I bought some weed a couple weeks ago, and now there's a mold growing on it. The mold looks like a bunch of independent whitish balls, lightly surrounded by very fine webs. You probably couldn't see it from more than a hand's length away. I looked around the net for moldy weed, but only found forum posts, ranging from "got pretty sick" to "tripped super hard". Next, I looked for mold identification websites, but there are virtually none (an interesting idea!) I did find pictures of gray mold, which looks similar to what I have, but it's only pictures. It doesn't look like fruit rot, understand; it looks like little tiny white balls, <.5mm, with very light cobwebs between. Hardy even noticeable. I read somewhere that gray mold (and probably other molds) pulls water out of the host and can thus concentrate sugars. An example I read was grapes with gray mold being noted for producing a sweeter wine. Do you think that could possibly be the reason for those reports of extra strong moldy weed? That the weed was dehydrated?

I keep my weed in a sealed jar, and the mold still grew! How weird is that?

Do any of you have some knowledge on the subject? It's a decent amount of pot, and I'd hate to toss it. Maybe cooking it would not be as harmful? I imagine smoking it would be less of a problem than vaporizing it, but I recently bought a vaporizer which I swore to use exclusively until the end of my track season, by which point I'm sure it will be too late.

Any advice? Thanks.

Smoking molding bud is like inviting Mexicans to live in your house. Don't do it. Fungal pneumonia is not a fun way to go. If you really prefer to keep the bud, grind it up and use to spike cooking oil. If smell is an issue, instead make a THC tincture. The alcohol should zap any critters that made it through the filter.

BTW, hermetically sealed jars of water will have mold that eventually takes over the entire jar, filling it completely with mold. That is fungi are extremely versatile, resilient creatures that often times need extremely little resources to survive and dominate. My suggestion is keep your bud in a cold place, buy less weed at a time, and smoke more often so you don't let it go to waste again.

Fungal Pneumonia is not generally fatal. But I'm looking more for information on various types of mold and their effects -- specifics. Obviously, they can't all be the same.

EDIT: And it's clear that the issue is not with my storing of it. All kinds of bad stuff can happen if you store your weed in jars of water, but this is just weed. And sterile, too. Weed can last for years if properly stored. I think the issue was with the initial drying process. It's a little moist.

Make iso hash...

Scrape it off!

Well, it looks like you've done your research. If you ask this question on most growing forums people will tell you to toss it and sterilize the jar. It's pretty much the universal response. Mold can be nasty. And you wouldn't want tiny spores being delivered deep inside your lungs - that's asking for respiratory problems.

I keep my weed in a sealed jar, and the mold still grew! How weird is that?

The weed wasn't fully dry. You put it in wet. Same thing happened to me. I thought I had dried it sufficiently and next thing I know 50% of my weed has cob webs on it. I had to throw out about an ounce.

I think the issue was with the initial drying process. It's a little moist.

Just read that..but ya, dead on.

Any advice? Thanks.

Scraping off the cob webs will not make it safe to smoke! That will merely get rid of the visible mold you can see. Really, there's no safe way to kill the mold, and still have it safe to smoke. Although I have heard of a water cure being used with the idea that the water would kill the mold.

Alternatively, you could make cannabutter. Mold is relatively safe to eat.

And if you're looking up info on mold, search for "Farmers Lung". I think it's caused by moldy grain, and it's common for farmers to get because well they're around grain. That might help a little bit.

Anyways, if you're unsure, I wouldn't smoke it. It might now kill ya, but it probably wouldn't be too fun for your lungs.

It might have got there because the dealers sprayed the weed with something (water for example) to weigh it down a little. Wet plants could certainly mold in a week.

I wouldn't have the hear to throw out weed either. If your weed is in fairly manageable sized buds, I'd just scrape/cut off the whole outside layer. Cut it up a little and see if there's any inside. If it's already relatively broken up I'd toss it though, it'll be almost impossible to sort between the good and the bad.

If you're still unsure, smoke a small bowl and wait a day. If you feel sick or it tastes funny, well, don't smoke any more obviously.

EDIT: blah, nvm. already said

go to shroomery and ask if it's cobweb.

No, I know what cobweb mold looks like, and it's definitely not that. It's much more subtle. I sold the weed today. I showed the guy the mold and told him my doubts about it, but he wanted it anyway. It's really hardly noticeable.

did he pay full price?

No, he got it for cheap.

No, he got it for cheap.


How much.

$35 for a hair over an eighth. Why?

That was a joke/trick to get you flamed by shroomery.

You sure it was mold, and not spider mites eating the pusher man's crop during the grow?

If it was mites, and they're gone now, the weed's fine. Just as long as you don't burn any of those little fucker bugs. They taste like shit.

mold contains penicillin which can kill you if you inject too much of it. be careful dude.

Fungal Pneumonia is not generally fatal. But I'm looking more for information on various types of mold and their effects -- specifics. Obviously, they can't all be the same.
Yeah, you're right, it isn't generally fatal, but why does that matter, tard? Fungal pneumonia is bad shit, period...

