A complete guide to storing cannabis

So you got some cannabis, and now you’re wondering how to store it. Proper cannabis storage is essential to keeping your cannabis fresh, but also from keeping it safe and out of reach of children and pets. 

Flower

Many dispensaries will sell flower in child-resistant packaging, but you may want to take additional steps to securing and storing your cannabis flower. We recommend storing flower in mason jars in a dark, cool place, out of reach of pets and kids. It doesn’t need to be fridge cool, but just an area of your home that isn’t too warm, like perhaps a cabinet that is high up and out of reach of children and has a door on it providing a dark space. There are also lockable containers and bags, such as Skunk bags, that are smellproof and have built-in locks. 

Concentrates

Cannabis concentrates are best left cold – you can store them in a refrigerator, or even a wine fridge. Be sure to store them out of reach of children and pets. If you have a wine fridge with a digital lock, that could be a great place to store concentrates to keep them cool and secure. 

Edibles 

Infused edibles should be marked with storage instructions. Typically, gummies do not need to be stored in the refrigerator (unless they are made with live resin or rosin, in which case keeping them cool will help preserve terpenes), but you should ensure that they are kept in a safe and secure place, clearly marked with any warnings, to reduce the risk of accidental consumption, especially by kids and pets – but also for anyone who may mistake them as unmedicated snacks or treats. Skunk bags can also be a great place to store edibles, as they have built-in locks.

What accessories do I need to get started with cannabis?

Once your cannabis is secure, you’ll probably need a few things to enjoy it, depending on what kind of cannabis you purchased. 

If you purchased cannabis flower, you can smoke it in a joint, a pipe, a bong, or even a dry herb vaporizer. The first thing you’ll need, no matter how you choose to smoke flower, is an herb grinder. If you want to roll a joint, you’ll need rolling papers and filter tips. Or, if you’d like to smoke out of a pipe or a bong, you will need those devices. You can get smoking accessories at most dispensaries, or if there’s something special you’re looking for, check out your local smoke shop. You can also find dry herb vapes at smoke shops, or online. 

If you purchased concentrates, you can use those in a variety of ways. The easiest is an extract pen or e-rig, and is probably the most approachable method for dabbing newcomers. You can also get a glass rig, a banger, and a torch, or if you want something even easier, you can get a nectar collector, which requires you to heat up the tip, and you smoke the concentrate similar to sipping out of a straw – when the hot tip is near the extract, it will vaporize. Another method of utilizing concentrates is in combination with flower - you can put extracts on top of a bowl, or even place them in a joint before you roll it up. This will not only give more flavor to your flower, but will also increase the potency. 

If you purchased a cartridge, you will need a battery attachment to use the cartridge. The most common is called 510 thread cartridges, which the standard cartridge with the threading at the bottom. There are also some proprietary systems, which mean the cartridges are specially designed for only one type of battery, which is not universal. Although you need to purchase a special battery, which can sometimes add to cost, many of these proprietary cartridge systems offer an incredibly smooth, efficient vaping experience. One such system, called Airo, offers beautifully designed batteries that activate as you inhale. They do not require clicking the button on the pen, like many of the 510 batteries, and also vibrate very gently as you inhale so you know that the pen is working. We carry the Airo brand at Got Greens! Be sure and check out our menu. 

Typically, with edibles and topicals, you just eat them or apply them – so accessories are not usually needed.

First time in a dispensary? Here’s what to expect.

So you’re ready to give cannabis a try! You went to Weedmaps or Leafly, and found a nearby dispensary and pulled up their menu. You begin to peruse it, and realize: you have absolutely no idea what the heck any of these things are or how to use them. We got you, friend. Let’s give you the Cannabis 101 Welcome tour! 

The first thing to know about going to a dispensary is that you need your driver’s license or state ID or a passport. You will not be able to show a copy of it, a picture of it – they will need the actual ID. So don’t forget that! If you are a medical patient, you should also bring your medical patient ID card. If you live in a medical state, you may not be able to enter without this. If you live in a state with both medical and recreational, you may still be able to purchase cannabis, but at the recreational price. 

You should be greeted by a welcoming staff member who will help get you checked in and let you know where to wait and where to go once they’re ready for you. Some dispensaries have nice comfy waiting areas, and some don’t really have a waiting area with a place to sit at all. If you are someone who needs a place to sit while you wait, consider calling ahead to ask before you arrive. Here at Got Greens – we have a nice comfy lounge for you! 

Once you’re called back, a budtender will ask you what you’re looking for. This is something to consider before you arrive. Are you interested in smoking flower? Edibles? Do you need topicals like creams or salves? You may even not be sure yet, and that’s okay! Our knowledgeable budtenders are experienced with cannabis and ready to help you. We care deeply about all of our patients and customers and want you to have the best experience with cannabis. For us, that means being able to answer your questions knowledgeable and help you select a product that best fits your needs. Cannabis affects everyone differently, so your unique experience matters to us! 

If you choose to consume edibles and have never tried them before, remember this phrase: start low, go slow. You can always take more, but never less! We always recommend starting with a very small dose and seeing how your body reacts. There are some people that just don’t enjoy edibles, and you don’t want to learn that you’re one of those people after consuming a dose that is too high for your body. A common/standard edibles dose is 10mg, but there are many people who are highly sensitive to edibles, so we recommend starting as low as 1 mg on your first try. If there’s no effect, wait a minimum of 1 hour before consuming more (and we even recommend at least 90 minutes – sometimes edibles can even take up to 2 hours to take full effect). Talk to your budtender and ask any questions you may have! They can help you select an edible, too – they come in all kinds of products. Beverages, chocolates, gummies, flavor syrups, water soluble powders – there are tons of ways to consume edible cannabis. 

Once you’ve talked to your budtender and selected the products you’d like to purchase, your budtender will ask for a form of payment, which is typically cash or debit, which sometimes works like an ATM (meaning you’ll approve the rounded up number - usually by 10s and 20s - and then they will give you cash as change, and a fee is usually applied as well). At Got Greens, we are able to do single, standard debit transactions, which saves our customers money on fees. 

That’s it! You’ve completed your first cannabis dispensary purchase! Remember to consume responsibly.