Is it Safe to Smoke Uncured Weed?

Your plant has germinated, sprouted, vegged, flowered, been harvested, dried and now….it should be cured. And that can, and probably should, take a few more weeks.

But what if you don’t want to wait? What if you want to smoke your cannabis right now without the hassle of curing it in a jar?

Well, technically, you can, but we wouldn’t recommend it.

Here’s why:

Why Cure Cannabis?

We humans have been curing the things we consume forever. When our ancestors learned to properly store food for later consumption, that was our greatest leap in evolution (closely followed by the wheel and then microwave popcorn a close third).

Although the curing process varies, the aim is always the same: keep it fresh, tasty and aromatic.

Newly harvested buds are full of water and chlorophyll. The blood in the veins, if you will.

The moment you pull your plant from the ground, it starts to decompose. Bacteria and enzymes break down starch and sugar created by chlorophyll.

If these minerals have not been broken down properly, and you smoke the buds, you’ll get a burning sensation in your throat. That’s where that comes from.

So, to answer my question, you cure cannabis to force your plant into using those nutrients before they degrade.

Curing your weed properly stops this process from eating away at volatile compounds in your plant – most notably the terpenes and cannabinoids, which either evaporate altogether or turn into something far less interesting or potent.

So, curing correctly means weed that smells good, smokes good and tastes good.

Can I Smoke Uncured Weed?

You can. You can also put your foot in the toilet. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should, but hey, it’s your life.

Smoking uncured cannabis isn’t very nice. It won’t burn properly because the weed is still wet. It’ll taste like as(s)h.

Will it get you stoned?

If it’s properly grown and a strain with good THC levels, sure, but it won’t be a good smoke, and if you cure it properly, the overall effect will be much better.

Why Cure Cannabis Properly?

Better Taste

Curing properly preserves the plant’s terpenes profile, smell and taste. Enzymes feeding on your decaying buds consume these compounds. And, while you want them to consume the ones you don’t want (sugars, starches and chlorophyll), you don’t want your terpenes to be degraded. Proper curing stops this.

Better Smoke

Properly curing your weed dries it out properly. Uncured cannabis is still moist, so no matter how you consume it – in a joint, pipe, bong or vape – the wet weed won’t smoke and won’t stay lit. Or it will, with a thousand lighter flicks.

Better Stone

When you cure correctly, you influence cannabinoid production. Newly plucked cannabis flowers will still ripen the same way a banana would. While the branches can no longer draw nutrients from the stem, the flowers can still draw nutrients from the branch. It’s this phase that induces THCa synthesis.

When you’re curing your weed properly, these cannabinoids can develop fully and then are suspended in that state. Ensuring a potent bud.

How Do I Cure my Cannabis?

We’re glad you asked. Luckily, we’ve written this comprehensive guide:

Final Thoughts

Growing cannabis is a game of patience. You can’t rush it. This game goes all the way to the end. A beautifully grown plant can be ruined by falling at the final hurdle – not curing it properly.

If you want to smoke uncured weed, then, by all means, go for it, but trust us, wait a little bit longer. You won’t regret it.