How to Store Pre-Rolls

A pre-roll is fragile. The paper tears, the ends get crushed and the ground flower inside is exposed to air. Storing it well is mostly three things: keep it sealed, keep it away from heat and light, and keep it from being squashed.

Start with the package it came in

To the extent it is not unreasonably impracticable for the specific type of product, marijuana products must be packaged in opaque, plain containers that are resealable for any product intended for more than a single use or containing multiple servings(CMR label rule).

The rules are written for safety, and an opaque, resealable tube or pack also keeps light and air off a pre-roll. Leave a pre-roll in its package until you use it and close the package after taking one out. If you move one into a jar, keep the jar out of light too. That is our handling advice, not a tested result. For how long a roll keeps, see how long pre-rolls last.

Keep it away from light and heat

In the study of terpene-infused cone paper, light exposure had the most significant effect on the rate of terpene evaporation, followed by temperature(cone-paper study).

In that test, light exposure at 1200 lux for 24 h leads to 99% terpenes loss(cone-paper study).

Storage at 25°C led to the largest changes in the concentrations of the natural phytocannabinoids over time(flower storage study).

Neither study used a finished pre-roll. The first used cone paper with terpenes added, and the second used flower in the dark. Our view is that a cool cupboard or drawer is a safe default, and a car, a stove or a sunny sill is not.

Fridge and freezer

Storage of whole inflorescences at 4°C was among the optimal postharvest conditions for Cannabis(flower storage study).

The same study found that the lowest temperatures and grinding were the least favorable conditions for aroma compounds in one variety. It used a lab setup and no pre-rolls, so it does not say what a household fridge or freezer does to a roll. We make no claim either way.

Humidity

Higher humidity levels were found to reduce the degradation rates(cone-paper study).

That test ran for 24 hours on paper with added terpenes. The flower study did not vary humidity in storage: it cured the flower first at a set humidity and then held it. We found no Massachusetts rule that sets a home humidity target. If you use a humidity pack, keep it inside the sealed package, and do not seal a damp roll in a container.

Keep it from being crushed

Store tubes upright or flat in a small box, not loose in a bag with keys.
Do not stack weight on top of a pack.
Do not carry a pre-roll in a pocket without its tube.

Short answers

What is the best way to store a pre-roll?

Leave it in its sealed, opaque package, keep it cool and out of direct light, and keep it from being crushed. The studies we found measured flower and cone paper, not finished pre-rolls, so this is handling advice.

How long will a stored pre-roll keep?

No study we found measured it. The two related studies tested flower and cone paper, not finished pre-rolls.

Should I put pre-rolls in the fridge or freezer?

The flower study found whole flower at 4°C among the best conditions and the lowest temperatures worse for aroma compounds in one variety. It did not test a home fridge, a home freezer or pre-rolls, so we make no claim.