If you’re familiar with Green Goods, you know that we love sharing real-world tips on how to get the most from your cannabis budget. One item on which we focus a lot of our attention is the extremely popular vape cartridge. These handheld devices are highly versatile and easy to use, from high-tech units to simple pen-style vapes, pods, and more.
But as many of us have learned the hard way, carts definitely have a lifespan. If you’ve ever wondered how to make your cannabis cart last longer, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you’re new to vaping or an old pro, you’ll find useful answers to your many burning questions, such as:
- How long are carts good for?
- What are the best storage techniques for a longer-lasting vape?
- And much more!
Ready? Let’s take a deep dive into all things vape storage.
How Long Are Carts Good For?
While the product inside most vape carts—the cannabis distillate packed with cannabinoids such as THC and CBD—is designed to be shelf-stable, there are several factors that determine how long it will actually last. The first variable, of course, is how often you use it.
As a rough guide, one of the most popular cart sizes—the 500 mg or 0.5 gram vape cartridge—is estimated to provide roughly 50 three-second hits. So, if you use it two or three times a week, that means, by estimation, you should get up to six months of use out of it.
However, there are other factors to consider. Cannabinoids—mainly THC, the one most associated with the psychoactive “high”—are highly sensitive to degradation over time. As studies demonstrate, THC will, on average, lose roughly 11% of its potency over a 30-day period. This isn’t exactly a bad thing. Over time, THC will naturally convert to CBN, a cannabinoid with some promising medical potential—but CBN isn’t really what we want when we’re hoping to know how to make a cart last longer. The aromatic terpenes will also fade, leading to a decline in the overall flavor profile.
How To Make a Cart Last Longer: 3 Storage Techniques
While we can’t slow down time, we can take concrete steps to limit the damage caused by other factors.
Temperature
The first consideration when storing a vape cartridge is ambient temperature. Cannabis vape cartridges may be fairly resilient depending on the quality of their packaging, but storing them in places that are too hot or too cold may have unwanted consequences when you attempt to use your product.
Generally, the best conditions for storing a vape cartridge are in moderately cool, dry locations that maintain a consistent temperature. Allowing your cartridges to get too hot can result in them leaking while freezing cartridges will make it too difficult for the liquid to vaporize.
Light
Like most cannabis products, the cannabinoids contained in vape cartridges are sensitive to light. When storing your vape cartridges, always minimize their exposure to the sun and other sources of harmful UV rays to the best of your ability. While the damage caused to cannabis by UV rays may be invisible to the eye, they can reduce the potency of your product by destroying THC and many of the terpenes in your oil.
Vape cartridges that have experienced deterioration may be far less effective than those safely stored. To this end, the best locations to keep a vape cartridge are those that remain dark, like drawers or opaque containers.
Positioning
Believe it or not, the position of your vape cartridge in storage can significantly affect its longevity. Vape cartridges should be kept in a vertical position rather than lying on their side.
What’s the big deal? Storing cannabis vape cartridges horizontally might seem harmless, but many cartridges will end up clogged if not stored upright. The cart should always be oriented so that the cannabis oil flows down into the bottom of the cartridge—that’s typically where the “wicks” that collect and vaporize the liquid are located.
Finally, use caution when storing a vape cartridge. Cartridges are often made from relatively fragile material like glass, and depending on the manufacturer, they may be easily damaged. Broken vape cartridges will leak, ruining your cartridge or even your vape pen.
Making Your Carts Last Longer: Think Green Goods
Though vape carts are among the most popular and simple-to-use items in the cannabis world, they’re not necessarily the most durable or long-lasting. Their longevity depends on several factors, some of which we can control and others we can’t.
Overall, time is considered the single most important factor in the degradation of THC. But while we can’t stop the hands of time, we can prevent storing our vape cartridges at the wrong temperature, exposing them to too much light, or placing them in the wrong position—all of which can shorten their lifespan.
Want to restock your stash box with some quality vape pens and cartridges? We got the goods! Start by selecting the Green Goods dispensary closest to you, and browse our huge selection of potent vape pens, concentrates, and so much more.
Want to deepen your knowledge of all things cannabis? Visit our blog and learn more about THC and CBD vape pens, cannabis distillates, balms and topicals … the list goes on. Happy reading!
Have any other questions about how to make carts last longer—or any other cannabis-related topics? Just ask any one of our friendly budtenders or drop us a line. We’re here for you.
