Cannabis

mysteryowl

(7,961 posts) Sat Dec 6, 2025, 08:23 PM Dec 6

Does Weed Lose Potency When It Dries?

Does Weed Lose Potency When It Dries?

While there’s no set expiration date, the potency of your weed can drop significantly after a few years.

It’s a slow fade influenced by several key factors:

Leaving your bud out in the open or in a plastic bag invites light and air to do their worst.

The cultivation process can majorly affect the potency of your cannabis. Excessive light bleaches potency, humidity can bring upon mold, and oxygen can slowly erode and degrade THC. Plants nurtured in conditions not optimized for the plant can make for weak THC levels.

Older studies highlight that weed’s THC content decreases over time:

First year: THC reduces around 16%
Second year: THC reduces around 26%
Third year: Around a 34% reduction in THC
Fourth year: THC potency reduces by around 41%.

https://herb.co/learn/does-weed-lose-potency-when-it-dries-insights-storage

10 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Does Weed Lose Potency When It Dries? (Original Post) mysteryowl Dec 6 OP

What if it has been extracted? PuraVidaDreamin Dec 6 #1

I suppose it happens in all forms mysteryowl Dec 6 #2

190 proof Everclear PuraVidaDreamin Dec 8 #9

Years? In my case the oldest weed is rarely more than a week old. Dave Bowman Dec 6 #3

No Botany Dec 6 #4

Thanks for the song mysteryowl Dec 6 #6

Smoking green is yuck. Harsh stuff. Captain Zero Dec 6 #5

Does your chewing gum lose its flavor... WestMichRad Dec 6 #7

This message was self-deleted by its author Midnight Writer Dec 6 #8

Keep your canna in a canning jar in dark place and it will still be great in a year womanofthehills 14 hrs ago #10

PuraVidaDreamin

(4,451 posts)

1. What if it has been extracted?

Reply to mysteryowl (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 08:35 PM

Dec 6

I have extracted and made gummy's.
They were very strong when fresh.
After a year they seemed less strong.

mysteryowl

(7,961 posts)

2. I suppose it happens in all forms

Reply to PuraVidaDreamin (Reply #1)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 08:36 PM

Dec 6

Wow, you make your own extract.

PuraVidaDreamin

(4,451 posts)

9. 190 proof Everclear

Reply to mysteryowl (Reply #2)

Mon Dec 8, 2025, 08:11 PM

Dec 8

in an expensive ETOH pro when I held a provisional thinking I was going into the biz
however
the billionaires who lived near me (only 2-6 weeks a year) made clear at zoning they would keep
me in land court for ever. I didn't have those resources.

I dislike Cape Cod billionaires

actually

I dislike all billionaires.

Dave Bowman

(6,600 posts)

3. Years? In my case the oldest weed is rarely more than a week old.

Reply to mysteryowl (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 09:19 PM

Dec 6

Good to know though. 👍

Botany

(76,358 posts)

4. No

Reply to mysteryowl (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 09:48 PM

Dec 6

As far as I know THC doesn’t degrade over time. The organic material around it but the THC should
be there however you can cook the remaining materials down by heating it in butter in a frying pan
until it smokes and turns into a black gunk … mix that black gunk into Duncan Hines double fudge
brownie mix and bake as directed.

Warning. It might be strong.

&t=1s

mysteryowl

(7,961 posts)

6. Thanks for the song

Reply to Botany (Reply #4)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 10:02 PM

Dec 6

Captain Zero

(8,736 posts)

5. Smoking green is yuck. Harsh stuff.

Reply to mysteryowl (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 09:48 PM

Dec 6

Wouldn't recommend it,

WestMichRad

(2,912 posts)

7. Does your chewing gum lose its flavor...

Reply to mysteryowl (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2025, 10:08 PM

Dec 6

… on the bedpost overnight?

Response to mysteryowl (Original post)

Midnight Writer This message was self-deleted by its author.

womanofthehills

(10,704 posts)

10. Keep your canna in a canning jar in dark place and it will still be great in a year

Reply to mysteryowl (Original post)

Sun Jan 4, 2026, 03:27 PM

14 hrs ago

For a few bucks on Amazon, you can get mini humidifier readers to keep in jars and keep the humidity in the jar around 50 to 60 degrees - some go up to 65 degrees but I think thats too damp

If your humidity drops put in a small piece of orange peel or take your finger and dap inside of lid with water and seal back up.

Can last for a number of years this way. Leaving pot in a plastic baggie will dry it out fast.

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