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The flowers of a fresh cannabis plant are beautiful and have a very strong scent; however, they are not great to smoke or vape. The high water content makes combustion difficult and dry herb vaporization becomes “wet” herb vaporization, limiting the release of cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant. The cannabis flower obtained from a dispensary has gone through a drying and aging process to maximize the quality before it is presented for sale.

Drying and Curing

Cannabinoids and terpenes degrade over time and with exposure to air, ultraviolet light, and high temperatures. The drying and curing process aims to stop or slow down this process, preserving cannabinoids, terpenes, potency, and the overall quality of the flower. Properly cured cannabis also has an extended shelf life compared to poorly cured specimens.

After cannabis is harvested, the processes of drying and curing are applied. This involves drying the plant to reduce moisture content, decreasing the development of mold and fungus which would make the cannabis unusable. The entire process, usually lasting three to four weeks, also allows time for the decay of sugars and chlorophyll, which can degrade the flavor and give a harsh character to the smoke.

Drying the cannabis is the first step. Newly cut plants are referred to as ‘wet’ or at full moisture content. They are typically hung upside down in temperature and humidity controlled rooms. This drying process can take several days to a week or more to accomplish.

The next step is the curing process. The flowers are removed from the rest of the plant and placed in specially designed containers that control airflow, an important factor in maintaining the normal airborne bacteria that help to degrade starches and stored sugar in the plant. Environmental control is critical. The cannabis must be protected from light sources, the temperature tightly controlled (approximately 70°F), and humidity maintained at 45% – 65%. The curing process can take from several weeks to six months to produce the highest quality, depending on environment, curing technique and equipment, as well as the cannabis being processed.

The drying and curing process is a critically important component in producing quality cannabis. Poorly cured cannabis will have lower potency in cannabinoid and terpene content, less satisfying flavor and be harsher to smoke. The several weeks to months it takes to properly dry and cure cannabis translates into more expense for the cultivator and ultimately the patient.

New Technology for an Ancient Plant

Freeze-drying is a process in which the material to be dehydrated is quickly frozen, causing the water contained to turn to ice. Atmospheric pressure in the freeze-dry vessel is reduced and the water sublimates, changing from a solid to a gas without going through the liquid phase of matter, and is removed from the chamber, leaving dried cannabis.

Cryo Cure, based in Sunnyvale, California, has introduced a new freeze-drying technique to the complex world of cannabis cultivation and processing. The company is manufacturing freeze-dry machines designed specifically for cannabis. Extensive testing has resulted in the development of temperature and pressure algorithms for the equipment, which results in cannabis flower of much higher quality compared to previous attempts at freeze-drying cannabis. The technique preserves cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds like flavonoids contained in the plant from degradation. Cannabis flower treated with Cryo Cure routinely shows higher cannabinoid and terpene levels than cannabis cured using traditional methods. Cryo-Cured flower has a similar size and appearance to the original flower, but with much lower weight as the water has been removed. Cryo Cure flower has a different appearance and “feel” compared to traditionally cured cannabis. The colors, tears, and textures lost during traditional curing are preserved. The buds appear very light, fluffy, and exhibit vibrant coloration. The preservation of terpenes and cannabinoids makes the flower more potent. A grinder is not necessary for Cryo-Cured cannabis as the plant easily breaks apart with your fingers.

The Cryo Cure technology offers the potential to provide cannabis flower of superior quality rapidly from harvest to packaging, reducing a process that usually takes weeks to months to just days. This can certainly help keep the supply chain of cannabis flowing faster to consumers and over time could potentially lead to lower retail prices. These advantages may make Cryo Cure the preferred method for drying and curing in commercial cannabis production.

Cryo Cure machines are currently in use by cultivators in Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma, Michigan, Massachusetts, and by Natural State Medicinals in Arkansas. If you have the opportunity to buy Cryo Cure cannabis, give it a try. It is said to provide a less sedating, more alert, “sparkly” high compared to cannabis produced by traditional curing methods, perhaps due to less THC being converted to CBN and terpenes not being degraded.