Cannabis flower can develop mold, making it hazardous to smoke.
Excess moisture on cannabis flower can cause mold, which appears as white dust.
Cannabis flowers should not be smoked, especially for those suffering from autoimmune diseases, respiratory difficulties, or mold allergies. Moldy cannabis flower should be disposed of immediately. However, there are a number of precautions to take in order to avoid it happening in the first place.
To avoid molding, follow these steps with your cannabis flower.
What is Moldy Cannabis Flower?
The cannabis flower is the bud of the cannabis plant, and it is what people normally think about when they picture marijuana. It is a green, conical nugget that can be chopped up and smoked.
Trichomes, which are tiny hair-like strands that you can find on hemp and marijuana flowers, not only give the plant flavor and fragrance but also make it effective.
However, another type of dusty coating that can appear similar but has negative implications is mold. Because cannabis flower is moist when it’s harvested, mold can grow on the inside and outside of the bud.
Here are a few ways to spot mold on your herbe.
- Rather than a purple, gold, or green color, it has a white-ish coating.It looks dull as opposed to sparkly.
- It smells of mildew.
Non lethal though often harmful, moldy cannabis flower can be prevented by using the correct storage methods.
Why Mold Happens on Weed
Mold can appear on any item that has water, including plants before and after they’re harvested. Cannabis flower is similar to eggplants or tomatoes from the grocery store in that it contains moisture, which can grow mold if stored incorrectly.
Mold thrives in moist organic matter and can develop quickly because it is fed by the material.
Mold is more likely to appear on hemp or marijuana flower that has not been dried properly. The buds are dried for many days with ample of air circulation to allow most of the moisture to evaporate after they are harvested from the plant.
If the flower isn’t completely dried, it will begin to mold after it’s packed and sent, especially if it’s exposed to heat.
Mold can grow even after cannabis is dried long enough if it remains in the container for an extended period of time. This is why keeping track of cannabis expiry dates, particularly if you’re purchasing it at a discount, is so crucial.
Is It Dangerous to Smoke Moldy Weed?
There aren’t many papers on the effects of smoking moldy marijuana, but it’s generally not a good idea to consume any sort of mold.
Moldy cannabis isn’t likely to cause much damage, but mold spores may cause an infection in your lungs. If you’re immunocompromised, smoking moldy marijuana is especially hazardous.
Some internet sites advise removing moldy marijuana materials and smoking the remainder, but we don’t propose it.
Because the wetter portion of the bud is adjacent to the stem and where the flower is thickest, that’s why. Even if you believe you’ve cut off the mold, it might extend deeper than you expect. Most individuals will be able to tolerate moldy cannabis once or twice if they smoke it by accident. However, if you know how to identify it, inspect your marijuana regularly, especially if it’s been sitting for a while.
What Happens If I Smoke Moldy Cannabis Flower?
Although it’s rare, consuming moldy cannabis flowers could result in a cough, wheeze, or vomiting fit. However, if you have an autoimmune disorder, the impacts will be greater and long-lasting.
How to Store Weed So It Doesn’t Get Moldy
The market for cannabis containers has never been better. You have thousands of options to choose from so that your weed flower doesn’t get moldy.
Keep these three shopping tips in mind when you’re looking for the best weed storage solution:
1. Always store flowers in a cool, dry place
Keep your weed container in a dark cabinet that doesn’t change temperature throughout the day. If you’re not using a glass or plastic container, keep your cannabis flower dry and cool by storing it in an airtight container.
Although eggplant and tomatoes will keep longer in the freezer, cannabis does not. Your freezer is humid, which allows weed to develop mold. Furthermore, the freezing process can damage all of the trichomes that make smoking and vaping flowers so appealing.
2. Store flowers out of the sunlight
Sun exposure, especially in hot areas, can cause flowers to wilt and develop mold. They may be controlled. If your flowers are kept in the sun without an airtight container, they will dry out as a result of UV radiation. Condensation will form from the moisture within flower buds if heat builds up inside an airtight container due to sunlight’s rays, fostering a favorable environment for mold spores.
Weed should always be stored away from sunlight, in a dark place, whether that is a glass or plastic container. This helps to keep the heat from passing through and degrading the weed.
3. Control the amount of moisture
Too much moisture can lead to mold, but if there isn’t any water in your container, your flower will soon dry out and brittle. The simplest solution is to put an airtight container with a moisture packet.
Moisture packets use the humid environment surrounding it to prevent dryness, keeping your product as fresh as possible. It’s similar to how silica packets are used for clothing or meat but with a focus on preventing trichomes from drying out.
What to Do With Moldy Cannabis Flower
This is the downer section of the article. Whether you can see and smell mold on your flower, you must dispose of it.
As we mentioned earlier, some people say you can cut out the moldy bits, but it’s not advisable. You can’t cook or bake mold off of weed because there’s always a chance that there is more lurking that you can’t see. If there’s more than a minuscule amount of mold, get rid of the infected flower.
The easiest method to get rid of moldy marijuana is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Unfortunately, you might receive weed from a dispensary that has mold on it as a result of mismanagement.
If you spot mold on your marijuana within a few days of getting it from a dispensary, contact the shop and ask for a replacement item. It’s conceivable that the mold began to develop after you took it home if it’s been more than a few days since you purchased it.
If you’re purchasing cannabis from a dealer in another state, it’s critical to learn how to inspect and separate your marijuana right after bringing it home. Always take black-market marijuana out of the bag and place it in an airtight glass or thick plastic container as soon after receiving it as feasible.
Final Thoughts
spoiler alert: you really don’t want moldy weed. Weed can start to develop mold if it’s stored in a humid or warm place, or if it’s been sitting around for too long.
It’s generally not advised to smoke moldy marijuana, especially since it won’t seriously harm healthy individuals. If you have asthma or a respiratory condition, are allergic to mold, or suffer from an autoimmune disease, smoking moldy cannabis might have terrible consequences on your health.
Although you might be fine if you consume moldy weed, we recommend that you prevent it in the first place by storing your weed properly. Keep it in a location that is cool and dry, out of direct sunlight. To maintain the ideal moisture level, use moisture control packets within the container.