The amount of water in cannabis flower. Moisture content is commonly used to determine when flower has finished drying after harvest, with 10-12% moisture content ideal.
“Moisture content is an important measure of how ready dried and cured cannabis is for smoking; if there’s too much moisture, it won’t burn right and will taste bad.”
What is moisture content in cannabis?
Moisture content is the amount of water in a given sample of cannabis flower, which determines if it is dry enough for consumption. An ideal moisture content is when buds aren’t dried out to the point of being kindling, but not so wet that mold will grow.
Many states have regulations on what is an allowable level of moisture content in cannabis products sold at dispensaries; anecdotally, an ideal moisture content is 10-12%.
Moisture content vs. water activity
It is important to note that other than moisture content, another measurement labs use is water activity. Although they may sound similar, they are different.
Moisture content is a measurement of water in a given sample, and water activity is a measurement of how water reacts with microorganisms in a sample. While it may be helpful for businesses and consumers to know the water activity of a product, moisture content is generally a much more important measurement.