Medical cannabis is now legalized in some states and continues to gain traction in others, providing individuals with new, natural ways to get relief from a variety of medical conditions. If you’ve been prescribed medical cannabis, it’s important to learn how to properly store it in order to keep it fresh and ensure it has the results you’re looking for. While many people simply store it in a plastic sandwich bag, this can lead to mold, which can have a negative impact on your health. The following tips will help you store your medical cannabis safely.
Important Factors
There are a few important factors you need to keep in minding when choosing the method of storage for your medical cannabis. These include:
- Air Flow
- Light
- Humidity
- Heat
Achieving the proper conditions is essential to keep your medical cannabis safe for consumption. For instance, direct sunlight is one of the worst things you can expose your medical cannabis to. Indirect light can also cause damage so storing it in a dark place is ideal. The location should also be cool and dry. For this reason, it’s often best to store it in an airtight jar placed at the back of a closet or cabinet where it will stay out of the light. Ideally, the temperature should be between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If you can track the humidity level, cannabis should be stored at a humidity level of 62 percent. Glass mason jars make the perfect storage container for your cannabis because plastic bottles or jars can leach BPA into the cannabis and aren’t as effective at maintaining temperature and humidity levels. It’s preferred to choose opaque or dark colored glass rather than clear.
Mistakes to Avoid
In addition to understanding the best ways to store your medical cannabis, it’s also essential to learn more about the most common mistakes so you can avoid them if you are unable to meet the conditions listed above. While those are the best conditions to store your medical cannabis, you do have other options as long as you avoid making mistakes that can either impact the potency of the cannabis or cause it to mold, which is dangerous for your health.
Make sure the container you choose is airtight. The more oxygen the cannabis is exposed to, the weaker it will be, dulling the desired effects. This also prevents it from drying out too quickly. In addition, it’s important to make sure it isn’t stored in a damp environment. Dampness leads to mold you may not notice before consuming the cannabis.
One of the biggest mistakes people make is to keep their medical cannabis in the refrigerator to ensure a cool environment. Unfortunately, the refrigerator often introduces additional moisture, even in an airtight container, which can contribute to the growth of mold. The extreme changes in temperature as the refrigerator is opened and closed often can also be damaging. It’s important to avoid any extreme temperature changes in any situation.
Keeping control of the environment in which your medical cannabis is stored is essential to ensure it has the highest potency and is safe to consume when the time comes.
