Expiry date for cannabinoid extract - is it still good?
July 19, 2019 7:34 PM Subscribe
When my dad came east in 2013 to finish out his final days, suffering from cancer, he brought some cannabinoid extract in 2 bottles with him. I'm wondering if they have lost their potency.
These were purchased in WA state with his medical marijuana card in 2013. They have been in my mom's fridge ever since and I just pulled them out. The bottles say "cannabinoid extract" and the brand is Sativa Valley Essentials - Infusion Medicated Tincture. When I took them out of the fridge, they had the consistency of maple syrup, but now that they have been out of the fridge for an hour or so they have a thinner viscosity. Is there any way to tell if they are still good/potent? I don't know a lot about this. If they still have potency, should I keep them refrigerated? Bottle says: active ingredient is Cannabinoid Extract, nothing else except "food grade glycerin, natural/organic flavors.
These were purchased in WA state with his medical marijuana card in 2013. They have been in my mom's fridge ever since and I just pulled them out. The bottles say "cannabinoid extract" and the brand is Sativa Valley Essentials - Infusion Medicated Tincture. When I took them out of the fridge, they had the consistency of maple syrup, but now that they have been out of the fridge for an hour or so they have a thinner viscosity. Is there any way to tell if they are still good/potent? I don't know a lot about this. If they still have potency, should I keep them refrigerated? Bottle says: active ingredient is Cannabinoid Extract, nothing else except "food grade glycerin, natural/organic flavors.
Let me preface my answer with I was born in the 60s and I have been to over 150 Grateful Dead concerts.
I think the best way to find out is to try it.
posted by AugustWest at 8:56 PM on July 19, 2019 [7 favorites]
I think the best way to find out is to try it.
posted by AugustWest at 8:56 PM on July 19, 2019 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: Ha! I've been to a few GD shows too. But it's been a few too many years since I have partook, so I'm just wondering if this experiment might possibly end in bliss or disaster. I'm not really mentally equipped to deal with disaster, so. I guess what I'm asking is this: does this stuff get stronger or weaker with age/refrigeration? Probably more of a chemistry question.
posted by sundrop at 9:11 PM on July 19, 2019
posted by sundrop at 9:11 PM on July 19, 2019
Best answer: Weaker with time I reckon but the cold temps would be a hedge against that I also reckon. Try a drop and see, but just in case don't do it alone in case it still packs a whallop. Tinctures are fairly shelf stable or so I'm told. Set and setting whenever trying an unknown drug are very important. Please let us know how it goes!
posted by vrakatar at 9:18 PM on July 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by vrakatar at 9:18 PM on July 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
So I'm a chemist but I think the best data will come from people who've tried old stuff. Chemically speaking "extract" is going to be a mix of many, many components and I guarantee you it's not the same mix as it was seven years ago. No one's done studies on the mixture like this. My gut says it'll be weaker--THC itself oxidizes.
Would you use seven year old olive oil you found in the fridge? Not a rhetorical question: some people would do so assuming it didn't smell rancid or have visible mold, others would toss it without opening it. Chemically I'm not saying it's comparable but without data it might set a decent baseline for how risk-averse you are or aren't.
posted by mark k at 9:25 PM on July 19, 2019 [3 favorites]
Would you use seven year old olive oil you found in the fridge? Not a rhetorical question: some people would do so assuming it didn't smell rancid or have visible mold, others would toss it without opening it. Chemically I'm not saying it's comparable but without data it might set a decent baseline for how risk-averse you are or aren't.
posted by mark k at 9:25 PM on July 19, 2019 [3 favorites]
Tinctures last for years:
Laudnum was a tincture!
Hooray tinctures!
posted by vrakatar at 9:28 PM on July 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
Laudnum was a tincture!
Hooray tinctures!
posted by vrakatar at 9:28 PM on July 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Should be fine. Some of the THC will likely have converted to CBN, so it might be more “sleepy” than it used to be. VG is fairly shelf stable I think. Extract is, itself, antibiotic and aside from oxidative reactions fairly stable too.
Let us know!
posted by weed donkey at 11:52 PM on July 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
Let us know!
posted by weed donkey at 11:52 PM on July 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
VG = food grade glycerin. Vegetable glycerin. I eponysterically do work in this industry.
posted by weed donkey at 11:54 PM on July 19, 2019 [17 favorites]
posted by weed donkey at 11:54 PM on July 19, 2019 [17 favorites]
We don't have anything quite that old, but anecdotally the stuff works fine after a few years in the cupboard. With storage in the fridge, I would think it would last considerably longer.
posted by Dip Flash at 1:29 AM on July 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 1:29 AM on July 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I’ll bet it’s fine and there is really zero risk to trying it as long as you leave the next few hours open.
posted by spitbull at 4:17 AM on July 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by spitbull at 4:17 AM on July 20, 2019 [2 favorites]
Doesn't "cannabinoid" = CBD rather than THC? If that is the case it will be a body / pain relief / appetite type of effect with very little of the fun brain action. If it is legal medical stuff it must have details on the label re. percentages of active ingredients?
posted by Meatbomb at 7:49 AM on July 20, 2019
posted by Meatbomb at 7:49 AM on July 20, 2019
No, cannabinoid is the class of molecules that includes THC, CBD, CBN, and a bunch of others. Technically speaking, they are phytocannabinoid because they come from plants - the human body produces a bunch of cannabinoids as well that we call endocannabinoids.
CBD stands for cannabidiol.
posted by weed donkey at 8:39 AM on July 20, 2019 [4 favorites]
CBD stands for cannabidiol.
posted by weed donkey at 8:39 AM on July 20, 2019 [4 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oh posey at 8:55 PM on July 19, 2019 [4 favorites]