C-Vault Storage
Once you’ve purchased your medical cannabis, you want to store it properly to maintain its integrity and freshness. Simply, cannabis is best when stored in a cool, dark place.
First, an important consideration when storing cannabis is temperature. Mold and mildew proliferate on cannabis between 77 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. So, again, a cool dark environment is best. When the temperature is higher, the cannabis flower can dry out resulting in a hot, harsh smoke. Also, the cannabinoid THC turns into CBN, cannabinol which acts a sedative.
The next factor when storing cannabis flower is humidity. Warm temperature means warm air which holds moisture. The ideal range of relative humidity (RH) is between 59% and 63%. When humidity is controlled, the cannabis flower maintains its color, consistency, flavor, and aroma.
If humidity is high, mold and mildew contaminants may grow on the cannabis. When humidity is too low, the cannabis trichomes, which possess the wonderful essential oils, can become dry and brittle.
Another storage consideration is light, more specifically UV rays. Harmful UV rays destroy and degrade the cannabis flower over time. It is thought that light is the single greatest factor in the degradation of cannabis.
Storing cannabis away from direct light helps control temperature. This brings us to air as a factor in the storage of cannabis flower. Oxygen is needed to grow and cure; however, cannabis needs the right amount of air to maintain freshness! Too little air affects humidity. Too much air can result in the degradation of cannabinoids.
So let’s review the DO’s and DON’TS of storing cannabis flower. Do separate strains to maintain strain specific flavor and aroma. Store your cannabis flower out of direct sunlight in a cool, dark, dry place. Store in a vacuum sealed container to control oxygen. Do not store cannabis flower in the refrigerator or freezer. Do not store in plastic bags or plastic containers. Avoid storing cannabis near electronics or appliances because they give off heat. Do not store in a tobacco humidor because it has the potential to transfer oils that can change flavor and aroma of the cannabis. Finally, do not store your cannabis with grinders, pipes, and other paraphernalia. The ash and resin from combusted cannabis can linger in the storage container and affect the freshness of the cannabis flower.
When storing cannabis edibles or perishables that are infused with cannabis oil, treat the food items as you would any other edible. Do not store for long periods of time and keep refrigerated. Tinctures and other cannabis concentrates are less susceptible to mold and mildew contaminants; however, a cool, dark storage container where air and humidity are controlled is suggested.
What should you do to keep your cannabis flower fresh? You could invest in a quality storage container. Summit offers CVault containers which provides optimum freshness and control unwanted odor. CVault containers come in a variety of sizes to meet your needs. The containers are made of stainless steel. It doesn’t affect the integrity of flavor of the cannabis stored in it. Cvault containers are airtight and the container comes with Boveda Humidipaks which control humidity. They are dishwasher safe and can be stacked one on top of the other for convenience. Sizes range from personal to mega which can hold up to one kilogram of dried cannabis flower. Remember to store your strains separately.
Sizes available are small, medium and large. Prices are $19, $22, and $26, respectively. We also offer mega sizes, as well, 2 liter, 4 liter, and 8 liter containers with prices ($34, $50, and $58 respectively). Next time you are in Summit ask one of our Member Liaisons about the CVault container.
A final thought…It is important to keep your cannabis safely away from children and pets.
Talk with your children about safety with all types of medicine, including prescription meds as well as medical cannabis. Model responsible behaviors. When not in use, your cannabis and paraphernalia should be locked away and out of reach. For more detailed information regarding safety, in the home, pick up an information card at the dispensary.
Pet safety needs mentioning too. CBD seems to be safe and effective for pets. The first clinical study, conducted in July 2018 with arthritic dogs given CBD hemp products showed that more than 80% of the dogs demonstrated improved mobility. It is THC however, that can be toxic to our pets.
With the legalization of cannabis across the US, the Pet Poison Hotline has seen an increase of 448% in cannabis related incidents. Animals can be poisoned by ingesting cannabis edibles, the flower, and second hand smoke. Please keep your four legged family member safe by storing cannabis out of reach!
For more information, refer to www.petpoisonhelpline.com
