Quick answer: Store cannabis in an airtight, opaque container, keep it between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and lock it where children and pets cannot reach it. Flower holds best at 58 to 62 percent relative humidity. Keep products in their original child-resistant packaging when possible, and label everything with the product type and the date you opened it.
How to Store Edibles Safely at Home
Prerequisites
- Airtight, opaque containers sized to the amount you keep
- A two-way humidity pack rated for 58 to 62 percent, for flower only
- A lockbox, locked cabinet, or cabinet latch
- Labels and a marker
- Optional: a small hygrometer to read humidity inside the jar
Steps to store cannabis safely at home
- Pick an airtight, opaque container. Glass jars with a gasket lid or food-grade plastic with a tight seal both work. Clear bags and clear jars let light degrade cannabinoids.
- Match the container to the amount. A jar that is mostly empty dries flower out faster. Fill jars roughly two-thirds full.
- Add a 58 to 62 percent two-way humidity pack to flower jars. Replace it when it turns rigid.
- Choose a cool, dark, dry spot. A closet shelf or the bottom of a linen cabinet works. Skip the bathroom, the space above the stove, and the windowsill.
- Skip the refrigerator and freezer for flower. Condensation and repeated temperature swings damage trichomes and invite mold.
- Put the containers inside a lockbox or a locked cabinet. A simple latch with a key or combination is enough for most homes.
- Label every container with the product type, the date opened, the CBD or THC amount, and a line that reads keep away from children and pets.
- Keep the original package insert or label with the product. It carries the lot number, dose per serving, and expiration date.
- Store edibles apart from food. Use a locked box on a high shelf, not the snack drawer or the shared refrigerator shelf.
- Check each container once a month. Look for mold, a musty or ammonia smell, or flower that crumbles to dust.
Storage by product type
Flower
Keep flower in glass at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, out of light, with a humidity pack. Whole buds last longer than ground flower because less surface area is exposed to air.
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Oils and tinctures
Stand bottles upright in a dark cabinet at room temperature unless the label says to refrigerate. Wipe the dropper after each use and never let it touch your mouth or a countertop.
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Edibles and capsules
Leave edibles in the sealed original package and check the expiration date. Some products need refrigeration after opening, so read the label before you put the box away.
how to keep cannabis away from children
Concentrates
Store concentrates in a small airtight container in a cool, dark spot. Heat makes them sticky and hard to handle, and light degrades potency.
Signs your cannabis has gone bad
- White or gray fuzz, or a web-like growth on flower
- A sour, musty, or ammonia smell
- Flower that turns to powder when squeezed
- Oil that has changed color or developed a cloudy layer
- Edibles past their expiration date or with a changed texture
Safety and legal checklist
- Keep all cannabis in child-resistant packaging, even after you open it.
- Lock edibles first, since they often look like candy or baked goods.
- Keep the lockbox key or combination away from children and visitors.
- Follow your state possession limit and keep no more than you can store safely.
- Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away if a child or pet eats cannabis.