Can Edibles Go Bad?

Picture this: you’re cleaning out your fridge, and you come across an old bag of pot brownies you forgot you had. You pause for a moment, wondering if they’re still safe to eat. You contemplate taking a bite, but then you start to wonder if eating expired edibles is like playing Russian roulette with your stomach lining. Fear not,  we’re here to answer the question: do marijuana edibles expire?

What causes edibles to expire?

Like other non-infused foods, cannabis edibles will go bad. Why? The answer lies in the complex interaction between cannabis and food ingredients. Cannabis contains a variety of compounds, including THC, CBD, and terpenes, that are sensitive to heat, light, and oxygen. These compounds can lose their potency if they aren’t well kept or eaten within a specific time. On top of that, the actual food ingredients in edibles can spoil on their own. You don’t want to reach for the moldy cookie, I promise.

How can you tell if edibles expire?

The easiest way is to check the expiration date on the package. Most edibles come with a use-by or best-before date, indicating when the product will start to lose potency or go bad. If your edibles are past their expiration date, it’s best to toss them and make some fresh ones instead. If your edibles don’t have an expiration date, or if you just want to double-check that they’re still good to go, there are a few other things to look for. If your edibles have a strange odor or appearance, such as mold or discoloration, they may have gone bad and should definitely not be consumed.