The compounds in marijuana are heavily affected by oxygen, light and temperature.

Science has determined that the best way to store and maintain marijuana over time is to…put it in the freezer.

The 2019 study, published in the peer-review journal Forensic Science International, was conducted with the goal of figuring out what factors like oxygen, light and temperature have on marijuana compounds (mainly THC, CBN, and CBD).

The research analyzed 24 samples of cannabis over a period of four years. These samples were stored in four different locations, all with controlled conditions, and were later compared to each other for their THC, CBN, and CBD levels.

Final results concluded that marijuana compound levels, particularly THC and CBN, were heavily altered by outside factors.

When marijuana is stored at room temperature, its THC levels lower while the CBN levels rise. When marijuana is refrigerated, the effects are similar, only slowed down. When cannabis is frozen, the THC levels stay the same, unaffected by the passage of time. Interestingly enough, cannabis’s CBD levels remained unaltered no matter the time or storage conditions.

Studies like these are very useful, since they help scientists understand how cannabis and its compounds work. These results could be used for legal and scientific purposes and could shed a light on how cannabis compounds differ from each other.

On a more basic and useful level for marijuana consumers, studies like this help us take better care of our purchases, allowing people to store marijuana in ways that are efficient and cost effective.

If you’re leaving your house for an indeterminate amount of time or if you just have a bunch of weed at home, sneak a bag in the freezer. Once you’re ready to smoke it, bring it out, wait for it to thaw and the cannabis will be as effective as ever.