For those who love to toke up, we’ve all had that one tragic episode: You open your stash box, only to find out that your weed has gone bad. It’s way past the point of going stale; its distinct aroma is gone, and worse, you’re seeing some mould and mildew. That won’t be good for you.

Understandably, your first course of action would be to throw it all out. But what if you still have an ounce left? That’s a lot of cannabis to just dispose of. Believe it or not, you can still put your expired stash to good use. It’s not an entirely lost cause. Below, we’ll give you a few ideas on how to use weed that’s gone bad.

Why Does Weed Go Bad?

Before we get into the meat of the topic, let’s first discuss why your weed goes bad in the first place. This could be for a number of reasons, but it primarily hinges on how you store it.

Too Dry

Perhaps you store your cannabis in a place that’s a bit too hot or dry. As a result, the weed becomes too dry for its own good—and we all know how smoking overly dry weed can irritate the throat. That’s never an enjoyable experience for anybody. So, what’s the best move here? In short, store your weed in a spot away from too much direct sunlight, high temperatures, or excessively dry conditions. Your cupboards or cabinets will be the perfect storage spots if you want to maintain freshness for as long as possible. If you can't change the dryness of your environment, invest in some Humidipaks to keep your weed sufficiently moist.

Too Humid

Conversely, too much moisture can also be detrimental to the health of your herb. This time, mould and mildew are your worst enemies. These filthy, good-for-nothing little pathogens slowly eat away at your precious herbs and leave them ravaged. So, what gives rise to mould? Storing your stash in a location with more than 63% relative humidity could be one factor. Another culprit can be the freezer. Although you can technically keep your weed in the freezer long-term, it can also lead to excessive moisture build-up if stored or thawed improperly. But perhaps it's not your fault at all, and you just had the bad luck of purchasing some mouldy weed.

Attention! Smoking mouldy cannabis can lead to lung issues that could seriously compromise your health. Once you notice even just a tiny bit of mould on your weed, throw it out immediately. Save yourself the headaches of compromised health and hospital bills. This is a problem you can very much avoid.

Low in Active Compounds

We all know that THC is the active compound in cannabis that provides the euphoric feeling of a “high”. So, once that is compromised, your stash is as good as wasted. You see, if your weed has been sitting around for a long time, or has been overexposed to the elements, the THC in your bud will start breaking down into CBN, a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that is rarely a weed smoker’s first choice. This equates to less-potent bud that won't produce the desired effect. Oxidation, light exposure, and age all contribute to this chemical conversion.

Stale

Here’s the situation: You open up your drawer to find a few grams of weed hidden in a balled-up pair of socks. You give it a thorough visual examination, and you see that it still looks OK to smoke. But when you actually do, you notice how it’s diminished in quality. No matter how well you store it, your weed will eventually lose its potency as time passes. After a year of storage, you can expect to lose about 16% of the THC. Add a year to that, and you’ll lose a total of 26%. After four years, you’ll lose up to 41% THC. That right there is a sad state of affairs.

It’s great to have a good hiding spot for your stash, especially if you’re living at home with anti-marijuana advocates for parents, or with kids. But for the love of everything that’s green and dank, please don’t forget about it.

What Can You Do With Bad Weed?

Unless you’re dealing with a mould problem, don’t throw out your bad weed just yet. Here are some ideas on how to make good use of it.

Water Curing

This method is pretty self-explanatory, and a nifty process, if you think about it. Water curing works best for a stash that is on the verge of going stale. Here’s what to do: Take a glass jar and fill it up with cool water. Submerge your compromised buds and allow the water to do its work by dissolving the unwanted particles. Be sure to change your water at least once a day, or as soon as it gets too dirty. Repeat this process for a few days, or until you get clear water upon submerging. After this, your supposedly stale stash will be reinvigorated and much more smokable than it would've been otherwise.

Mix It in With the Good Stuff

They say one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, but when it comes to weed, a handful of fresh cannabis can rehydrate old, dried buds quite effectively. Get your old buds and throw them into a clean, empty container. These buds may have lost some potency and flavour, but ensure there is no risk of mould spreading to the fresh buds. Next, get your fresh buds and mix them right in. Be sure that the new ones still have enough moisture in them. From here, the dried-up weed will eventually absorb the moisture from the fresher buds you just added in. It’s actually quite magical, yeah?

Make Edibles

Another way to salvage your overly dry buds is to make them into your favourite edibles. You may lose some of the kick if you decide to smoke it, but keep in mind that ingesting cannabis orally hits you way differently. Once the THC is digested and turned into 11-hydroxy-THC, the psychotropic effects get heightened as a result. Now all you’ll have to decide on is whether to mix it into your favourite dessert or your go-to cheat meal.

Make Your Own Cannabis Topical Cannabis

Here’s another idea: topical cannabis. If you’re not a fan of smoking or eating your weed stash, this is a great way to go. As topical products do not get you high (cannabinoids don’t reach the bloodstream via the skin), you can repurpose your stash without worrying about decreased potency or an “off” flavour. Instead, you can benefit from what cannabinoids are left by applying a cream or lotion directly to the skin. And, if all goes well, you can start selling your own product line!

Make Cannabis Suppositories

Like topicals, suppositories are a great way to repurpose cannabis you have no interest in smoking or eating. Also like topicals, suppositories are not believed to produce a high, despite their direct route of entry. While there is some debate over the physical benefits of cannabis suppositories, they are becoming more widely used by holistic cannabis users. If you’re looking to get some cannabis into your system and have exhausted most of your other options, this can be a good route to explore. But, before you get into the nitty-gritty, be sure to do your research first, as you don’t want to be inserting anything harmful into your body.