How Long Does the Effect of Brownies Last?
Cannabis brownies take longer to kick in than smoking, but their effects last much longer-usually 6 to 12 hours. Learn how dose, metabolism, and body type affect duration and how to stay safe.
When you bake cannabis brownies, edible treats infused with THC from cannabis, often used for relaxation or medical relief. Also known as marijuana brownies, they’re a popular way to consume cannabinoids without smoking. But once they’re baked, the real question isn’t just taste—it’s duration. How long do they stay potent? How long are they safe to eat? And what happens if you leave them on the counter too long?
The answer depends on three things: how they’re made, how they’re stored, and what’s in them. If your brownies use butter or oil infused with cannabis, the fat content helps preserve the THC. But if they’re loaded with fresh fruit, cream cheese frosting, or dairy, they’ll spoil faster than a regular brownie. THC brownies, edibles where tetrahydrocannabinol is the active ingredient don’t lose potency overnight, but they do degrade slowly over weeks. Heat, light, and air are the enemies. A brownie left in direct sunlight can lose up to 20% of its THC in just a week. That’s not just wasted effort—it’s unpredictable dosing.
Storage is everything. edible brownies storage, the method used to keep cannabis-infused baked goods fresh and potent should mimic how you’d store any high-fat dessert: cool, dark, and airtight. The fridge keeps them fresh for up to two weeks. The freezer? That’s your best bet for months. Wrap them tightly in parchment, then foil, then a sealed container. Freezing doesn’t kill the THC—it locks it in. But if you skip this step and just toss them in a plastic bag on the counter, mold can grow before the high even fades. And no, microwaving them to "revive" the effect won’t help. Heat breaks down cannabinoids, not rebuilds them.
People often assume edibles last forever because they’re "just brownies." But they’re not. They’re medicine disguised as dessert. That means you treat them like medicine. Check for off smells, strange textures, or visible mold. If it looks or smells wrong, throw it out. No second chances. Even if it’s only been five days, if the butter went rancid, you’re not getting high—you’re getting sick.
And potency? It doesn’t vanish overnight, but it does fade. After three months in the freezer, you might lose 10-15% of your original THC. That’s why labeling matters. Write the date you baked them. Write the dose per piece. That way, you’re not guessing six weeks later whether that last bite is safe or strong enough.
What you’ll find below are real, tested stories and tips from people who’ve baked, stored, and eaten these brownies—some successfully, some not. You’ll learn how to stretch their life without losing power, how to tell if they’ve gone bad before you take a bite, and why some batches last longer than others. No fluff. No guesswork. Just what works.
Cannabis brownies take longer to kick in than smoking, but their effects last much longer-usually 6 to 12 hours. Learn how dose, metabolism, and body type affect duration and how to stay safe.