Pubdate: Thu, 08 Oct 2015
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Column: Ask a Stoner
Copyright: 2015 Village Voice Media
Contact: http://www.westword.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616
Author: Herbert Fuego

DEAR STONER: HOW LONG DO EDIBLES STAY POTENT?

Dear Stoner: I recently found some edibles I'd forgotten I had - a 
candy bar that had been opened but was kept in the freezer, and a 
package of pot-infused mints, never opened. Does time affect potency? 
Can these spoil?

Missing Marn

Dear Marn: Treat any marijuana-infused food product as you would its 
regular counterpart. If there are ingredients in your food that spoil 
- - such as the dairy in cheesecake - then, yes, your edibles will go 
bad. Brownies and cookies will last longer, though they're likely to 
turn into the equivalent of a stale hockey puck. Fruitless candies 
like lollipops and mints are basically pure sugar before the pot is 
infused, so you can keep those for the apocalypse if you want (even 
if they taste like ass, they won't hurt you). As with any other food 
you want to preserve, edibles should be refrigerated or frozen and 
kept away from oxygen and light to prolong their shelf lives.

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Dear Stoner: How Are Edibles Measured?

As for potency, take it from the experts at Love's Oven, a wholesale 
Denver marijuana bakery: "You should always exercise caution when 
consuming any food product after its 'use by' or 'best by' date," 
says spokesman Walter Nettles. "In all of our internal research on 
the subject, we at Love's Oven haven't found any degradation of THC 
in our products up to a year after this date. Although your edibles 
may not be as tasty as when they were first produced, their potent 
qualities should still be felt."

And when in doubt, use the smell test.

Dear Stoner: I've always enjoyed Denver brewery tours. Am I able to 
do the same with dispensary grows?

Homer J

Dear Homer: Brewery tours are awesome. Not only do you learn about 
your favorite beers, but the breweries usually hand out a free sample 
or two or three afterward. By contrast, most cannabis-cultivation 
tours in Denver are still in the pot-tourism stage, with third-party 
companies charging hundreds of dollars for dispensary and grow-house 
tours. These tours have a lot of bells and whistles attached, such as 
airport pickup, lunch and some sort of after-party/entertainment.

For a local just looking for a quick tour, most of those ornamental 
experiences are a waste of money. Fortunately, some dispensaries will 
give you a free tour if you ask, and medical shops hoping to gain a 
patient's caregiver rights are usually willing to show how the 
medicine is grown. Terrapin Care Station's Aurora location, at 11900 
East 33rd Avenue, holds free tours from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 
Sundays, first come, first served.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom