How to Properly Store Cannabis
HIGHLIGHTS
- Humidity, light, temperature and oxygen affect the taste, smell and potency potential of cannabis.
- Keep cannabis in a cool, dry spot, away from direct sunlight.
- Tools such as hygrometers, humidity packs and humidors can help maintain freshness.
Although packaged dried cannabis does not generally include an expiry date, there are ways to keep it fresh and prolong each strain’s unique flavours, aromas and colours, as well as its maximum potency potential. Read on to learn how to properly preserve and store your cannabis after purchase.
Keep tabs on humidity, temperature, airflow and light – which can cause adverse effects if left unchecked.
When storing your cannabis, take the following into consideration:
Humidity: Ideally, cannabis should be stored at a relative humidity (RH) of 59% to 63%. Too much moisture, and mould and bacteria will grow, producing unpleasant flavours and odours. At the same time, too little humidity in your storage container, and the trichomes that contain the terpenes and cannabinoids will break down, and the essential oils will dry out.
Temperature: The temperature at which you store your cannabis affects its overall freshness— warm air holds more moisture than cold air, so it’s best to keep cannabis below 25°C to reduce the opportunity for mould to grow.
Airflow: Oxygen is a tricky element to regulate but having an excess of it in your storage container will increase the speed of degradation, while having not enough can affect the humidity, especially if the cannabis is not quite dry to begin with.
Light: Above all, limiting exposure to light plays the largest role in preserving dried cannabis. Simply storing cannabis products out of direct sunlight will prevent them from breaking down too quickly.
So how can I manage all of these factors and keep my cannabis fresh?
Much like wine, cannabis is best kept in a cool, dry location, such as a low shelf or basement (just ensure it’s in a secure container and stored away and out of the reach of children and pets – we recommend using lockable containers). Avoid plastic, which can have a static charge that will attract the trichomes.
Do not store dried flower in the fridge, which has fluctuating temperatures and moisture that can promote mould. Freezing is out, too, as the low temps can cause trichomes to become brittle and break easily when handled.
Other cannabis products, such as oils or capsules, can be stored at either room temperature or in the refrigerator but be sure to always follow the manufacturer’s directions before doing so. Remember to clearly mark any products that you store in a refrigerator.
There are a lot of accessories available to help you keep track of elements, such as moisture, humidity and oxygen, when storing your cannabis.
Avoid using tobacco humidors to store your cannabis, since they are often made of cedar and can add oils to your product. However, if you choose to use a humidor made of cedar, you can avoid direct contact between the wood and the dried flower by using additional products such as a glass storage jar.
When storing your cannabis, there are a lot of factors to consider so do your research. But above all, rely on your senses to determine whether the quality has degraded — if the cannabis has no aroma or smells “off”, it’s best not to use it.