely with engineers and designers to create new, exciting, sustainably produced products.
We asked Cannador some of the most common questions that we have heard (as well as our own) about storing marijuana flower. Enjoy!
Can cannabis be compared to other dried cooking herbs as far as storage is concerned?
No, cannabis should not be compared to cooking herbs as far as storage is concerned. Depending on the recipe, some cooking herbs work well in dishes when they are dry and others work best if they are freshly cut. When cannabis is consumed by vaporization, it should be properly cured and kept at the right moisture levels. When cannabis is consumed orally, it does not matter how it’s stored since it will eventually need to be decarboxylated.
How long can cannabis last unprotected (without proper storage)?
It’s been circulated that cannabinoids will begin to degrade within three to four months after harvest. All chemotypes vary, so it’s hard to conclusively state the rate at which cannabis degrades. We’re still working off of studies completed in the 70s with respect to degradation and storage.
What are the benefits of properly preserved cannabis?
Terpene retention, slowing evaporative loss and slowing the degradation of its compounds. For an enthusiast, this mainly translates to better flavor and a smooth smoke. If you’ve ever smoked dry cannabis, it can burn the throat and cause irritation, so by slowing the evaporative loss, the buds retain more moisture, which makes it burn more slowly.
How do I know if the cannabis has lost freshness?
It will be dry, crispy, crumbly and may even lose its scent.
What is the best method for storing marijuana flower?
Airtight, dark, cool place while maintaining a relative humidity (RH) between 55 percent RH to 62 percent RH is ideal. Avoid the freezer since this is too cold and makes the trichomes brittle. Stay away from plastic bags with static polymers since this pulls apart the trichomes, and any place near a heat source since heat may lead to degradation.
Does light play a role in freshness?
UV light after harvest has the potential to degrade THC, but again, it’s unclear at what rate. Therefore, take the precaution of keeping it in a dark place or use UV resistant glass jars.
What are the worst storing marijuana flower practices you have seen?
Using fruit in a plastic bag to add moisture to cannabis in order to maintain freshness or revive dry buds is the worst thing you can possibly do. Fruit will naturally decompose, inviting mold to help break it down. The mold spores will migrate to the flower and you will inevitably have a science fair project. Secondly, fruit also has volatile aromatic compounds that can alter the taste of cannabis terpenes.
To summarize:
The do’s: Keep in an airtight container, cool environment, and avoid sunlight.
The do not’s: freezing, storing in a damp environment, or store with fruits (please!).
Have you been storing marijuana the proper way? If not, check out solutions at Cannador and go to PrestoDoctor for your medical marijuana card today!
