Dabbing and vaping are becoming so popular, in the near future they could overtake traditional flower as the go-to method for consuming cannabis. But if these highly potent concentrates are not stored correctly, they rapidly lose their strength and potency. Obviously, you want to preserve that potency until it’s time to medicate, right? But how do you go about storing your product for maximum effect?
As with most perishables including cannabis flower, a cool, dark, dry place is crucial to prolonging the shelf life of your concentrates. There is, however, more to consider when it comes to the various oils, waxes and resins that populate the world of concentrates. Let’s break it down.
Butane Hash Oil (BHO)
More commonly known as shatter or wax, this solvent-based concentrate is perhaps the most difficult to store correctly. Because contact with air and moisture degrades BHO, a sealed, air-tight container is a must. Glass jars are sufficient, but medical-grade, platinum-cured silicone containers, like these Slick Stacks from Oil Slick, are best because concentrates won’t stick to them as badly.
If you do use glass, ensure you first wrap your concentrate in high-quality parchment paper to help prevent it from getting stuck to the insides of the container. Lastly, make sure your container is as small as possible to reduce the amount of air exposure.
Rosin
Techniques for storing solvent-free concentrates, like rosin, are essentially the same as BHO. In fact, because rosin is less volatile than BHO, you don’t need to be quite as diligent when storing. As mentioned above, silicone airtight containers, or parchment and glass, are your best bet.
CO2 Oil
CO2 oil is predominately the product you find contained in vape pen cartridges. The great thing is, these cartridges are already pre-sealed from the harmful effects of the outside world, so all you need to do is keep them in a cool, dark, dry place to get the most out of them.
Tinctures
Interestingly, tinctures were among the first commercial cannabis medicines and remained popular until they were banned under Prohibition in the 1930s. Because tinctures are made with alcohol, which has excellent preservative qualities, they are the longest-lasting concentrates by far. If stored in a (you guessed it!) cool, dark, dry place, they can last as long as six months to a year.
Try Freezing Your Weed
Both freezing and refrigeration will greatly extend the life of your concentrates. However, because there’s so much moisture inside your fridge, you need to be careful your concentrates are kept in an air-tight container. What’s more, as air cools, condensation can form on the inside of containers and freezer bags, so you need to take extra precaution with this method of storage. It’s also important to note that freezing and thawing can cause some concentrates to become harsh when consumed.
No matter which cannabis concentrate you prefer, follow this advice and you’ll be enjoying stronger product for longer.