How long weed will keep varies from situation to situation. The shelf life of marijuana depends very much on how it is stored. When weed is stored in full sunlight or when it is very damp, its shelf life is quickly reduced.
The use of pesticides also determines how long your weed will keep. Have a lot of pesticides been used? Then the shelf life is shorter. The longer you store your weed, the less THC there will be in the weed. Assuming the weed is stored properly, it is possible to use your weed after years. It is good to keep in mind that old weed does not get better, so do not store your weed for too long.
The breakdown of THC in marijuana
The longer you store your weed, the more THC is broken down. The progression of the amount of THC in your weed is as follows:
- After 1 year of storage: your weed still contains 84% of the original amount of THC.
- After 2 years of storage: your weed still contains 74% of the original amount of THC.
- After 3 years of storage: your weed still contains 66% of the original amount of THC.
- After 4 years of storage: your weed still contains 59% of the original amount of THC.
As you can see in the above overview, a large part of the THC is lost after 3 years. Therefore, it is recommended to smoke your weed within 3 years.
Tips for storing your cannabis
The tips below will help you extend the shelf life of your weed. It is advisable to store your weed carefully, to which these tips will help you:
- Always store your weed in a dark and cool place. So don’t leave it in your living room.
- It is best to store your weed in cellophane, this way less oxygen reaches the weed, which increases the shelf life.
- An ideal cool place to keep your weed is in the refrigerator.
- It is recommended to store your weed in an opaque jar with a twist lid after you have wrapped it in cellophane.
What to do with old cannabis?
If you’ve found old weed and can’t remember when you bought it, it’s important to look closely at its color, smell and texture. We recommend that you throw the weed away if:
- The weed smells bad, where the smell is totally unlike the smell of weed.
- The weed is moldy, wet and/or black colored.
- If there are colors in your weed that do not belong there (these are fungi).
Are you in doubt? Then it is better to throw the weed away and buy new weed. You will not become seriously ill from old weed, but it is possible that it will make you feel well nauseated.
Does cannabis have an unlimited shelf life?
Cannabis does not have an unlimited shelf life. In general, it is good to keep your weed for a maximum of 2 to 3 years, in any case make sure you store it in the right way.
My weed is brown, can I still smoke it?
When your weed has turned brown it is still possible to smoke it, the same goes for weed that has become somewhat crumbly. When your weed turns brown it means it has dried further. Although you can smoke brown weed, it often affects the taste and quality of the weed.
