The smell of weed can be exciting when it hits the nostrils. It can also be so difficult to disguise, it could land you in trouble. Here is our guide to keeping the stench from cannabis under control.
Marijuana is the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant. Cannabis has psychoactive and medicinal properties because of its chemical makeup.
Marijuana can be rolled up in a handmade cigarette (a joint), in a cigar, or in a pipe (a bong). It can be used for pain relief, to treat anxiety, or for recreation.
In many states, the sale and use of marijuana without a prescription is still illegal.
You can usually tell if someone has been smoking marijuana by detecting the scent of piney, slightly skunky grass that smoked cannabis leaves behind.
But figuring out for sure if what you’re smelling is weed can be a little difficult if you aren’t attuned to the scent. Various strains of marijuana can smell different from each other, making it even more complicated.
This article will cover what marijuana smells like in different stages of its use and consumption, as well as some differences between strains.
What impacts the smell of marijuana?
The strongest factor in the way marijuana smells is the age of the cannabis plant when it’s harvested. Cannabis that’s harvested earlier in its life cycles has a milder, less skunky scent.
It’s also less powerful when you smoke it. Cannabis that grows older before it’s picked and dried will have a stronger odor.
Organic compounds called terpenes are found in all plants, including cannabis. Myrcene (mango), pinene (pine), and limonene (lemon) are terpenes found in some strains of cannabis.
Terpenes change the scent of marijuana. For example, cannabis strains with pinene will smell more like pine.
How a marijuana plant smells
Marijuana plants smell similar during the growing process and when they’re harvested and dried. They give off a slightly weedy, piney “skunk” scent that gets stronger as the plant grows older.
When cannabis flowers and blooms, the scent becomes powerful.
Indica vs. sativa
Two common strains of cannabis plant are cannabis indica and cannabis sativa.
For decades, botanists and marijuana connoisseurs claimedTrusted Source that indica and sativa are different species with distinctly different effects on the body. Indica strain smells more acrid, while sativa smells more spicy or sweet.
But it would appear, at least to some experts, that there’s no way to smell the difference between indica and sativa definitively. Part of the reason is that there’s a lot of crossbreeding between these two particular strains.
However, one small studyTrusted Source did find that participants who had purchased weed within the prior several months were able to smell the difference between several different strains of marijuana.
What does marijuana smell like at the point of purchase?
Marijuana consumers describe the scent of the plant as earthy, herbal, and woody. Sometimes the plant scent carries notes of lemon, apple, diesel, or plum.
Dried marijuana smells a lot stronger than some other dried plants.
HEALTHLINE EVENT
There is hope ahead
Watch Lesley Stahl, Alyssa Milano, D.L. Hughley & more as they recount the past year and look ahead to the future. Watch our insightful and uplifting conversation on hope, vaccines, mental health & more.
How it smells while smoking
When you’re smoking marijuana, the natural scent of the cannabis scent is amplified by the smoke it creates. Fire, smoke itself, ash, and the smell of rolling paper add additional layers to the scent.
When a person is smoking cannabis, notes of lemongrass, pine, fire, and wood may stand out. The distinct “skunk” smell of marijuana is often reported.
What does weed smell like on a person after it’s smoked?
The smell of marijuana smoke can cling to a person’s hair, skin, and clothing. The “skunk” odor mixes with the scent of fire and smoke, and can also layer (and amplify) the smells of sweat and natural odors people naturally produce.
Some people say the after-smoking scent can take on notes of mustiness or a faintly foul, overly sweet scent.
Why does weed smell like skunk?
Cannabis smells like “skunk” because of one of its terpene components — myrcene.
Myrcene is in lots of other highly fragrant plants, such as bay leaf, mangoes, hops, and thyme. Different strains of marijuana can contain more or less myrcene.
It’s interesting to note that the sedation and calming faction in many cannabis strains is linkedTrusted Source to the myrcene content of the plant. Marijuana strains that smell more fruity or skunky may have more “couch-lock” effects.
What does hashish smell like?
Hashish is a distilled, highly concentrated form of marijuana product.
It’s made from the compressed resin of the cannabis plant. Hashish smoke smells similar to marijuana smoke — an earthy scent mixed with notes of fires and ash.
What does synthetic weed smell like?
Synthetic weed is produced in a laboratory and mixed with other chemical elements. Chemicals are sprayed on plantlike material that is then distributed to be smoked like weed. It’s sometimes called K2, mamba, or spice.
Synthetic marijuana is not related to the cannabis plant. It’s not regulated, and really could contain any kind of chemical. Because of this, there’s no standardized synthetic weed smell.
Prevent a Weed-Filled Room
As the age-old saying goes, prevention is better than a cure. By stopping the smell of weed from taking hold in the first place, you’ll boost your chances of staying under the radar. The cheap and simple trick of ventilation often suffices!
· Ventilate!
Before hitting a bowl or blunt, crack open a window and turn on a fan. Of course, this technique directs the smell of weed outside of your window. But many smokers prefer this outcome compared to weed fumes filling up their hallway.
Proper storage also plays a key role—weed smells even before you smoke it. Keep your stash in an airtight container to stop terpenes from leaking out into your room.
How to Mask the Smell of Weed in Your Room
If you’re smoking exceptionally smelly weed—or it’s simply too cold to open a window—the next port of call involves doing your best to cover up the scent. There are various methods smokers use to cover their tracks, with additional terpenes often serving as the best solution.
· Essential Oils
Terpenes are strong enough to underpin the smell of weed, so logic suggests they are strong enough to cover it up! Essential oil diffusers utilise terpenes found in particularly aromatic plants —enter rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender—to make rooms smell as fresh as a daisy. Use these devices to override the signature smell of weed with the aromas of more innocent flowers and plants.
How to Hide the Smell of Weed in Your Home
Most cannabis users start their love affair with cannabis in their college dorms or a room in their childhood home. Eventually—following graduation, promotion, or other avenues—they move out into their very own abode. This big move comes hand in hand with considerably more freedom, such as blazing a bong at breakfast and hitting bowls in the bath (peak pleasure for most stoners).
If you’d rather keep the smell of terpenes out of your house, check out the prevention methods below. If you’re in need of an emergency cover-up, see how to mask the ever-increasing odour.
Marijuana gives off a distinctly skunky, strong odor. It might be hard to identify at first, but once you’ve smelled or been in contact with it, it’s quite unique.
Marijuana smells slightly different depending on what kind is being smoked and how strong the strain is.
I do not know about weed in particular but the start getting any bad odors out of a room. Make sure the weed is not kept in the room itself. If your weed is stashed in a plastic baggie the smell is probably just going right through the bag. Can you put it in a thick baggie and put that in a mason jar and put the lid on tight and put in the refrigerator for or the trunk of your car? That gets it out of the house and the cold will keep it fresh.