Worst Mistakes Made When Storing Weed

Do you want to know all about how not to store your weed?

Using cannabis, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes, is now more popular than ever before. With the legalization of cannabis in Canada, back in 2018, the herb’s popularity has skyrocketed. People could freely, as long as they were of legal age, could walk into any marijuana store or dispensary and walk out with all the different types of weed products that were made available for them to enjoy. Whatever way people went about choosing how to smoke their weed, whether by way of a joint, glass pipe, or a bong, they were sure to get the euphoric feeling that was commonly associated with cannabis use, and as well as all the medicinal benefits that came about from consuming the herb.

With the increased usage of cannabis and all the new users of the herb after its legalization, many people had found it quite troublesome to keep their weed fresh long term. Many of the new cannabis users making mistakes were among the most common weed storage mistakes that all newcomers to the cannabis community face.

Many of the new, and even some avid, users of cannabis often relax and loosen up when it comes time to store weed properly. After they were done with using a weed strain, they would leave the remainder of the weed in the plastic bags they initially brought them in, in their grinders, and in some cases, they would even leave it in the bowl of their bong or glass pipe. Suffice to say, and this doesn’t bode well for the unused and “safely stored” weed they leave behind. Leaving any weed strain out in the open like this makes it very prone to a lot of damage from the various factors that physically surround it, such as the air, moisture, and light. Leaving your cannabis in the plastic bags you bought them in doesn’t help its case against damage from the elements either.

While worrying about how you store your weed won’t be at the top of your mind when you buy a small amount of it, it should most certainly be at the top of your mind if you own large quantities of it since improperly storing weed puts the quality of the weed at risk. Improperly storing a stockpile of cannabis results in several problems for your weed, such as the weed strain losing its flavour and freshness, as well as it suffering from a significant decrease in potency. The drop in potency arises when the elements above damage and degrade cannabinoids such as the CBD and THC content that makes up the weed strain.

It isn’t the most tasking of tasks to store your weed appropriately, and thus, every cannabis user should know of the few simple measures to take to avoid improperly storing cannabis.

What Common Storage Mistakes to Avoid When Storing Weed

Not Storing Your Weed, to Begin With

When discussing the common storage mistakes people make, we should start with one of the most common weed storage mistakes out there, made by both new and avid users alike, not storing your weed whatsoever. A lot of the users of weed simply end up getting too lazy after they smoke their weed and completely ignore the fact that they have to store away whatever weed they didn’t smoke, and thus, leave it entirely out in the open, allowing for disaster to strike the leftover weed. It is a fairly common mistake due to users often laying out all their weed on a table in front of them before they go about rolling a joint. After smoking it, they end up too lazy or high to take care of the remaining weed.

Leaving weed out in the open is probably the fastest way to lose the cannabis buds’ potency and freshness. As previously mentioned, weed is susceptible to damage by air, moisture, light, and heat. Not storing any leftover weed would leave it open to be damaged by any one of these elements. In addition to all this is the fact that leaving weed out in the open could, very potentially, attract some unwanted bugs and insects that would end up contaminating your leftover weed.

The least you can do to avoid that mess is to merely just place whatever weed you didn’t smoke back in the plastic bag you got it in, where it isn’t prone to damage from every single element and more. A slightly better approach to storing your weed would be to find a suitable-sized plastic container for the amount of weed you have left. For example, if you only have tiny amounts of weed left, you are better off storing it in a pocket-sized container than out in the open on a kitchen counter. Getting yourself a weed container to store weed when you aren’t using it would do a fair bit to help in maintaining the cannabis buds’ levels of potency and freshness.

However, you will soon learn that containers aren’t the best way of storing your stash of weed.

Storing Weed in Plastic Bags of Containers

Unarguably, one of the most popular methods to store weed is placing the weed in a plastic wrap such as a plastic bag or storing marijuana in plastic containers. This is made all the more common because weed is sold in a container or a plastic bag more often than not. At the same time, a container or bag makes for an excellent short-term storage solution, according to expert advice. Leaving it for extended periods within the containers and bags could be a bad idea as the containers aren’t intended to be long-term storage solutions to the problem of weed storage.

Cannabis products are, more often than not, sold in bags or containers due to it being the cheapest form of storage solution, as it only costs a few bucks and a storage option that can last long enough for the trip from the cannabis store or dispensary to the customer’s home. However, as a customer, unless you are fully intent on consuming all of the marijuana you purchased in one sitting, you should go ahead and transfer the marijuana contents from the container made of low-grade plastics to one that is of higher quality, such as metal containers or more preferably glass jars. You should transfer marijuana strains as soon as possible, preferably as soon as you get home from the store you bought the strains from.

