How Long Does Weed Stay Good?

Written and Fact Checked by: S. Zulfiqar

If you consider yourself a true cannabis enthusiast, you must be having all sorts of questions in your mind regarding how long does weed stay good. Well, that’s natural. At some point, most marijuana consumers wonder about such things; there must be an expiration date, right? All these questions are legit, and you must know the correct answers to them.

We have carefully gathered all the required information regarding the nature of weed and how long it usually lasts. Stick with us till the rest of the article so that you can have all the answers that you are looking for.

It might have happened to most of us when we are out of weed and desperately trying to find some. Then maybe after a while, we find a small, long-forgotten bag of weed from the pocket of some jacket. And then it hits us. Is it still good? Is it still usable? 

So let’s move ahead and get to know how long does weed usually lasts anyway

There are plenty of ways that determine the quality of our weed. 

1. Conditions: If we have proper storing conditions for our plant, it might well last surprisingly long. But if it’s not correctly stored, nothing can be said about it for sure.
2. Quality of the product: First of all, if it was correctly harvested, only that can ensure you’re going in the right direction. If the first and an essential step is skipped, the results would not be as ideal as you must be expecting.
3. How the plant was dried matters too: All weed smokers are aware of the fact that the best weed is the weed that has been adequately dried (after being properly harvested, of course). If your weed is still fresh or slightly wet, then that means that it’s not yet ready to use. So it’s essential to let the weed properly dry before we store it or use it.
4. Similarly, the weed should be cured as well: All these factors, combined, would determine the quality of the weed. Not only that, but they will also determine for how long it will stay fresh to use.
5. Storage: Then comes the storing part, where you carefully need a secure environment where your weed can rest. 

If all of the above-mentioned processes are carried out ideally, your stack of weed might well last from about 6-8 months to a year, and it would stay as fresh as it should be. And if everything is going your way and you’re lucky enough, it can last even longer. That’s how important all these ‘little’ processes are.

What to do If Storage Conditions are Less than Ideal

If you don’t have ideal storage conditions, you might want to consume your purchased weed within the first six months of buying. Try not to keep it safe for so long that it loses its colours and its true essence and aroma. A lot of people make that mistake. They keep it safe for so long that they forget they can have it in the first place. Hence, all the efforts of first buying the plant, then storing it along with the money go to waste. So make sure to consume it before it’s too late.

Even if you think you have a proper storing container, there’s still a chance that it’s not the perfect container for it. In other words, if you don’t have a storage container that’s humidity controlled, there’s still a chance that at least some amount of light or moisture can get inside the container and spoil the party for you.

So the best cure for this is to go for a decent quality storage container. You can find a wide range of them online. Go through them and see which suits your cause the best because, without proper storing conditions, your weed won’t be able to last that long.

Telltale Signs that Your Weed is Going Bad

Now that you have a much clearer idea about the basics let’s get into some more details. As time passes by, your weed will continue to make some changes. It will slowly start breaking down and will also start losing its potency. Sadly.

This happens as the compounds that are present within the weed start falling off. Compounds including cannabinoids and terpenes tend to break apart over time. As a result, your weed will start losing the sharp and unique aroma that it always had.

After a specific passage of time, the essential compound of the plant, i.e. THC, will also start breaking down, and you must already know that it’s the very compound responsible for the high that we feel. And this is backed by the study published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. According to them, the plant starts losing its THC levels after a certain amount of time. Here’s what they said:

• About 16% of THC is lost after one year.
• After two years, about 26% of THC is lost.
• 34% is lost after the third year.
• And the weed loses over 40% of its THC four years while it’s kept stored.

So how do you figure out if your weed still can be used or not? Well, if you notice your weed that it has gone mouldy. If it is mainly, do not consume it. It probably has become like that because it was exposed to too much humidity or moisture.

Similarly, if your weed is so dry that upon touching, it’s turning into dust. That’s another stop sign right there.

Try smelling it. Usually, the old weed does not smell as crisp and sharp as the fresh, useable would, and if it smells bad, dispose of it quickly and correctly.

All these are signs that your weed is too old to consume.

It all comes down to the basics again. If the storing conditions aren’t good enough, there would hardly be any good news for you. Make sure to do something about it. If not, try consuming your weed without keeping it safe for months.

 Relatable reads: What Is Indica Marijuana?, What’s the Difference Between CBD and THC?

References

• Ross S, Elsohly. CBN and D9-THC concentration ratio as an indicator of the age of stored marijuana samples. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. December 12, 1999.