Containing your cannabis: Smart storage solutions

Proper storing of cannabis is essential to keeping your buds optimal for smoking and is an important step in keeping it out of young hands.

Cannabis should be stored in a cool, dark place to ensure the cannabinoids and terpenes don’t dry out, which can give the cannabis a harsher smoke.

Lower temperatures also slow the process of decarboxylation, where THC can eventually degrade into CBN, meaning less potency.

Humidity is another important factor, although hard to control. Humidors for cannabis can help users control humidity to reduce the risk of dry, brittle trichomes.

The amount of oxygen your cannabis is exposed to is easier to control. Too little exposure to air and the humidity is greatly affected, but too much exposure will speed up the degradation of the cannabinoids.

Storage solutions

Storing cannabis in a sealed mason jar will provide just enough air to the cannabis without causing too much to flow through, like you can get with a plastic bag.

Storing concentrates can be more problematic as they’re highly affected by heat and can melt easily.

As with cannabis, store concentrates in a cool, dark place to limit exposure temperature and humidity, but store on wax paper for ease of use before placing in an airtight container.

For ease of use, some choose to refrigerate or freeze their cannabis concentrates, however you run the risk of humidity reducing the potency of your concentrate. Before refrigerating or freezing, use wax paper, a freezer bag, then an airtight container; when thawing, watch for moisture developing.

Safety first

With all the new colourful cannabis products, and edibles being made out of every candy imaginable, some can easily look like any other treat to a child.

Education is key to prevention, but to help ensure peace of mind, and to prevent accidental ingestion by children, many companies offer lockable products that go a step further than the normal “child-proof” locks on products from dispensaries. Take the extra precaution of placing it out of reach, out of sight and out of mind.