Alright, here ya go. Mold on bud = bad. Covered.

EDIT: And it's clear that the issue is not with my storing of it. All kinds of bad stuff can happen if you store your weed in jars of water, but this is just weed. And sterile, too. Weed can last for years if properly stored. I think the issue was with the initial drying process. It's a little moist.

Sterile weed or a sterile jar? If you said yes to either, you've shown how stupid you really are. Weed (THC) CAN last for years if properly stored, vacuumed sealed and in the freezer. Otherwise, you'll have significant losses of THC depending on its exposure.

Yeah, you're right, it isn't generally fatal, but why does that matter, tard? Fungal pneumonia is bad shit, period...

You're the one who said it killed you, buddy.



Sterile weed or a sterile jar? If you said yes to either, you've shown how stupid you really are. Weed (THC) CAN last for years if properly stored, vacuumed sealed and in the freezer. Otherwise, you'll have significant losses of THC depending on its exposure.

Sterile jar. I sterilized it, in a pressure canner, before and after I grew mushrooms in it.

And what the fuck? It's been three weeks--not even! It was properly stored. You'd probably have me handling it with gloves, too. Maybe a hair net. Of course I'm not vacuum sealing it and putting it in a freezer, but you can read all the testimony you want to the point that dry weed stored in a sealed mason jar, in a plain old closet, can last for years. My favorite search engine is www.google.com; I suggest you try it out yourself.

Furthermore, weed in this context (and any context if you're going to be a prick) is NOT THC. It's a plant. The THC is NOT what is going bad, it's the weed. I'm sure the THC content is basically the same as it always has been, the only problem is the mold nastiness. Again, your point that THC degradation might occur with too much exposure is irrelevant, because THC degradation has nothing to do with this topic. Besides, I've stored pot in ziplock bags for more than a month and still had it turn out fine.

I really don't understand why you're attacking me here. I don't know what I said to offend you, and I'm truly not trying to pick fights, but please consider using your obviously vast intellect to help others next time, instead of wasting your time with pointless attacks like this.

Lastly, why don't I explain again to you the purpose of this thread? Obviously, not all molds are alike (not so obvious, maybe?) Some are going to be more harmful than others, and some not harmful at all. My initial hope was that through this thread I might be able to identify the type of mold on my weed and thus determine whether or not it is worth saving. Clearly, that was too much to hope for from such advanced mycology experts as yourself. I would have no issue smoking mold if I knew for a fact that it were not harmful. The reason people such as yourself are so irrationally terrified of a little mold is the same reason some are afraid of spiders, or the dark. Namely, no reason.

If you took the time to do the research instead of relying on what your friends/mom tell you about well, anything, you may find yourself able to improve on their advice.

You're the one who said it killed you, buddy.

No, I said it's a 'bad way to go'. I.E. go (v) To come to be in a certain condition: go mad; hair that had gone gray.

True, it is an ambiguous word that has many definitions. Whatever the case, immunosuppressed individuals tend to have a worse prognosis. Being young and a runner, we all are sure you won't die. yada yada ya and if you want to argue over definition, you have nothing of real value to say.

Sterile jar. I sterilized it, in a pressure canner, before and after I grew mushrooms in it.

That's nice. And your bud was sterile, yes? No.

And what the fuck? It's been three weeks--not even! It was properly stored. You'd probably have me handling it with gloves, too. Maybe a hair net. Of course I'm not vacuum sealing it and putting it in a freezer, but you can read all the testimony you want to the point that dry weed stored in a sealed mason jar, in a plain old closet, can last for years. My favorite search engine is www.google.com; I suggest you try it out yourself.

Maybe your bud will, but it'd be hell on THC content.

Furthermore, weed in this context (and any context if you're going to be a prick) is NOT THC. It's a plant. The THC is NOT what is going bad, it's the weed. I'm sure the THC content is basically the same as it always has been, the only problem is the mold nastiness. Again, your point that THC degradation might occur with too much exposure is irrelevant, because THC degradation has nothing to do with this topic. Besides, I've stored pot in ziplock bags for more than a month and still had it turn out fine.

Yes, I'm quite aware weed =/= THC. However, when you start talking about longterm storage, say greater than a month, your priorities are shifted from preserving the weed to preserving THC as it degrades over time into mainly CBN, but also many other cannabinoids. Whatever the case, weed is always best stored at the darkest, coldest, most inert it can be.

I really don't understand why you're attacking me here. I don't know what I said to offend you, and I'm truly not trying to pick fights, but please consider using your obviously vast intellect to help others next time, instead of wasting your time with pointless attacks like this.

Like how I can show you anytime, anywhere because the difference between you and me is simple. I'm educated. You are not (comparably). Listen to what I have to say and maybe, dropping this undeserved ego of yours, you'll actually see what I'm conceptually talking about than seeing things only on their surface.

