In the end, it occurs to each and every one of us. You have lost track of your cannabis, therefore you can't locate it anywhere. You eventually locate your supply only in the nick of time, after looking for maybe months or even years. Is it possible to consume this weed at this point? Is it really possible for marijuana to get you high? Is it possible for marijuana to go stale over time? This article explains everything that you need to be aware of.

CAN WEED GO BAD?

Weed, on the other hand, does not really "go bad." Its chemical composition only shifts. Just like your kitchen's vegetables and herbs, marijuana is a plant. Cells decompose and molecules oxidize as a result of this process. Weed loses its potency with time, much like dried oregano in your spice cabinet. In terms of getting high, old cannabis definitely isn't all that potent.

Cannabis may really keep pretty fresh for a surprisingly long period under appropriate storage conditions.

You may anticipate your cannabis to keep fresh for six months to a year if it has been properly collected, dried, cured, and kept.

If you've done an excellent job of keeping your marijuana and are a little bit fortunate, you may be able to extend that timetable even further. Possibly to the point where two years are approaching.

However, for the majority of marijuana users, the situation is less than ideal. In the absence of humidity-controlled storage containers, and presuming that your cannabis will be exposed to some light and the temperature may be less than ideal, don't expect your weed to last a whole year.

So, how long does marijuana last?

In general, aim to consume all of your marijuana within six months after buying it. Of course, if you've invested in high-quality storage equipment, you may extend it to a year.

Let's go into the more scientific answer now that you have a broad understanding of how long does cannabis last. First, it's critical to understand what happens to marijuana as it matures.

Essentially, all of the compounds that make marijuana unique degrade. Many of the cannabinoids and terpenes  present in cannabis slowly degrade and lose potency over time.

Your bud loses taste and aroma as the terpenes degrade. As a consequence, aged bud has a bland flavor and lacks the unique, strong odor that new cannabis is meant to have. Old cannabis may often taste bitter and unpleasant. In any case, after the terpenes have degraded, your cannabis will no longer taste or smell like it should.

Similarly, and perhaps more crucially, cannabinoids degrade with time. Because a lot of the THC has broken down and evaporated, old, worn out bud will be less powerful.

And here is where we can be extremely specific about how long is cannabis good for. Fortunately, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has investigated the situation for us.

Their researchers discovered that cannabis plant matter loses THC potency at the following rate on average:

Weed loses around 16% of its THC after one year.

Two years of storage leads in a loss of 26% of the THC.

After three years, marijuana loses 34% of its THC.

Weed loses 41 percent of its THC after four years in storage.

HOW TO STORE WEED?

Marijuana that has been kept appropriately offers the best possible protection against questions of this kind from the beginning. When it comes to keeping food, you should look for containers that are constructed of glass or ceramic.

It is in your best interest to ensure that the container is airtight and won't transfer any off-putting flavors or odors to the cannabis you so carefully cultivated.

It is possible to prevent the leaves from drying out by storing the pot in a dark, cold spot that is not your refrigerator or freezer. This will assist maintain the moisture content of the leaves.

Cannabinoids  CBD, CBC, and THC are found in high concentrations in freshly harvested marijuana. However, when THC is exposed to UV radiation (sunlight), it converts into CBN, a cannabinoid with a much lower level of activity.

To put it simply, the flavor of the cannabis you consume will be much improved if you store it in a location that is cool, dark, and quiet.

The worst-case scenario is that you neglected to store your cannabis in the appropriate manner and are now stuck with an unidentifiable bag of weed that is stored in a Ziploc bag. Before you light up, it would be beneficial to go through this check list beforehand.

DOES WEED GO BAD?

APPEARANCE

If your freshly acquired stash seems more like dried-out powdered leaves than cannabis, you may find that smoking it is not as enjoyable as you had hoped.

Because of a white powdery material that may form on the plant, it is better to avoid smoking it unless you are prepared to put yourself in risk for heart and lung illness.

If you are willing to do this, then smoking it is OK. Keeping your cannabis in a location that has insufficient air circulation will increase the risk of mold spore growth. Mold spores are drawn to places where there is a lack of ventilation.

DOES WEED GO BAD?

SOUND

If you hear crackles instead of snaps when you break apart your rediscovered cannabis, it's too dry. You should be on the watch for mold in your cannabis if it is completely quiet.

DOES WEED GO BAD?

SMELL

Mold is the most likely reason if your old stockpile smells like pee or a locker room. Poor storage or pesticide contamination might cause a product to have a chemical or plastic smell. However, even if it doesn't smell as fresh, dried cannabis shouldn't have any odd flavors or odors. The scent of cannabis should be unmistakable.

DOES WEED GO BAD?

TASTE

If part of your old stash smells OK and doesn't seem to have mold on it, smoking some of it may quickly indicate whether or not it's really contaminated. Because off-flavors are not permitted, the cannabis flavor should nevertheless come through clearly.

It is not possible to become sick by smoking low-quality marijuana (unless the bud includes mold), but it won't be nearly as enjoyable as smoking fresh cannabis.

The lower concentration of THC implies that you won't get as high, but other than that, there won't be any difference. Make good use of the freshly discovered riches you have!

HOW LONG IS WEED GOOD FOR?

Let's move into the more scientific answer now that you have a broad sense of how long cannabis lasts, which you can derive from the previous sentence. To begin, it is essential to have a solid understanding of the changes that occur to marijuana as it matures.

To put it simply, all of the compounds that give marijuana its unique qualities are degraded. Many of the cannabinoids and terpenes that are contained in cannabis gradually degrade and lose their effectiveness over the course of time.

Your bud will lose both its taste and its aroma as the terpenes break down. As a consequence of this, stale bud is not very flavorful and does not have the characteristic and pungent odor that new cannabis is expected to have.

When cannabis is allowed to age, it may develop a bitter and unpleasant flavor.

In any case, after the terpenes have been degraded, the cannabis you've smoked won't have the flavor or aroma that it should have.

In a similar manner, and most likely more significantly, cannabinoids degrade over the course of time. Because a significant amount of the THC will have degraded and been lost, weed that is old and worn out will not be as strong.

And now we get to the part of determining how long weed will be useful in which we may go quite specific. We may count ourselves fortunate that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has done some investigating on our behalf.

According to the findings of their studies, the strength of THC in cannabis plant matter decreases at this rate on average:

• After a period of one year, marijuana loses around 16 percent of its THC content.
• After being stored for two years, the THC content will have decreased by 26 percent.
• After three years, cannabis has lost 34% of its original THC content.
• After being stored for four years, marijuana loses 41 percent of its THC content.

Happy vaping!