Storing your own marijuana may sound like too simple of a thing to have a dedicated blog post on, but if you think that it’s really that simple, you’ve probably been bagging it all wrong. Storing your weed properly is too important to be passed. It preserves the quality of the flavor and the cannabinoids CBD and THC, keeping your weed fresh and potent for longer.
Below we’ll talk about the best ways to store your weed, how to measure it, and which bagging methods to avoid if you don’t want those fresh buds to go to waste.
Before You Can Bag It, You Need to Know the Basic Weed Measurements
A lot of things have changed for cannabis over the years, from growing methods to all the novel cannabis products, but what has remained the same are the weed measurements. There are a lot of slang terms that have circulated over the decades, but the actual amounts have remained the same as in the last century, just ask any budtender in the United States.
Marijuana measurements start in grams from the metric system, but as the weight increases, they move on to ounces in the imperial system. Weed weight is important for dosing, as you have to know how much you’re taking every time you use it. Below we’ll give you a short guide so you’ll know exactly what to look for next time in your legal dispensary.
The Gram or Dime Bag
When the word “dime” is mentioned, people refer to “ten” or a ten of something, so if you’re wondering how much is a dime of weed, we have your answer. A “dime of weed” or a “dime bag of weed” is usually the bag of weed you get for ten dollars. Usually… But not always.
Basically, the smallest amount of weed you can find on the market is called a dime bag. Back in the day, half of a gram of weed (or two average-sized joints) used to cost $10, and over time the name “dime bag” came to refer to this. These days, a dime bag refers to the smallest amount of weed you can find to purchase, whether in flower form or in pre-rolled joints.
You can still find a half a gram dime bag for 10$, but the legalization of marijuana has caused the prices to drop drastically, so most places will sell a single gram of marijuana for the same price, and top-shelf cannabis may even be 20$ for a full gram.
So, sometimes the actual amount of cannabis may vary from place to place, but the important thing is that a dime bag is the standard smallest measurement for weed. For reference, half a gram of weed is about the size of a grape.
An Eighth of an Ounce
One-eighth of an ounce is the second-largest marijuana measurement and it equals about 3.5 grams (the size of a kiwi fruit), which is perfect for when you need a bigger bag of weed. The prices vary from $20 on the lowest end to $50-60 dollars for top-shelf weed. This amount of weed is very convenient for both recreational and medical marijuana users as it lasts for about a week – just enough time for you to use it up before it starts going bad.
A Quarter of an Ounce
A quarter of an ounce, also commonly called “Q”, is 7 grams of weed and it’s about the size of an apple, or 10 blunts, or 10-15 average-sized joints. The price of weed can be anywhere between $30 and $120 dollars for higher quality, depending on where you get it. This weed measurement is great if you are a regular user and want to buy in bulk because you know you’ll use it up well.
Ounce or Zip
Though smaller than a pound of weed, the ounce is the largest unit of measurement on our list. In California and most states, a full ounce is the biggest amount of marijuana you are allowed to legally possess for use at a given time, without being under suspicion that you intend to distribute it. A full ounce is about the size of a coconut, and it weighs exactly 28 grams of cannabis, or 28-55 blunts, or about 100 joints worth of weed.
Back in the day, they used to store weed in ziplock baggies that could fit exactly one ounce of weed, so people would ask for a “zip” when they needed an ounce of marijuana. Today, the price for a zip is between $100-$400, depending on the weed and the dispensary. As it’s such a big stash, it will last you anywhere from a month to two months before it starts to deteriorate, but, if you store it properly, you can keep it fresher for longer.
How to Bag Up Weed 101
If you’re in the habit of buying in bulk, you probably know a trick or two about storing weed, whether a few ounces of cannabis, a quarter pound of Indica, or larger quantities of Sativa. Your precious buds are sensitive to light, heat, and air, so you need to protect them well. Let us share some more tips and tricks on how to do it properly and keep ‘em buds as fresh and fragrant as the first day.
Glass Is Better than Plastic
Marijuana is best stored in glass, with no exceptions. While plastic has a static charge that can fry up your buds, glass is gentle and will seal up the taste nicely. The one downside to it is that you have to protect the weed from light as UV light can cause the THC content to degrade and turn into CBN, meaning it’ll alter the effects you get. You can wrap the glass container in a towel or you can store it in a dark place away from sunlight.
Use Paper Towels or Parchment Paper
Whatever kind of container you store your weed in, you need to avoid moisture. The best way to do this is to wrap your nugs in paper towels or any kind of parchment paper. To avoid unwrapping, crunch them up really well, it’ll make it easier to stick. Paper towels will protect the plant matter from odor and they will let it breathe properly.
Keep It Out of the Fridge
Avoid storing your stash in places with low temperatures, like the fridge and the freezer. The humidity in the fridge often fluctuates and will affect the quality of your weed, while the freezer will probably make your buds too brittle to use, not to mention freezer burn.
Aluminum Foil for Short-Term Storage
If you need to put your weed away quickly for a few days, you can totally use aluminum foil. It’s pretty durable when you don’t touch it as much and it will protect your weed from light and heat. If you unwrap it only once and leave it alone, it can even last you for a few weeks.
Things to Avoid
Proper weed storage is important, but knowing what to avoid is just as important. Some things are no-brainers, but let’s see what you should avoid doing:
- Avoid leaving your buds out when they’re exposed to light and/or heat;
- Don’t store your weed containers next to heat-generating electronics as this may cause it to dry up faster, affecting the taste and the cannabinoid content;
- Keep it away from humid corners as this may encourage the growth of mildew and mold;
- Don’t think about adding fruit peels for flavor as even fruit peels have some water content which will expose your buds to unnecessary moisture;
Conclusion
Storing weed properly is the best way to ensure you’re making the most of its effects. It’s not a complicated process as long as you know how to protect it from light, heat, and moisture to prevent the cannabinoid content from deteriorating.
