How to Store Marijuana to Keep It Fresh | Westword
Navigation

Ask a Stoner: How Do I Keep Pot Fresh?

A reader recently drank a very old beer, and lived to ask our Stoner whether pot can go bad.
Westword
Share this:
Dear Stoner: I had a fifteen-year-old beer this week; it was disgusting, but it wasn’t harmful. Is weed the same? Does it go bad to the point of being unhealthy, or does it just taste bad?
Mahriar
Dear Mahriar: Like beer, cannabis can be contaminated by various pathogens and bacteria that can cause undesirable tastes and potentially harmful health effects; it’s also affected by moisture much more than beer. So instead of being sealed for one-time consumption, like a bottle or can of beer, cannabis is usually kept in plastic bags and jars and frequently exposed to fluorescent lighting and sunlight.

Even so, cannabis is easily susceptible to mold, rot, dryness and THC deterioration. Mold and bud rot can be very unhealthy for the respiratory system when consumed, especially in concentrate form. But if you store weed like you would beer in a cellar — sealed and in a dark, dry and cool area — then your flower should last a year without going bad, and it can last even longer in the fridge if sealed correctly.

Send questions to [email protected].
KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.