There are several reasons why you should avoid storing your weed in a plastic bag or container, and though we won’t cover all of them, we will talk about the few main ones. The first reason is that plastic containers can develop a static charge. This charge is harmful in several ways to the plant material of the marijuana strain you purchased, as it can damage the bud and trichomes of a marijuana strain. This damage to the bud and trichomes of the cannabis strain can result in the cannabis strain losing its quality and not producing all of the intended effects when you smoke it. The plastic which the container is made from can also be easily broken down by some naturally occurring chemical reactions by way of light exposure or through UV rays which can then, in turn, leak some unwanted chemicals into your weed, causing it to further degrade in its quality. Lastly, containers made of plastic are susceptible to light and heat damage, which puts the weed within the container at risk of the plastic melting and destroying your weed strain entirely. You should always fare with caution and be wary when using a container made from plastic.

Leaving Your Marijuana in the Grinder

Another widespread and straightforward mistake that many cannabis users make is leaving their weed in the grinders they used to grind them. It is a very understandable mistake to make as after you’ve ground your weed trichomes and bud, you would simply take whatever is enough to roll a joint and simply forget about the rest of the weed, or maybe you would be tempted to leave it there for later use but never get around using it, and thus, ending up storing weed in your grinder. It is easy to mistake a grinder for a weed storage solution as the grinder can be closed up with a lid, and especially because one of the compartments is called a storage compartment. Still, it is essential to remember that it is not meant for storage.

Though these too, like the containers that were made of plastic, can serve as a pretty good short term solution to the problem of weed storage, it is essential to remember to store your cannabis somewhere else once you are done consuming it and no longer require the aid of a grinder. Many grinders out on the market, and most likely the ones you are using to grind your weed, are all made of plastic. Therefore, many grinders come with the same hazards and drawbacks that every container made of plastic would have. Storing your cannabis in such grinders would destroy your weed much in the same way a plastic container would and result in the same problems for your weed, such as losing its delicious flavour or significantly dropping in its potency levels.

However, with all that being said, grinders still make for a pretty decent storage unit for your cannabis, granted it is made out of suitable material. If you intend on storing your weed away in a grinder, or if you just plain forget to take it out of the grinder when you are done smoking weed, you should invest in a grinder that is made out of higher quality materials than just plain old plastic, such as metal. Metal grinders are a much better option for all your cannabis needs, especially to store your weed, that is, if you don’t want to deal with all the shortcomings that come with a plastic grinder. Though metal grinders are a significant upgrade over plastic grinders, due to them not being harmful to the potency levels or the dry buds of your weed, they do affect the taste of the weed strain quite a bit, and you would still be recommended to buy a proper storage solution for all of your cannabis.

Not Using an Airtight Container

There are a lot of diverse and very different storage solutions out there for storing your weed, with a lot of them just being different variations of containers, such as a container made of plastic or metal. Some of the containers and storage products prove to be better than others in one aspect. A container made of plastic would be better at preserving the taste of a weed strain than a metal container but wouldn’t be as good at preserving the strain’s potency. A better container than plastic and metal, which doesn’t suffer from any of the shortcomings that both plastic and metal have, is the airtight container. 

The biggest problem with using non-airtight containers is that they allow too much oxygen to get into the container. Oxygen exposure is terrible for your weed because it negatively affects the bud’s moisture levels. It speeds up the process of degrading your weed, resulting in the weed quickly dropping in its freshness levels and reducing its shelf life. Humidity levels can also be affected by the moisture content, which seeps into the container at a constant rate, further reducing the shelf life of your weed. Another problem with leaving weed in humid environments is that it can develop mould. Mould would render the weed inedible as the mould would spread bacteria and other microbial creatures across the entire weed strain.

However, this does not mean that only an increase in moisture is bad for weed, as too little humidity could end up drying out your buds. Thus, one should invest in humidity packs to control humidity levels in a regular container or a zip lock bag.

Rather than spending money on unsealed containers and wasting more money on humidity packs along with them, you would be better off investing in an airtight container, which also comes in more affordable options. The higher-end airtight containers would come in a wooden or metal box or even in the shape of cannabis humidors. However, if you are reluctant to spend too much, you could just get a plain old mason jar.

Storing Your Weed in an Unclean Container

While making sure that you use a container that is airtight to store your cannabis, as learned previously, it is also just as important to make sure that the container you choose to store it in is clean and that it was thoroughly washed before it is stored all of your favourite weed strains. If you’ve kept your weed in a container without cleaning that container, your weed could be affected. It’s an important point to remember in the process of storing your weed.

This mistake is most often made by people who store their weed in mason jars or some sealable glass jars. As most of us have almost always reused jars time and time again to store different types of things in them each time, it is essential to remember that a jar you have previously used to store your food or some liquid products should be thoroughly washed before placing any weed inside of it, as simply emptying it is not enough. Suppose your cannabis strains are exposed to contaminants such as a leftover piece of food or some liquid. The quality of your cannabis will be severely affected as the bacteria, and other germs from that food or drink begin to contaminate the buds and trichomes of the strain.

