Dangers of Consuming Moldy Cannabis

Cannabis, like other plants, can be susceptible to mold and mildew. Moldy cannabis can have a wide range of adverse effects on your health, from minor irritation to more severe consequences.

It’s essential to understand the Dangers of Consuming Moldy Cannabis. This allows you to decide which cannabis products are safe for consumption.

This article explores everything there is to know about cannabis and mold. Keep reading.

What Do Molds Look Like on Cannabis?

Molds are tiny spores in the atmosphere, usually not harmful to humans. However, spores that land on a surface search for water and nutrients to sustain their growth. In addition to cannabis edibles, vape juices, and dried cannabis plants may also grow mold.

Marijuana plants come in different colors. That means spotting a healthy plant from another infested with mold may be difficult for the untrained eye.

One thing that confuses many users is trichomes or the hair-like outgrowth of a plant. Sometimes, trichomes in flowers can be mistaken as mold because of their distinct appearance.

Using a black light helps users detect mold in cannabis or cannabis products. Spores emit a green color when viewed under black light. But there are still ways to spot molds even without such a device, for instance:

• Powdery mildew appears as white, grayish, or dark spots, like powdered sugar
• Fuzz looks like white, brown, or black cotton
• Hyphae are filament-like fungus that usually grows in cannabis roots

Types of Mold on Medical Marijuana

While molds have many common names, several types affect marijuana plants. Here are a few:

Aspergillus is one of the most common fungi that covers hundreds of mold species. Aspergillus may be the culprit when food gets spoiled or when clothing begins smelling. Inhaling aspergillus may not affect healthy people, but those with a weakened immune system may suffer from lung and sinus problems.

Botrytis is less common in cannabis, but that does not mean cannabis plants are safe. This fungus does not produce outgrowths. Instead, it results in the literal rotting of plant parts and, in some cases, the entire plant.

Penicillium is another strain responsible for food spoilage. The effects of consuming cannabis infested with penicillium are similar to aspergillus.

What Happens When You Consume Dangerous Moldy Cannabis?

Moldy cannabis often smells funky, musky, and pungent. Others describe the smell as urine-like and offensive. If you are curious about how molds taste or smell, please don’t try or sniff them.

As for the taste, users who have tried it says it tastes like metal coupled with a chemical or bitter taste, which is unappealing. In other words, cannabis and mold leave a nasty bite on the tongue, so please refrain.

But if you are overcome with interest in tasting it, perhaps knowing the corresponding risks will discourage you. Aside from smelling or tasting odd, moldy cannabis can have lethal effects on users, like:

• Fatigue or weariness
• Respiratory infection
• Wheezing or sinus infection
• Lethargy or lack of energy
• Brain Fog
• Coughing and lung problems
• Chest Pain
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Brain infection

While cases are rare, exposure to mold spores can lead to organ damage. In extreme cases, it results in cognitive difficulties and possibly even death.

How to Prevent Molds from Infesting Cannabis?

Cannabis and mold are bad news, so keeping your product safe from molds is necessary. Here are a few ways to do just that:

1. Keep cannabis in an airtight container. One rule of thumb to remember is that the less oxygen and moisture, the better. After washing your container, ensure it is adequately dried before inserting any cannabis product. This is especially applicable to storing cannabis flowers and edibles.
2. Store at the ideal temperature. Molds and mildew love heat. Keeping cannabis products like marijuana vape cartridges at temperatures below 40℉ or above 100℉ prevents molds from growing.
3. Expose them to light. Believe it or not, dark places can facilitate mold growth. Exposing your products to light may help limit mold infestation.
4. Consume before expiration. It is best to consume cannabis before the deadline. If you consume past the expiration date, mold is likely to develop.

Let’s Pull the Plug on The Dangers of Consuming Moldy Cannabis!

Molds can be a hassle to deal with. And there is only one way to prevent molds from growing except by implementing good storage and buying practices. Otherwise, consuming cannabis and mold can be a deadly combination.

We hope you learned a thing or two from this article. To keep up with the latest news in the Medical Marijuana arena, follow Medwell Health and Wellness Programs on Instagram.