Picture this: you’ve just taken your socks off, settling down after a long work day, ready to unwind for the evening. With a grinder in one hand and a stack of rolling papers waiting patiently on the coffee table, you open your stash.
But this time, something’s off. Instead of the trademark whiff of myrcene and pinene, you catch a musty odor in the air. And instead of a light, fluffy bud, you pick up a flower that looks… wrong.
If you’ve suffered this experience, chances are you had moldy weed. Not only is moldy cannabis disruptive (and annoying), but it can also be harmful. Below, we answer your common questions about good bud gone bad: what does moldy weed look like, how do you handle it, and how can you prevent it next time?
How to Spot Moldy Weed
The problem with spotting mold on cannabis is that mold spores can look a little like trichomes – those “hairs” covering healthy bud, carrying flavor-packed terpenes. And you wouldn’t want to throw out perfectly good cannabis.
Still, there are telltale differences between mold and trichomes. According to the authoritative guide linked above, you should look for:
- Dampness as opposed to stickiness
- Dull grey or white fuzz (as opposed to the trichomes’ shimmering coat)
- Powdery white spots
- And a musty or stale smell
Get up close with your eyes and nose, allowing your senses to discern the issue. If in doubt, consult visual references online (a cursory “mold on weed” Google search should net you several reference images).
What Should You Do if You Find Mold?
You’ve decided that it is, in fact, mold growing on your cannabis. You spotted powdery or dull spots and caught a distinct “basement-y” smell from the bud. What now?
Do not smoke it. Contrary to popular belief, heat combustion doesn’t kill all harmful molds and fungi. Research shows that smoking moldy weed can exacerbate lung problems, cause dizziness, vomiting, and even serious fungal infections. As sad as it seems, your best (and only) course of action is to throw out the affected stash.
If reusing the storage container, clean it thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol, then rinse it with soap and water.
How to Prevent Mold Growth in the Future
Mold grows on organic matter when it has sufficient water to feed and procreate. It gets this water from ambient moisture – what we call a high relative humidity (RH).
To curb mold growth in the future, you need to rein in the relative humidity in your storage containers with a Boveda pack. These two-way moisture control packs suck out moisture when the RH is too high. But don’t worry, they won’t desiccate the cannabis; because they feature “two-way” moisture control, the packs stop drawing moisture when the surrounding environment hits the ideal RH (between 58% and 62%). Pop a Boveda pack in your storage container, and replace the pack every few months. Voila – mold problem solved.
Hopefully, this article helps you steer clear of hazardous bud. Finding mold on your weed can be a downer. But you have to start fresh – and keep things fresh – if you want to enjoy safe, flavorful cannabis.