What do you do when marijuana gets old? Read on to find out what you can do with old weed and how to store it properly.
Can you smoke old weed?
You absolutely can smoke old weed, with certain exceptions. If your weed has been sitting around for a long time and has dried out, you can still smoke it. You can crumble it into a joint or put it in a bowl. Any way you normally would have smoked your weed before, you can do now. Remember that it probably won't taste as great as you remember. It will also most likely be a bit dry.
Dry, old weed can be a bit harsh when smoked. It will have lost the compounds that cause it to have good flavor and aroma. In other words, it will be old. It may even taste a bit stale. Unless you have stored it properly and are very lucky, it will most likely have lost some, or most, of its potency.
You should not smoke your old weed only if something has started to grow on it. If you see mold, mildew, or anything else growing on your buds, then do not smoke it.
Can you use old weed for cannabutter?
Old weed can be used in the same manner that you would use fresh weed. As long as the compounds from your old weed have not completely broken down, you can use them to make cannabis butter or cannabutter. Cannabutter is a staple in making a variety of edible products.
The problem with making cannabutter with old weed is that you will probably need a lot more weed than normal. As weed breaks down, it loses THC. So you will need to make up for that loss of THC with the quantity of marijuana you use in your recipe. It can be done easily enough; just remember to experiment, so you know how much weed to use.
You can always follow a good cannabutter recipe like the one on our blog.
Can you use old weed for brownies?
You may wonder what else you can use old weed for. You can always use old weed to make pot brownies. Like with the cannabutter, your results will vary depending on several factors. How old your weed is and how much THC has broken down will affect the potency. Because you can use vibrant and flavorful ingredients, it should still produce quite a pleasant treat.
You will need to experiment with the quantities because it is difficult to gauge how much of the THC you lost in aging your marijuana. It could be negligible, or it could be that you lost almost all of the THC. Many factors, such as how the weed was stored and how old it is, come into play. If you want to extend the life and potency of your marijuana, it is important to store it properly.
If you want a great pot brownie recipe, we have one on our blog that I think you will enjoy.
Can you make concentrate from old weed?
People with high tolerances may prefer cannabis concentrate. Concentrates are also good for people who want to try different ways to partake in cannabis. The good news is that you can make cannabis concentrates from old weed.
Cannabis concentrates made from old weed will require more marijuana than you would need with marijuana that isn't too old. If this seems like a recurring theme in this article, it's because older weed loses potency over time. You will need to make up for this or accept a weaker result.
If you want to learn more about cannabis concentrates, check out our blog post on the potency of cannabis concentrates.
What to do if your weed is dried out?
Old weed can become very dry. When this happens, your weed can taste off and be harsh to smoke. So what can you do? You can rehydrate dried-out weed using fresh weed, a humidity pack, or a citrus peel.
- Fresh weed: Put your dried-out weed in a container with your fresh weed. The moisture from your fresh weed will transfer to your dried-out weed. This is not the most reliable or fastest way to rehydrate old weed. It will serve to help out if you do not have access to the other methods.
- A humidity pack: Place a humidity pack inside a jar with your dried-out weed. The humidity in the jar should rise to higher humidity. Your dried-out weed will absorb some of this moisture from the air. This will help to bring your weed back to a level of moisture that will make the process of smoking it more enjoyable.
- Use a citrus peel: Using a citrus peel is a pretty popular method of trying to rehydrate your dry cannabis. You take a small strip of skin from citrus fruit (lemon, orange, lime, etc.) and place it in a sealed jar with your weed. Open the container twice over the day to let fresh air in and overly humid air out. Smoke your weed within 24 hours.
There are potential issues with using the humidity pack and the citrus peel. You do not want to over-hydrate your weed. You should only do this for one day and check your weed frequently to ensure it is not over-hydrated. Over-hydrated weed can be the perfect place for mold and mildew to grow. If that happens, your weed is useless.
Does old weed still get you high?
The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. It does depend on the condition of your weed. Old weed can get you high if it still has enough THC. If your old weed loses enough THC and other cannabinoids, it will not get you high. You will get high if you can get a good level of THC and other compounds. You may have to smoke more of it or rehydrate it to get it to have the desired effect.
Weed that has been sitting for a long time can lose the compounds necessary to affect you. This is especially true if your weed is stored improperly.
If you want to enjoy your weed for a long time, you must store it properly
How do you keep your bud viable for as long as possible? How do you slow down the process of it breaking down? There is only one way to preserve your marijuana over time. You will have to store your weed properly to preserve the beneficial effects of your marijuana for as long as possible.
You will need to make sure you have proper storage to mitigate the effects of humidity, temperature, light, loss of THC, loss of flavor, and the degradation of cannabinoids. Also, you do not want to store your weed in plastic as it can cause your weed to "sweat" and lose moisture.
You will also want to keep your weed out of exposure to the air. By slowing down the conversion of THC to CBN, your cannabis can stay useful for longer. A good side effect of this is that you do not need to worry about using up all of your stock as quickly as possible.
It should be noted that the period in which cannabis remains fresh has yet to be accurately identified. For this reason, you should always inspect your weed first after a long period of storage.
With proper storage, one can retain much of the consistency of cannabis and its derivatives. It is impossible to stop the effects of aging on marijuana fully. The process can be slowed if one eliminates the factors mainly responsible for the chemical change - UV light, humidity, heat, and oxygen.
What is the ideal temperature to store your weed?
As mentioned earlier, you do not want your marijuana to be introduced to temperatures that are too hot. Having the temperature too high when you store your marijuana will hasten the breakdown of the marijuana. If you combine this with humidity, you risk introducing mold to your stash. The ideal temperature to store your marijuana is about 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C).
High temperatures can also dry out your marijuana and help to break down the compounds in your cannabis. This will lead to a loss of quality in your product. Remember that the more the compounds degrade over time, the more ineffective your marijuana will become.
You will want to store your weed in an airtight container. You will also want it to be dark or completely removed from direct light. If at all possible, do not store it in a plastic container. Try to put your marijuana in a cool place. A refrigerator is better than one being exposed to hot temperatures. Lastly, if at all possible, use a humidity control packet. Just make sure it is not toxic and follow the directions. Some packets are specific to use with marijuana.
Conclusion
The best way to preserve your cannabis for as long as possible is to store it properly. This is the only way you can help preserve your weed's effectiveness. Nothing will stop it from degrading, but proper storage can stave off the effects of time.
