What is the Typical Shelf-Life of a Delta 8 Product?

So, you just purchased your first delta 8 THC product, and can’t wait to get as much use out of it until the product runs out. 

Well, once you have gotten your hands on some quality delta-8, it’s important to stay on top of how long you’ve had it in your possession.

In order to continue getting the same desired effects as you once did when you first started taking it. 

In this case, the shelf life of delta 8 products matter, as it can affect your ability to get the desired results from this unique cannabinoid.

Does Delta 8 Expire?

Yes, because it’s an organic compound. 

Delta-8 THC expires in the same way that CBD does, meaning that the cannabinoid breaks down gradually, causing them to slowly lose their potency until they are completely ineffective. 

In other words, expired delta 8 is useless, as its effects are no longer existent.

Which is why we have a shelf life of 1 year for delta-8 products but some can go as long as 2 years but we like to urge on the side of caution, as long as they are being stored properly.

Typically, when hearing the word “expire,” we think of food that has gone bad in the refrigerator, that has a terrible smell, and is potentially unsafe to consume. 

Delta-8 is unlikely to go “bad” in this way if it’s exceeded its shelf-life. 

There is always a small chance, however, that harmful microbes can enter a product due to contamination.

So it’s good to give your delta-8 a quick whiff to make sure it doesn’t smell rancid or mildewy in any way.

Factors That Can Influence the Shelf Life of a Delta 8 Product

Generally speaking, a pure delta 8 extract has a shelf life of 1 year. 

But a few factors can cause the cannabinoid to degrade sooner than that.

Factor #1: How the Compound was Extracted

First of all, the extraction method can actually make a difference. 

Solvent and oil-based methods are notorious for destabilizing the compound.

Both of these methods expose the compound to factors that can be ultimately damaging. 

This is why distillation and CO2 extraction-based methods may seem the most ideal for delta 8 products.

But due to the low naturally occurring presence of delta-8 in the hemp plant, these extractions methods would be costly and require large amounts of raw material for a small amount. 

So instead hemp derived delta-8 products are the result of taking CBD isolate and leveraging a process known as 'isomerization' to rearrange the chemical makeup to produce pure delta-8 distillate.

Factor #2: Additional Ingredients in the Formula 

Of course, the shelf life of a specific delta 8 formula does not just depend on the delta 8 THC itself, but other ingredients in the formula. 

For instance, as we will be getting into soon, edibles may contain natural food ingredients that expire within less than 1 year.

Factor #3: How the Delta 8 Has Been Stored (Both by the Manufacturer and the Consumer)

Light, heat and humidity can all accelerate the oxidation process of the cannabinoid, causing it to expire before its shelf life is technically up.

How Long Your Delta 8 Product Can Last Based Upon Product Type

When we say that not all delta-8 products are created equally, this also applies to the actual type as well, as it pertains to this specific aspect.

Delta 8 Edibles

Edibles tend to expire before the actual delta 8 in the formula due to the use of organic food ingredients including fruit extracts and other natural flavoring ingredients. 

The actual expiration date depends completely on the ingredients used, which will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. 

In terms of how long it will take you to go through edibles, this depends on how many pieces are in the package that you have purchased.

But a great rule of thumb to stick by is to not consume any edibles that exceed 1 year passed the manufacturing date, so long as stored properly.

Capsules

Usually last for 1 year to be safe as they can last longer, because they don’t contain any food ingredients that can break down before the cannabinoid. 

Most capsules simply contain delta 8 concentrate that is diluted in a relatively stable carrier oil, like MCT oil. 

Capsules typically come in a bottle that gives you a one-month supply, or 30 doses.

Delta 8 Tinctures

Tinctures being similar to capsules in terms of the ingredients inside them, and how long they last, which is 30 days on average, containing 30 milliliters in a bottle, with each milliliter counting as a full dose. 

Therefore, tinctures should last for about 1 year to be on the safe side. 

The only thing that can cause them to expire sooner is the use of organic food-based ingredients like fruit extracts, which may degrade sooner depending on how they were made.

Delta 8 Vapes

These included bottled vape oil, pre-filled cartridges, and disposables. 

They should, in theory, be good for about 1 year. 

This is because these products rarely contain any ingredients that break down sooner than that, with most of them containing only delta-8 distillate and terpenes. 

How long it takes for you to finish a vaping product depends on numerous factors, including the size of the product, the strength of the product and how many puffs of vapor you take in per day.

Certainly the shelf life could be longer, but we like to stick on the safe side of things.

Plus, most customers who purchase delta-8 & CBD products from Wellicy consume and use their products long before coming close to 1 year. 

Flower

Hemp flower, even delta-8 infused hemp flower, has a shelf life of about 6 months, unlike extracts which can last longer because the extraction process can preserve the compounds. 

How long it takes for you to go through flower depends on how many hits you take per day, which can vary greatly from person to person, along with the quantity of flower that you have purchased.

Flower is very reactive to how it's stored.

So if you leave the cap off your flower container then it's going to dry out and have a shorter life.

But if you keep the cap on tight, store in a cool, dry and dark environment you can preserve the shelf life. 

Dabs/Concentrates

Like flower, dabs and concentrates have a shelf life of about 6 months, because the compounds in hemp have not been extracted in the way that other products like edibles and vape oils have been. 

And once again, how long it takes to finish your dabs and concentrates depends on the quantity you’ve purchased and how often you dab.

Storing Your Delta 8 Properly

If you want your delta 8 THC goods to last for as long as possible, the key thing to focus on is storing them properly. 

We said earlier that light, heat and humidity can all cause the compound to degrade at a faster rate. 

Therefore, your best bet is to keep your delta 8 products in a cool, dark, and dry place. 

Examples would be a drawer in your dresser or the corner of your closet. 

Avoid keeping delta-8 in the bathroom, where fluctuating humidity levels are common and potentially destructive to your products.  

Also, get into the habit of using delta 8 in the order that you’ve purchased it, if you are the type of person who likes to maintain an arsenal of different products.

Proper Delta 8 Storage Matters More Than You Think

Delta 8 THC is an exciting cannabinoid indeed, with a rich array of properties that can be quite useful to us. 

But your delta 8 can only deliver these properties if the compounds have not yet degraded. 

Make sure that you store your delta 8 properly so that it does not expire prematurely, and always be mindful of how long you’ve held onto products in your collection in order to use them up before they’re set to expire.