If you have run out of bud and found a long-lost stash somewhere in your closet you might wonder if it was still good. Will you still get your high? Is it out of date?
It can be hard sometimes, especially when there is no big visual indication. Even if your marijuana is not off, you might wonder what happens if you smoke a bud that is not fresh.
Well, in this article we are going to explore these questions and more so you don’t have to.
The Basics Of How Long Weed Stays Good
First things first, how do you know if the buds or cannabis you picked up at the store is still good enough to smoke? Well, there are some basic indicators you should look for before you buy anything.
The most obvious one would be smell. If it smells bad, then it probably doesn’t stay good. You should also check for mold which will usually start growing on the buds as soon as they begin to dry out.
Also, make sure you check the stems to see if they look rotten. These are all common signs that your weed isn’t staying good anymore.
According To Science, This Is How Long Weed Is Good For?
Now, there are other factors that affect how long weed stays good. For example, how much moisture is left in the plant matter after harvest? When the plant has been harvested, it loses water.
This causes the material to become drier than its original state, making it less suitable for smoking.
Another factor is temperature. Buds that are kept too warm will lose their potency quicker because they won’t be able to properly grow.
To find out how long weed lasts, you need to understand how many hours of growth each plant gets during the harvesting process. Some strains take longer to mature than others and therefore produce better quality buds.
For example, indica strains tend to mature slower because the plant needs time to fully develop. On the other hand, sativa plants mature faster because the plant grows quickly until it reaches full maturity.
So, the next thing you need to determine is how long does weed last. In general, the older the buds, the better they taste. However, how old the buds are doesn’t necessarily mean they’re good.
After all, even though the buds may seem like they’ve matured, they could just have lost its potency due to improper storage or overuse.
Therefore, you’ll need to test your weed for THC levels before you decide whether, or not, it’s good enough to use.
How To Test Marijuana For Potency
There are different ways to test marijuana for potency. One way is with a simple paper towel test. To perform this test, simply fold a piece of paper towel into fourths and place them between two pieces of glass.
As you inhale through the glass, the steam from your breath will condense on the surface of the paper towel. The amount of vapor will indicate the level of THC in the marijuana.
Another method involves using a digital scale and measuring the weight of your marijuana. Simply weigh the number of buds you have and multiply by 0.3 grams per gram.
This gives you an idea of the total percentage of THC in your bud. Then, divide this number by 100 to convert it into a percentage. A higher figure indicates more THC content.
The third option is to test your pot with a chemical test kit. Again, this depends on what type of test kit you choose to purchase. But for starters, you can pick up a sample pack online and have your results within minutes.
The bottom line here is that how long weed stays good really comes down to how you store it. Most people don’t pay attention to these details when they’re buying weed.
They end up leaving it somewhere where it’s exposed to harsh conditions that cause the buds to degrade.
So, the best advice we can give you is to keep your weed away from heat and humidity to preserve the freshness and quality of your stash.
How Can You Tell If Your Weed Has Gone Bad?
It’s one thing to know how long weed lasts, but another to actually tell when to throw it out. There are a few things you can check to see if your weed has gone bad. Here’s how:
Smell
If your buds smell rotten, then chances are they’re already starting to break down. It’s also possible that mold might be growing inside your jars.
Appearance
Look at your buds carefully. If they look dried out and brownish, then there’s a pretty high chance that they’ve gone bad. In addition to that, keep an eye out for moldy weed.
Taste
Make sure that your buds don’t taste too strong. That means the THC levels are low, and the buds haven’t been stored properly.
Feel
Another way to test your weed is to feel it for hardness. When you do this, you want to make sure that the buds are still firm and not soft. If they are, then you know they’re going bad.
Color
Check to see if your buds are turning yellow or green. These colors usually signify that the plant material has turned acidic. Once this happens, it’s time to toss the rest of the buds because they won’t taste very good anymore.
So, How Long Will Weed Stay Good?
Weed stays good for anywhere from 3 weeks to 12 months depending on the strain and how old it is. In general, though, you should expect to use about half of your supply every week.
Does Weed Actually Go Bad?
Yes, it does. Even when you buy weed directly from a dispensary, there’s always some risk involved. For instance, if you order a pound of weed, you may get only 5 ounces.
And even those 5 ounces could be mixed together. So, while you may think you’re getting 1 ounce of weed, you could actually be getting 5 different types of strains.
This isn’t just true for dispensaries. As soon as you leave a house full of weed, it starts to go bad. The air becomes saturated with moisture, which causes fungus to grow.
How Can You Keep Your Weed Fresh For Longer?
So, now that we know a bit more about whether weed can go bad or not. You may want to know how you can keep different kinds of weed fresh for longer.
So, let’s take a look!
Flower
One of the most important ways to keep weed fresh is by keeping it in flower form. This includes both the leaves and flowers found on the plants.
Flowering marijuana has the highest concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes than any other part of the plant so it’s the perfect type of cannabis to keep around.
You’ll find that the flowering stage is the longest-lasting part of your marijuana supply. If you have enough bud left over after smoking or baking, you can dry it, crumble it up, and store it in an airtight container.
Once you start drying your weed, you’ll notice that it loses its potency faster. To help prevent this, try storing your weed in glass containers instead of plastic ones.
Also, make sure that you wrap the jar tightly in aluminum foil. This will protect your weed from light and heat.
Edibles
If you’d prefer to smoke your weed without having to wait hours for it to kick in, edibles are a great option. They come in many different forms including baked goods, candies, beverages, gummies, chocolates, and much more.
Just like dried flowers, these edible products lose their potency quickly once exposed to air. However, unlike dried flowers, they tend to last for much longer periods of time.
To ensure that you have the best tasting products possible, you’ll need to store them properly. Store your edibles in cool and dark places where they don’t receive direct sunlight. Ideally, you should keep them somewhere between 45-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, don’t forget to label your jars or containers using permanent ink. This way, you won’t accidentally eat your medicine by mistake.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, weed can go bad just like any other food product. But, there are things you can do to slow down the process.
If you follow our tips above, you should be able to enjoy high-quality pot for much longer periods of time.
Thanks for reading!
My story is exactly why I want to educate more people about cannabis and show them that it isn’t a dirty drug, but a form of medicine. If you are struggling, I urge you to read through this site to see how cannabis can help you.
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