Does Vacuum Sealing Cannabis Increase Storage Longevity?

Increasing the longevity of your bud is an age-old problem. You want every bowl torched or joint lit to have as fresh a flavor of those terpenes as when you first opened the bag. Even if you can accept a little softening of the taste after a bit, no one wants to smoke old weed. Everyone’s dealt with the headaches, cough, or drowsiness that you’ll experience after the THC molecule has degraded into CBN, and no one is a fan. 

That’s why many flower fans are vacuum sealing their marijuana. 

Airtight and out of sight is a pot smoker’s maxim for storing their weed. So it stands to reason that the less air you expose your weed to, the fresher and more potent it will remain. The terpenes won’t dry out, trichomes will stay on the bud, and it won’t burn as hot. Keeping your cannabis from the air will also reduce the humidity, which can cause weed to mold. Store it in a cool place to prevent the cannabinoids and terpenes from drying out further. You’ll want to keep it below 75℉.

So, does this work? Is all you need a good jar and a closet or drawer to keep your weed in good condition for the long haul? The answer is yes. As with most things, the fresher, the better, so be sure to put aside some of your purchase to enjoy immediately. However, if you want to keep your cannabis flower in the best condition possible and store it even longer, vacuum sealing your marijuana is your best bet.

Once your marijuana is vacuum-sealed, some strains can be stored for up to a year without losing a noticeable amount of their potency. Even better, vacuum sealers are relatively cheap online. A quick search on Google or Amazon will give you plenty of options. Everyone has their own opinion on the best vacuum sealer for marijuana, but you can find a home use one for around $50-$75 and a jar sealer attachment is only $20.

Plastic bags are the cheapest route when vaccum sealing. photo credit

If you do decide to go with vacuum sealing your marijuana, jars vs. plastic bags is worth considering. The benefit of plastic bags is their cheapness and ease of storage. If you’re vacuum sealing marijuana in a plastic bag, your nugs will get a little compressed and some small pieces may get crunched off. However, the quality will still be exceptional and it’s not like you’re putting them in a showroom. You’re just going to burn them anyway. As long as you keep them out of the light they’ll still be good.

Plastic bags have some downsides though. If you’re choosing to freeze your weed to keep it an extra-long time, you have to be extra careful when handling the baggie. Frozen trichomes can break off and remain in the bag, instead of going into your body where they belong. Allow your weed to come back up to room temperature before using it.

However, there’s a lot of debate whether or not freezing weed has any real advantages for storage. Many cannabis consumers will say that room temperature works just fine for storage and that between 60-65℉ is the ideal temperature range.

Storing your cannabis in a jars is the preffered method, as it will preserve trichomes better than plastic bags. photo credit

A final issue to consider with vacuum sealing marijuana in plastic bags is that plastic can get a very light static charge. This won’t zap you like a metal door handle when you touch the bag, but it’s still strong enough to pull delicate hairs and trichomes off of your weed. This lowers the potency.

Using a jar adapter to vacuum seal your weed is just as easy as vacuum sealing marijuana in plastic and jars have some big advantages over plastic. They’ll preserve the shape of your nugs, you’ll lose fewer trichomes to crunching and static charge, and they’re more earth-friendly.

With vacuum sealing marijuana in jars, there is the issue of storage. Since glass doesn’t bend or flat pack, you’re stuck needing more storage space.

When you vacuum seal marijuana in plastic, it can get compressed. There’s two schools of thought on this. The first is that vacuum sealed weed that’s compressed is going to smoke exactly the same as fluffy weed once you grind it up, so who cares? 

However, there are some that like their weed to look it’s best no matter what final form it takes. To fluff your vacuum sealed weed back up, place your buds in a glass jar with a humidity pack and leave them there for a bit. Once the leaves rehydrate, they’ll naturally fluff back up.

Whether you choose jars or plastic to vacuum seal weed, the final method to long term weed storage is to use a couple of smaller jars or bags rather than one large container. Every time you open the bag or the jar, you lose terpenes and cannabinoids to the air.

Store your weed in a couple of small containers! photo credit

By having a couple of smaller containers, you can keep the majority of your vacuum sealed weed from the air and fresh while you work your way through one. Plus it’s easier to portion out your weed if you’re trying to ration it.

Of course, you don’t need to vacuum seal your marijuana. Airtight and out of sight works just fine in the short term, as long as it’s not too hot. But it never hurts, especially if you’re regularly buying in bulk. If a small investment is worth having fresher weed longer, vacuum sealing your weed is the way to go.

Can you vacuum seal edibles?

Can you vacuum seal edibles?

Yes. Vacuum sealing edibles, especially baked goods, will keep them fresher longer, especially if you freeze them. 

Can Mold Grow in a Vacuum Sealed Bag

If there’s enough moisture, warmth, and time, mold can grow on vacuum sealed weed, but it’s unlikely. As long as you correctly vacuum seal your weed, there shouldn’t be enough oxygen or moisture for the mold to grow.

How Do You Vacuum Seal a Mason Jar?

You’ll need to buy or borrow a vacuum seal kit and a special lid. Luckily, these are easy to find online. 

Can You Take a Vacuum Sealer Machine on a Plane?

You might get some odd looks, but there’s no regulation against it.

Have you ever vacuum sealed your weed? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Your Best Digs (license)