Some of you buy high quality, rare, top-shelf strains, so why compromise that quality? There is a ton of misinformation on the web regarding cannabis storage, so yet another post may help to reinforce the good, the bad, and the ugly. The goal is have sticky, fluffy, succulent buds, and if you follow these rules, you won’t go astray.
Do
- Keep your bud in a dark place. Studies have shown that exposure to UV rays degrades THC levels.
- Keep your bud somewhat moist. Between 55% to 62% RH is ideal to keep the trichomes from losing too much water. Smoking bud, in general, creates allergens, but when it’s dry, it can have a harsher effect on the lungs and sinuses. This amount of moisture also keeps the terpenoids and flavonoids in tact so they can release their aroma and taste.
- Keep your bud in an airtight or low oxygen environment. Studies have shown that exposure to oxygen, over time, reduces THC levels. This is is why many dispensaries package their bud in nitrogen, because it disperses oxygen.
- Keep your bud somewhat cool, between 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures correlate with a low RH, which drys out the bud, making the trichomes brittle and fall off.
- Keep your bud from moving around. Friction and movement, like shaking it or knocking it around will cause the trichomes to loosen and fall. You want those little things to stay on the bud for the best experience.
Don’t
- Don’t keep your bud in a freezer. This is the worst thing you can do. The trichomes will freeze, dry out, and break off. Bye bye potency.
- Don’t keep your bud in a warm place. The attic is not a good idea. Again, low RH means brittle trichomes.
- Don’t keep your bud in a clear jar and expose it to light. If you do use a mason jar, put it in a dark cupboard.
- Don’t put fruit in your cannabis storage container. The theory behind this is that the fruit will emit moisture, but it ends up emitting too much moisture, causing mold growth.
- Don’t leave your bud in a pill container or tin for longer than a few days. These are fine short-term solutions; the degradation process isn’t immediate, and is hardly noticeable to even the most trained connoisseur, but over the long run, both oxygen and dryness will eventually degrade the THC.