Ask a Stoner: Can I Smoke This Old Joint I Found?

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Dear Stoner: I found a pre-rolled joint under my bed. The container says it’s from January of last year. Is it safe to smoke?
This Guy

Dear This Guy: There’s a chance that your pre-roll was never safe to smoke to begin with — the inside of most pre-rolled joints is the cannabis equivalent of shredded cheese at the grocery store — but for the purpose of your question, let’s assume your rediscovered doob came from a reputable source.

click to enlarge

Kate McKee Simmons

Proper cannabis storage is like storing any other plant matter: the less heat, light and oxygen, the longer it will last. Sitting hidden under your bed likely eliminates light, but it’s been a hot eighteen months since that joint was sold. Unless the air conditioner’s been on turbo mode, that part of your room isn’t very cool. The plastic tubes in which virtually every pre-roll is sold isn’t exactly airtight, either. You could always rip the paper off to find out, but odds are that joint has expired. Even if it were safe, THC degrades with time, too, so there’s no chance that joint packs the punch it once did. Unless you’re desperate, toss that hot dog and re-up.

Send questions to [email protected].