Table of Contents
- What is Bad Weed?
- How Long Does It Stay Fresh?
- How Do I Know if Mine’s Old?
- How Do I Check for Mold?
- How Should I Store My Weed?
- Can I Leave It in a Freezer?
- Can I Salvage Weed That Has Gone Bad?
- FAQ
Weed shouldn’t go bad if you store it properly. By keeping it in a sealed container away from heat, moisture, and sunlight, it should stay fresh for long enough for surrounding conditions to not affect its potency adversely. However, it’s better to be able to tell if weed has gone bad and what is bad weed before you have used it and it’s too late!
What is Bad Weed?
What is worse than having no weed? Having weed that has gone bad. Imagine you have come home after a long, exhausting day, and to relax, you roll a joint meticulously. When you smoke what you had been looking forward to all day, you realize that the weed tastes bad. This bad-tasting weed makes you wonder if it’s just the product itself or if it’s just so old that it is probably better for you to throw it away.
What is bad weed? Even seasoned cannabis enthusiasts occasionally struggle to recognize high-quality weed, but the essential characteristics that distinguish good cannabis from bad weed are smell, look, feel, and flower shape. When we refer to “bad weed,” we mean cannabis that has a poor flavor and serves no purpose for the consumer.
When maintained correctly, weed shouldn’t go stale. It should stand the test of time and be effective for up to a year if you store it in a closed container out of the sun, humidity, and warmth. However, most people are unable to tell that the weed they are using has gone bad before they consume it, and that requires some awareness. Some physical cues, some precautions and some knowledge can help you detect if your weed tastes bad because you bought it from a bad vendor, or because it has just gone bad!
Looking for great weed? We suggest Mike Tyson or the Tuna Kush, but if you don’t store your weed properly, it is bound to go bad.
How Long Does It Stay Fresh?
If you have bought weed in bulk and are now worried that it’s been a while and might have gone bad, it’s better to recheck it before you consume it yourself or share it with your friends.
A better way to manage how much you purchase your weed is to buy a flower sample pack and test the strains you are interested in so that you buy the strains of your liking rather than wasting money and wasting weed flowers by buying huge quantities.
How Do I Know if Mine’s Old?
It is hard to admit that your trusty old stash of weed can go bad too, but it is important to check it before use as a precaution is always better than cure. Bad weed is low-quality marijuana that can be seen in so many different states of decay. When you’re dealing with a nice weed flower gone bad, nature offers various reference points, such as it ranging from soil dark brown weed to a lime green flower.
Terpenes and flavonoids that form during the curing process give a particular weed variety its distinct flavor and aroma. However, not even the most persistent treatment can protect weeds from time-related effects. This means that weed with little to no fragrance also has minimal to no flavor. In addition to being plain to use, terpene breakdown could distort the ambient effect and lessen the pleasure people expect to get when they smoke weed.
How Do I Check for Mold?
Mold is a fungus that spreads and leaves behind white fluff and brown patches as unmistakable indicators. Mold can also be black or green. Another mold that grows in the dense centers of marijuana buds is known as “bud rot.” Mold called “root rot” develops on the roots of cannabis plants.
Figure 1: White Mold on weed
It may be tempting to remove the immediately rotten portions and smoke the remaining portions, but this is not a wise decision. You’d be safer throwing it out if you could see any mold or fungus. It won’t even feel pleasant in any case, and it can even cause you to feel sick.
How Should I Store My Weed?
To avoid a bad-tasting weed, there are several steps you can take to prolong its essence. There are certain factors such as temperature, humidity, light etc. that can help you in storing your weed in a better condition.
Temperature: When it comes to weed, the go-to temperature guide is: not too cold, not too warm. Room temperature is perfect for storing weed. A temperature that is too warm can damage the weed and even help retain moisture. Moisture encourages the growth of mold and that makes weed go bad. On the other end, a temperature that is too low can make weed lose its essence.
Humidity: The ideal relative humidity range for keeping weed is 59 to 63 percent. If you raise it, there is a chance that you will retain moisture, which will encourage the formation of mold. Any less can make the weed dry out.
Sunlight: Light conditions for storing weed refer to direct sunlight. Weed can degrade when put somewhere where the sun shines directly, and the excessive heat can trap moisture and promote the growth of mold on weed. So it is better to put it in a place where there is no direct sunlight.
Figure 2 Storing Weed in a closed container
The bottom line is, to keep your weed in a closed container, that is not wet, not placed under direct sunlight and store it at a reasonable temperature.
Can I Leave It in a Freezer?
Putting food in the freezer or fridge always seems like a good option for prolonging its shelf life and it seems to work for most food groups, whether it is meat, fish or vegetables. Even fruits are protected from humidity (as well as insects) when they are stored away in the fridge. However, not everything thrives inside the fridge. Weed, for example, has a great probability of withering away as its trichomes get weak in such low-temperature conditions.
Furthermore, a lower temperature can lead to greater moisture for the weed and that results in the formation of molds that make the weed go bad.
Can I Salvage Weed That Has Gone Bad?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. As much as it might tempt you, you cannot (and should not try to) salvage weed that you are sure is of no good use to anyone. Some people don’t take it seriously and smoke bad weed anyways and even though it might not be fatal, smoking bad weed has its own set of adverse consequences that are not worth it.
Smoking moldy marijuana may cause uncomfortable but not detrimental side effects like coughing, vomiting, and some kind of stomach-related sickness. However, if you have a mold allergy, it could lead to lung or sinus irritation and indications like sinus discomfort, drainage, blockage in airways etc. Inhaling smoke from marijuana that contains certain mold types can have detrimental effects on health in those with compromised immune systems or lung problems.
Besides these health effects, smoking weed that has gone bad is not worth the trouble because as weed wilts away and loses its charm, it also loses its potency, which is of more concern to people who use weed for medical purposes. So a bad-tasting cannabis plant that doesn’t even make give you a good high, is not worth the trouble.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What does moldy weed look like?
On weed, mold frequently appears as white, tiny hairs, although it can also look like fuzzy brown, black, or grey bloom. These darker hues could also represent bud rot.
What does good weed look like?
Good quality weed frequently has an intense green hue with hints of red, purple, or orange. The blooms should also be covered in a white, crystal-like covering that gives them a nearly hazy look.
How long does weed stay good?
Cannabis that has been correctly cured and is kept in a cool, dry environment will last for about a year. At that time, marijuana will start to lose flavor and effectiveness and might even start to grow mold that could be dangerous to inhale.
Can weed mold while drying?
Yes. A bud rot can develop while the plant is growing, drying, or curing, mold can form. Without properly scrutinizing the buds, it might be challenging to spot because it starts at the stem and spreads outside.
Can you salvage bud rot?
Once the weed plant has bud rot, there is no cure; the afflicted parts of the plant must be thrown away. It is not suitable for human consumption and serves no other function.
What kind of weed is black?
A special weed strain appears black and is hybrid.
Does mold smell skunky?
Mold typically has a strong, disagreeable odor that gets worse with time as it begins to spread and grow further. Rather than skunky, the most realistic description of mold’s odor is “musty”.
What does mold smell like?
The smell of mold is typically described as musty, stale, and earthly, much akin to the scent of muddy shoes or rotting wood. Mold odors might vary, but if you smell any of these mentioned scents in your weed, it is better to discard them right away.
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