What to Do with Old Weed

Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do with old weed? If so, you are in the right place and can salvage old weed so that nothing goes to waste. Some of the options that we will explore include rehydrating it, making cannabis edibles, brewing weed tea, turning it into kief or infusing it with butter or oil.

Photo: Crystalweed

Can Weed Get Old or Go Bad?

In short, yes, absolutely ganja does get old, turn brown and can even go bad. But can you smoke old weed? You will be happy to hear that the answer to that question is yes. However, it isn’t the same as smoking freshly cured cannabis. So is it bad to smoke old weed? The truth is it can be. Above all, it’s important to recognize the signs of moldy or potentially bad herb and the risks. This doesn’t mean that it’s always bad to smoke old weed, though. That is, as long as it is not contaminated with mold, mildew, or other obvious contaminants.

What Happens if You Smoke Old Weed?

So what happens if you smoke old weed? Chances are, if you smoke old weed, you will notice that it doesn’t taste the greatest and will likely burn hot and harsh. Additionally, because it is likely degraded in potency, you will most likely also notice that the effects are not as intense as one would expect from smoking cannabis.

What to Do with Old Weed

So what to do with old dry weed you have sitting around? You could rehydrate it and smoke it or cut to the chase and smoke it directly. However, many prefer to create other cannabis concoctions or cannabis infusions. Here are a few ways you can use old weed.

Rehydrate

One of the worst things about old weed is how dry and brittle it is. Plus, extremely dry cannabis burns hot, harsh, and fast. This means that it burns up quickly and will likely not be enjoyable to consume. However, if it is all you have or can get, it’s better than nothing. While we can’t turn back time and make cannabis fresh again, there are methods of rehydrating weed that may help take away some of the dryness that comes with old weed.

Turn it into Kief

Smoking old dry cannabis may not be your first choice. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be turned into another consumable form of smokable cannabis. Many times, old cannabis makes for perfect kief. Simply add the cannabis to a grinder and grind until it is fine, or utilize a coffee grinder to better emulsify the product into kief form. This kief can then be used in bowls or rolled into a joint.

What’s more, you can roll a furry joint by covering 3/4 of the outside of the joint paper in cannabis distillate before rolling it in kief. If you are a fan of hash, you can also utilize the kief you make to create your own hash at home. You can learn all about how to make hash out of kief in our step-by-step guide .

Make Edibles

Cannabis edibles are a favorite of many medical cannabis patients as well as recreational consumers. Unfortunately, these products can become very expensive, especially if you require higher doses for your desired effects. This is where making your own cannabis edibles at home can be very beneficial. It is also a great way to use old weed. Simply start by grinding and decarbing your cannabis. Then, use the decarbed plant material to make cannabutter or cannabis-infused oil. This butter can then be used in any recipe that calls for their non-infused versions. Plus, it can also be added to any other food or beverage that you like.

Brew Weed Tea

For instance, you can even use your leftover stems to brew weed tea and enjoy a steamy high!

Make a Tincture

Another way of use your old herb is to make a cannabis tincture. Some tinctures can be made swiftly, while others may take several days or weeks. There are alcohol-based tinctures, and those that are oil-based made most commonly utilizing oils such as coconut oil, MCT oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.

Vaping

Smoking old bud from a pipe or in a joint will likely burn your throat, whereas a dry herb vape can significantly reduce the harshness. So if all else fails, it’s worth giving your trusty vape a try.

Salvage Your Precious Herb

Now you know, weed can get old and dry out, but brown ganja doesn’t necessarily equate to bad cannabis. And there are many ways in which it can still be salvaged. Whether you choose to make edibles or kief or to rehydrate it and smoke it, there is so much you can get out of good old weed.