It is important to clean up any container before reusing it for another product, regardless of whether it is related to weed. Cleaning a jar only takes a couple of minutes and can save you a lot of money by not wasting or deteriorating the following product you place within the jar. To wash a container, all you need to do is add a bit of soap to it and then begin scrubbing every part of it. Once finished scrubbing, rinse out all the remnants of the previous product that were present within the container, as well as the soap you used to clean the container with. Lastly, you should leave your container to dry thoroughly, as we have already learned that the last thing your weed needs to be exposed to is moisture. You can speed up the drying process and ensure it is done more thoroughly with the help of some paper towels. The paper towels can help ensure there is little to no moisture left within the jar before you place your weed inside of it.

Storing Your Cannabis in a Fridge or Freezer

A widespread mistake cannabis users, new and old, find themselves making is that they always store their weed in a fridge or freezer. While it might not sound like the worst idea at first, due to the refrigerator and freezer being the go-to locations to store all of your food and drink related products to keep them fresh for as long as possible, and also because weed is damaged by heat, it makes sense that one would go about storing cannabis in their fridge or freezer. However, there are several reasons why it can prove detrimental to the quality of your cannabis product.

When you store cannabis in a freezer, the harsh and ultra-low temperature causes the buds on the cannabis strain to lose all of their moisture, which is terrible as it makes them dry and brittle. Not only will your ability to smoke weed feel a lot harsher, but smoking weed would also end up being pretty distasteful as all of the flavours of the strain would no longer come through. Furthermore, the trichomes of the cannabis will also get damaged and begin to break away from the buds a lot more easily, thus resulting in a very substandard quality weed that is unsatisfactory to smoke.

Deciding to store your cannabis in a fridge can be just as bad as the freezer, if not worse. With a constant change in temperature within the refrigerator, the quality of your weed is very much expected to reduce as the continuous change of temperature makes it a lot easier for moisture to seep into the weed strain. If you want to know the best place to store your weed, it isn’t your fridge or freezer but a cool yet dry place such as a cupboard or drawer. Keeping your weed in a cabinet or drawer would not only reduce the weed’s exposure to light and heat but will also ensure that the weed is stored at the relatively cool temperatures that it needs to be at, which don’t end up destroying the buds and trichomes of the weed, like the freezer and fridge end up doing.

Mixing Other Cannabis Products Into Your Containers

While you’ve learned to ensure not to have your weed products mixed with the other remnants of past food and drink items that resided in the jar before, it is also essential to learn not to combine all of your weed products into one singular jar or container. While it may be tempting, mainly because you are already storing your weed in there, and it would probably even come across as self-explanatory to keep the rest of your weed-related products and accessories within it too, but that isn’t the case.

The thought mentioned above process is relatively common in almost all cannabis users. However, you should ingrain it in your head to never mix different weed products within the same container. Though it may seem more convenient to just use one container for all your weed products, you should always use separate containers to avoid problems such as your concentrates sticking to other products or having your devices such as your pipes leak resin and ashes in the container, and thus, contaminating all your other products.

Even storing something as simple as an old weed strain with the same version of the weed strain but newer, in the same container, could prove detrimental to both. There are a few weed products out there that you can store together, but even then, you should separate each of them from the other by wrapping them both in parchment paper. However, you should always ensure that you store all your weed-related devices and accessories separately, no matter what.

Where Would You Go to Get Some of the Best Cannabis Products Available Online in Canada?

If you happen to reside within Canada and are an avid user of cannabis products, more specifically, a user of some of the highest quality cannabis products out there, then “ARCannabis” is the place for you.

They serve nothing less than the best weed as their staff has had countless years of experience serving such products and knows the ins and outs of the cannabis world. Resulting from their experience and expertise, if you were to visit any of their branches across Canada, you find that the brands they serve to their customers are among some of the most reputable in the entire world.

Their thirst for knowledge doesn’t end after they find the best brand to serve their customers, and in fact, it doesn’t end at all. The team working at ARCannabis is constantly on the lookout for any new strain of cannabis or any innovative company in their products. This helps to ensure ARCannabis’ customers that the products that they are getting from ARCannabis, whether in-person or online, are confirmed to be the best available out there at any given time.

On top of that, they always put their customers first. As a result, they’re constantly training staff with the latest and best techniques for customer interactions to solve any problems as efficiently and effectively as possible. Along with some beautiful storefronts and a simple layout, it is easy to find all the different cannabis products you are searching for. You can be assured that your experience with ARCannabis will be the best customer experience you have ever had before you even enter their shop.

If you are looking to read up on some more cannabis-related articles, then you can enjoy those on their site too. Some of the top cannabis articles on their site for this past month have been “How Long Does Weed Stay Good?” and their old reliable, “Pre-rolls Guide.” Also, if the total value of the products in your cart is over 25 dollars, you will be able to benefit from free shipping.

I repeat once more, if you would like to get the best cannabis products, along with the best customer experience there is, head over to “ARCannabis” right now.