Promised this one in the "Does THCa get you high" thread, so here it is.

THCa is not shelf stable forever. Heat, light, and air slowly convert it to THC and then degrade that THC into CBN, which is the cannabinoid that makes old weed feel sleepy and weak. Bad storage costs you potency and can even push flower over the legal delta-9 limit while it sits there.

The four enemies

• Light. UV is the fastest killer. Never store flower in a clear jar on a shelf.
  
• Heat. Anything above room temp speeds up conversion. Don't leave it in a car, ever.
  
• Air. Oxygen degrades cannabinoids and dries out your buds.
  
• Humidity swings. Too dry and the trichomes get brittle and fall off. Too wet and you're growing mold.
  

What actually works

• Airtight glass jar, not a plastic baggie. Plastic holds static and rips trichomes off.
  
• Dark cabinet or drawer, room temp or slightly below.
  
• A two-way humidity pack (58% or 62% RH) in the jar. These are cheap and they solve the humidity problem completely.
  

What about the fridge or freezer?

Skip it for flower you're actively smoking. Freezing makes trichomes brittle so they snap off every time you handle the buds, and pulling a cold jar into warm air creates condensation inside. Long term sealed storage is a different conversation, but for your monthly stash a dark cabinet beats the freezer.

One more thing: COAs have dates on them. If you're buying flower that was tested a year ago, the THCa number on that COA is not what's in the bag anymore.

What's everyone's setup? Curious if anyone here is using anything fancier than jars and humidity packs.