No one wants to invest in something only to waste their money. That is especially true with vape cartridges, which can prove costly. But human moments happen when items are forgotten in purses or left in a jacket pocket and tucked away for an extended period, perhaps until the following season. What happens to the cannabinoid in the tank when you come across it with your spring or fall cleaning?
Does THC & CBD do expire? There is not a lot of information regarding these compounds’ shelf life, how long they might last, or how to extend the lifespan of the oil within the cartridges. The reason you cannot find definitive answers is there are no clear-cut solid answers when it comes to the cannabinoids.
As with every other aspect of the substances, there is no concrete research to respond to the inquiries with evidence to back it up. There is the belief that THC & CBD do expire, but there are factors that play into it. Check this for an opinion on how long the oil in a tank lasts.
Expiration Of Vape Cartridges
The suggestion is vape cartridges, whether THC or CBD, will eventually expire. That depends highly on the amount of time the substance has been stagnant and where you stored it. Claims indicate a cartridge still bearing a similar “viscosity and coloring” from the date of purchase without signs of odd separations or any sort of “sludge” should be okay for use.
These will likely be void of a certain degree of potency, particularly for those exposed to warmth or light. And mold of any level is an immediate reason to toss the cartridge away.
Stored in a cool, dry location, with appropriate conditions, tanks containing cannabinoids like CBD and THC really can endure an extensive shelf life, but there is no specified length of time. For an understanding of vape cartridges go to
Contributing factors to the degradation of the substances are heat, light, oxygen, and extended time, and these can encourage a much faster process for spoilage.
- Oxygen: Simply the surrounding atmosphere is enough to gradually degrade the compounds due to their fatty acids, which conflict with oxygen molecules. On its own, oxygen is not the worst enemy for the degradation of the oil. If there is another element like sunlight or heat in combination, it can create oxidation (an extraordinarily harsh condition for the cartridge), expiring the compounds as fast as a month.
- Light: Considered the most powerful element to bring spoilage of a cartridge is exposure to direct light, particularly intense sunlight, hitting the cannabinoids, breaking down plant atoms, and degrading the compounds’ crystals. Cartridges plainly need storing in a cool, dark, dry place.
- Heat: Regardless of the type of heat, whether cartridges are gathered in a bag together or brought in and out of varying temperatures, direct/indirect warmth has the capacity to break down the cannabinoids.
Some people invest in pen cases to protect the cartridge from both light and unregulated degrees of warmth.
The time element is not something that you genuinely can control from expiring your cartridges except by using them in a “timely” fashion. A recommendation is to try to use your cannabinoid oil cartridge within at least six months from when you purchase it. And only buy what you think you will be able to use within that amount of time.
Before you even get the products, find a location in your home ideal for storage, making sure that the vaping equipment and the oil cartridges are up out of the way from where children or pets have access. Ensure that the elements known to degrade the oils are not a factor in the area you have set aside for your products to better extend the lifespan of the cartridges.
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Final Thought
When you decide to vape and obtain the accessories and the compounds/cartridges for use, it can be a substantial investment. Whether you choose to consume these products to improve your well-being or in a recreational capacity, everyone wants to get the greatest return on the investment by enjoying an extensive life cycle for the cannabinoids.
These compounds can break down, they can degrade, they can expire, but when that happens is genuinely up to you. If you use the cartridges according to the directives described here, you should genuinely never have a problem – unless you come upon one, forgotten, tucked away in your jacket – next summer.
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