If you look at my original post in this thread, I was quite courteous. It was when you flagrantly brushed aside my advice that I chose to be a bit more...overt. I even stated that while an environment may appear sterile or otherwise unsuitable, most often times it is not. Just about anywhere, there is a fungi that can grow there. Ever heard of Archaebacteria? Similar concept.

Moreover, marijuana has endemic fungi and bacteria which, no matter how sterile the environment, will stick around to grow, unless you maybe let it soak in alcohol.

Lastly, why don't I explain again to you the purpose of this thread? Obviously, not all molds are alike (not so obvious, maybe?) Some are going to be more harmful than others, and some not harmful at all. My initial hope was that through this thread I might be able to identify the type of mold on my weed and thus determine whether or not it is worth saving. Clearly, that was too much to hope for from such advanced mycology experts as yourself. I would have no issue smoking mold if I knew for a fact that it were not harmful. The reason people such as yourself are so irrationally terrified of a little mold is the same reason some are afraid of spiders, or the dark. Namely, no reason.

If you took the time to do the research instead of relying on what your friends/mom tell you about well, anything, you may find yourself able to improve on their advice.

Oh, and why do you presume so quickly that I'm NOT a mycological expert? How about I drop some knowledge on you. To be honest, I didn't take the time to read your response before I clicked on the 'Quote' button. Why? Not because I love to flame and attack character, but rather you have shown heretofore a gross lack of knowledge. Of course, reading this now, my beliefs were confirmed. I was starting to feel sorry and relent my intellectual crusade, but you challenge my credentials. We're all here to learn. My specialities relevant to BLTC happen to be marijuana, hallucinogens, herbs, neuropharmacology, biological psychology, and plant biology. Of course, any tool on the net can say that, but I back it up.

Ever heard of Dr. Charles Woloshuk? Bet not. He's one of the world's leading mycologists at Purdue University. I had the privilege of being a student in his lab. His lab (and ultimately my research) centered/centers around indentifying various mycotoxin (fungal toxins, go figure...) genetic pathways, as well as engineering the biosynthesis of particular mycotoxins for commercial applications. You see, when you spend a few years working around fungi which CAN kill you unless you are properly protected, (no eating or drinking, gloves, facemask, HEPA filter fume hood, etc.) you develop a certain respect for moldy bud. I particularly worked with Aspergillus flavus which is known for a particularly dangerous mycotoxin, Alfatoxin. Aspergillus also is one of the largest genus fungi on the planet.

"So?" you say, "I am young and strong." Yeah, until even a small, oppurtunistic infection starts wreaking havoc on your immune system by killing of your main white blood cells, neutrophil granulocytes, a condition called neutropenia. Then, after you've been immunosuppressed, it can continue eating away at your respiratory system and, if left untreated, into your brain... And, yes, people have died this way. Oh, and guess what? Smokers are especially at risk for developing infections because of smoking's effects on the respiratory and immune systems... Ever wonder why tobacco smokers get colds/coughs more easily?

http://www.capet.com/marijuana.htm
http://tinyurl.com/2tz64w
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfatoxin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutropenia
http://tinyurl.com/3xgjxl

So, yeah, you expected mostly uninformed people to give you info then criticize them for being uninformed, yet prove you are the one who needs to do some goddamn reading. I have my degrees. Do you?

Conclusion - You did one or both of these:
1. Bought improperly (read: shittly) grown/cured weed.
2. Placed 'wet' weed in a jar and it grew mold.

Also, whether or not your bud's mold was expressly toxic or not, a fungal infection is a fungal infection. Why the hell would you want to risk poisoning/infecting yourself?

Amazing. Seriously, props to you.

/thread

You're right -- I overstepped my bounds and I apologize. I was in a particularly bad mood when I wrote that, due to completely unrelated events, and I let it go to my head. You tried to help me and I turned around and insulted you, and I regret it. I will not deny now that you are more qualified on the topic than I. I've had no schooling on the subject; my only knowledge comes from my experience - what I've read in books, what I've seen when growing mushrooms, and mushroom hunting with my folks.

I did not intend to brush your response aside initially, only to clarify that the problem came from the weed, not the jar. I can see how that may have been misinterpreted.

Bottom line: I was in the wrong, and I want you to know I know I was in the wrong before this thread disappears. I hope that somewhat clears things up.

Alright, man. We're chill as long as at the day, something's been learned. *pound it*

THat sounds like the weed was infested with spidermites before it wwas harvested. Bcause you said "webs". When it gets bad you will actually be able to see the webs on the harvested bud.

If it is mold then just cut off the visible mold ans smoke. If it appears to be spider mites you could still smoke it if you are comfortable with smoking little webs.


mold contains penicillin which can kill you if you inject too much of it. be careful dude. Only certain types of mold contain the particular penicillium type of fungi where penicillin was isolated. Its not like they all are of the penicillium type, there are other types of mold.

The real quest is how and why would you inject moldy weed? or even weed for that matter. Am I missing something? Troll?