Best Way to Safely Store Your Weed
Too often people don’t store their weed properly. Most of the time these people don’t even realize that they aren’t storing their herb right. But storing your herb in a plastic bag doesn’t cut it, in fact, this is one of the worst ways to store weed, and yet it is also the most popular way. Storing your weed properly will increase your weed's lifespan by a lot; storing your weed right will keep your herb potent for up to 2 years. Plus, proper storage retains more of the taste of your herb, making smoking it a much better experience. If you are a plastic bag user and are now wondering where you should be keeping your weed you’re in luck, this guide will detail exactly how to store your weed properly.
Main Factors to Consider
When it comes to cannabis storage there are a few factors that stand above everything else in terms of preserving your herb. Those factors are temperature, humidity, light, and air exposure.
Temperature:
Ideally, you should keep your herb at a temperature below 70 degrees. If you are someone who keeps your house above 70 degrees then at the very least you should put your herb in the basement since it will be slightly cooler than the rest of the house. At the same time, you need to be careful not to expose your herb to extreme cold temperatures either. Many people think that they should put their herb in the fridge/freezer to keep it cool but this is a bad idea because it will freeze off the terpenes and cannabinoids. On the other side of the spectrum, too hot of a temperature will dry the terpenes and cannabinoids out. Don’t expose your weed to temperatures lower than 40 degrees or above 80 degrees— and aim to keep your herb somewhere under 70 degrees if possible.
Humidity:
Humidity is another factor that can neither be too extreme on either side. Too much humidity can promote bacteria and mold growth while too little will cause your herb to become brittle and harsh to smoke. Having the right humidity will help your herb to retain its flavor and aroma too. You can tell if it’s losing its flavor/aroma before you even smoke it or if its color is starting to fade. Unfortunately, humidity is the hardest factor to control, your best bet is to buy humidity packs specifically designed for weed storage. Other than that just make sure to keep your flower in a controlled environment, but that should be the case anyways, don’t store your weed outside.
Light:
Light is important because it directly affects the other two factors on the list. Odds are, if your herb is getting a lot of light then it is going to get too hot and be too humid. It’s best to keep your herb somewhere dark. You can either buy a storage container that is opaque and therefore doesn’t allow any light in or you can simply store your herb in a dark corner of your closet (or anywhere that doesn’t get a lot of light). UV rays in particular will degrade the quality of your herb, and UV decolors your herb as well.
Air Exposure:
Just like you use chip clips to seal air out of your chip bags or plastic bags to hold a sandwich it’s important to have an airtight seal on your weed storage container. Note that plastic bags aren’t airtight but the point is that they keep air away from your sandwiches. You shouldn’t keep your sandwich in a plastic bag for more than a day or two though, and the same goes for weed. Exposure to air can rot your herb and also expose it to bacteria. It’s not sanitary to keep your herb in a non-airtight container nor is it good for its potency.
Other Considerations- Reducing Odor
Having an airtight container should eliminate the worry of leaking odors. Odors that come from your stored weed are not pleasant. Even if you enjoy the smell of marijuana, you likely enjoy it when you’re smoking it because it’s associated with a good time. You probably aren’t going to like the smell 24/7 though. On top of that, if you live with roommates or have family members that dislike the smell then you should be courteous to them and do your best to conceal the odor. The surest way to eliminate any and all odors would be to vacuum seal your storage containers. You can also use spray, if you are in a tricky situation.
How to Store Joints
Joint storage is pretty much the same as storing your unground weed, keep them somewhere cool, dark, and in a container that is airtight. However, note that once you open a pack of prerolls you should consume them within 30 days of opening the pack regardless of how good your storage is. Lastly, be aware that there are specific storage devices designed for joints. And while you are fine to use a storage container that is not designed for joints, using the joint focused storage containers is the better option.
Glass Mason Jar
At this point, you are probably wondering what kind of storage container can adequately satisfy all the needs that have been discussed above. It may seem as though the list of factors that need to be controlled would mean you have to buy a super-advanced piece of machinery that is going to break the bank but in fact, a mason jar is a rather good storage option. If you do want to buy a fancy storage container then go for it, but if you’re not feeling that or are on a budget a mason jar will work fine. Unlike plastic bags, a mason jar is truly airtight. Air moves in and out of plastic bags, and while it’s only a little amount of air, it matters when it comes to long-term storage.
If you do opt for a glass mason jar you should attempt to get a size that will allow you to fill up the jar with your weed almost all the way to the top. The less air in your jar the better, so aim to always have at least 3/4ths of your jar full of weed at all times. Also, remember to keep your mason jar somewhere dark and cool.
Conclusion
Weed storage is important, and if you want to have good weed sessions you need to put in the legwork and store your herb properly. This means storing your weed somewhere with no light, low humidity, and in a cooler temperature. The container itself should also be airtight. The longer you are going to be storing your weed the more important proper storage becomes. If you buy and use your weed within a few days then these guidelines are less important though they still help. At this point, you know how to store your weed properly and it’s up to you to actually do it. You won’t be disappointed, enjoy your soon-to-be better weed sessions!
