November 30, 2022 Paul Kim

How to Save a Joint for Later

How do you keep your pre-rolled joints and half smoked joints? The strategy you take will affect how long they remain viable and fresh. If you make a mistake, you will waste vital terpenes and cannabinoids. Use the methods listed below to keep your products fresh, potent, and fragrant. We provide a variety of options, from simple to complicated.

Things don't always go as planned. Daily chores might divert us from flaming up, leading us to stop sessions. Whether you merely got halfway through a joint or have yet to light it, there are a few key factors that will affect how fresh that fat cone remains. We've put up a guide to assist you preserve those cannabinoids and terpenes from deteriorating and your half-smoked joints from smelling and tasting bad. Follow the guidelines below to keep your pre-rolls fresh and ready to go.

What Happens When a Joint Goes Stale?

Have you ever picked up an old or half-smoked joint, noticed an unpleasant odour, and wondered what you were doing with your life? It doesn't have to be this way! You've already taken precautions to keep your buds fresh, from properly drying and curing them to storing them in appropriate storage jars. Why not handle them the same way after wrapping them in rolling paper?

A variety of factors might cause a joint to taste and smell stale and downright awful. First and foremost, you must ensure that you are dealing with high-quality buds. Grow your own or buy from a trustworthy supplier to ensure there are no leftover pesticides or dangerous ingredients.

Second, both full and partially smoked joints will decay over time when exposed to excessive heat and air. If you leave a joint out for too long, you'll get stale cannabis that tastes like hay and provides an unsatisfying high. Nonetheless, this "expired" bud is okay to smoke. But can a joint go bad? If your pre-rolls acquire mould or mildew (usually as a result of too much moisture), the cannabis becomes unusable. Moldy cannabis will smell rotten and plain nasty, as contrast to the green, uninteresting aroma of too dry weed.

How Long Can You Store a Rolled Joint?

Even those who roll frequently may wish to spend an hour making a stash of jays in preparation for a session or two. But how long do joints last after rolling? Do joints expire? It all depends on how you approach the situation.

If you maintain your joints fresh using the methods mentioned below, you may expect them to last up to a year without deterioration in quality. Even at the conclusion of this time period, you'll be able to identify exquisite terpenes and experience the strength of THC. If you keep them exposed to the outdoors, however, quality will begin to deteriorate within weeks and worsen with time.

How to Prevent Partially Smoked Joints From Smelling Bad

Before rolling, buds smell fantastic, and the smell of smoke in the air during a session is equally nice. Things get really stinky when you have to extinguish a joint before completing it. Your joints now include tar and other byproducts that are not pleasant to the olfactory sense, in addition to fragrant bud. Nobody wants their smoking environment to stink, so how can you reduce the odour of half smoked joints?

Aside from adhering to the storage instructions listed below, there are a few preventative precautions you may take to avoid this stinky happening in the first place.

1. Roll Smaller Joints

Consider rolling smaller joints that you can complete in one go. If you find yourself abandoning joints half-smoked on a frequent basis, it may be time to reduce the size of your roll-ups. Consider smoking a complete 0.3-0.4 gram joint rather than puffing halfway through a 0.6-1.0 gram fatty. This will not only avoid an unpleasant odour later on, but it will also allow you to get the most out of your bud.

2. Extinguish Properly

Another factor to consider is how you will extinguish your joint. Smooshing or rubbing the cherry is never a good idea; instead, let it burn naturally before delicately tapping away any lingering ash before storing. In addition, never put a still-lit joint into a storage jar. This will simply aggravate the odor and may possibly harm the vessel. Wait until the cherry is entirely gone. If you're short on time and need to put out your joint before going to work, softly push the burning end on an ashtray, pavement, or other hard surface until the smoke stops. Do not use excessive force when pressing down.

Tips on Keeping a Pre-Rolled Joint Fresh

While mould will seldom grow out of the side of a joint (assuming it has been properly dried and cured), the flavour, taste, and potency will naturally deteriorate with time. So, whether you want to keep your pre-rolls fresh or save a half-smoked joint till your next chance to blaze, the options below will come in helpful.

In general, you should keep temperature and relative humidity steady and within the recommended ranges, since these two parameters are both your buds' best friend and worst enemy. A relative humidity of 58-62% at a temperature of 15-20°C is good for cured buds. Furthermore, your joints should be kept away from direct sunlight.

Best Joint Storage Methods

Without further ado, consider the following methods for storing your unlit or half-smoked joints:

Saverette: Joint saverettes do a great job of keeping cones fresh. Their lids keep the internal environment relatively airtight, meaning they’ll help to preserve those precious cannabinoids and terpenes. Additionally, these storage devices also double up as a transport option and protect joints from getting squashed, twisted, and torn.

Glass Mason jar: Glass Mason jars are the quintessential storage option for cannabis buds. They also work great for joints if you find jars tall enough (although smaller jars are perfect for half-smoked cones). Such jars often feature a metal lever and rubber seal that keeps them completely airtight. Just make sure to keep them in a cool and dark space to stall the degradation process.

Bamboo tray: Bamboo trays are an excellent and aesthetically pleasing option for short to mid-term storage. They won’t entirely shelter your joints from the air, but they will keep them away from light. This is a good option for partially smoked joints, as it’ll allow enough airflow to keep the byproducts of combustion from creating a stale smell in the vessel. These tools also provide other functions, such as doubling up as a rolling surface.

Humidor: Typically used to preserve the quality of cigars, humidors are also perfect for the long-term storage of joints. These devices keep the internal environment at the ideal humidity level to prolong shelf life.

Pill bottle: Empty pill bottles will keep your half-smoked joints safe from air exposure and prevent their smell from permeating every room that you walk into. Because of their compact dimensions, you’ll need to make sure you smoke enough of a joint to fit them inside.

Zip bag: This cheap short-term solution will save you money while keeping your joints fresh for a little while. For the best results, try to expel as much air as possible out of the bag before you seal it, and place it in a dark location.