How to hide the smell of cannabis?

Even if you use cannabis legally, there may be times when you don't want to attract attention. Here are a few tips for masking that distinctive smell.

Pine and grapefruit juice, skunk and diesel fumes, fresh earth and ground pepper - the wide range of aromas released by Cannabis flowers is part of what makes this plant so enjoyable and immersive. But there are many times when you don't want the unmistakable aroma of Cannabis wafting off your clothes or wafting into your living room when you have unexpected guests.

If you want to be more discreet with your cannabis, you need to focus on two main points: how to prevent the smell and how to mask it when it gets out of hand. Hold your breath, we're getting to the heart of the matter.

Does vaporizing cannabis produce odors?

In France, medical cannabis is authorized only if prescribed as part of a medical cannabis experiment, and must be vaporized rather than smoked.

Like the vaporization heats cannabis without burning it, it produces no smoke, only vapor. Not only does this spare your lungs and throat, it also means you won't have to deal with plumes of cannabis smoke.

That said, vaping does produce a distinctive smell, although it's nowhere near as strong as that of cannabis smoke and dissipates fairly quickly.

How to avoid the smell of cannabis

Ventilation is your friend

When smoking cannabis, especially a potent, pungent strain, the aroma can spread far and wide, filling an enclosed space in no time.

If you're in a place where you don't want to smell, such as your home office, make sure the space is well ventilated. Open a window and, if possible, a door to let the air circulate.

Try to consume as close as possible to the open window, exhaling as far outwards as possible. If you have a small fan, place it facing the window as a kind of exhaust fan, and try to blow through the blades from behind.

When you've finished, leave the window open and turn on a ceiling fan if possible, to allow the room to air out for at least half an hour.

For cannabis flowers, the same principle applies - the aroma of the flowers can remain in the air in a closed space, so be sure to leave a window ajar.

Cover your tracks

The smell of cannabis doesn't always dissipate as soon as the smoke clears. Some accessories, such as pipes and bangs, They can give off a powerful aroma for some time, so be sure to clean and store them when you're done.

If you consume at home, make sure you close the cupboard doors, otherwise the smoke can seep in and leave an aroma on your clothes.

Find a discreet spot

A tried-and-tested tip for people wishing to keep their cannabis consumption discreet is to find an uncrowded place to consume.

At home, that might mean stepping out onto the back porch, or if you're at work or a social gathering, going to the parking lot or making a quick «run to the store». Your sudden absence may arouse suspicion, but with no cannabis smoke nearby, you can rest easy.

Consuming near the bathroom window, with the extractor fan running and the shower on to create steam, can also help mask the smell, although sometimes you need to take a shower to pull off this trick.

How to get rid of the smell

The other main form of cannabis odor management involves masking the smell once it's already in the air.

Incense

Incense scents such as nag champa, sandalwood or lavender can be strong, even overpowering, but they help rid a room of the smell of weed. On the other hand, as the smell of incense is often associated with head shops and stoner or hippie culture, it can send the not-so-subtle message that «weed has just been smoked here».

Essential oils

Essential oils such as patchouli, peppermint or rosemary can also help mask cannabis and can be easily applied to the hands and behind the ears. You can also use a diffuser to help spread the aroma around the room.

Masking odors with air fresheners

Air fresheners, such as potpourri sprays, can be used liberally in a room where the smell of cannabis is strong or persistent. You can also buy car air fresheners - such as the tree-shaped ones people hang from their rear-view mirrors - and hang them up in an area. This method can be particularly effective in a small space like a closet.

Air purifiers to mask smoke

Air purifiers use a variety of methods to remove pollutants from the air, including carbon filters, ionizers and HEPA filters, which can trap and remove the airborne particles that help create the smell of cannabis. Although sometimes expensive, air purifiers can be effective in reducing cannabis odor and, in any case, can help rid your home's air of common pollutants and allergens.

Masking the smell of cannabis flower

While most smoke-masking tricks work equally well to conceal the smell of cannabis flower, there are specific steps to take and products available on the market to prevent your stash from stinking up the place.

Store your flowers in airtight glass jars

There's no better way to storing your cannabis flower than in airtight glass jars. Not only is there no risk of static charge removing the trichomes (as with plastic bags), but they also protect your herb from air and moisture and retain the smell.

Get a sturdy jar with a tight-fitting lid, and make sure you don't open and close it more than necessary. This will keep the buds fresher for longer, and a closed cannabis jar is odorless.

Odor-proof storage bags

Odor-proof bags are a great solution for hiding odors at home or on the road. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are also many waterproof storage bags on the market. The size of these bags generally varies from a small pouch to a large waterproof case the size of a camera bag or small laptop case.

Larger ones often come with locks and compartments for pipes or other items, so they can serve as an odor-proof storage box for your cannabis and accessories.

Odor-proof storage boxes

An elegant and highly effective solution to prevent grass odors could be an odor-proof wooden box which, like large storage bags, can also be used to store accessories and paraphernalia. These boxes are usually the same size and look as small cigar humidors, and are airtight to keep the herb fresh and odor-free. You can also invest in a «cannador», a small sealed cannabis humidifier that retains odors from your stash and also manages the humidity inside.

A container within a container

If you're particularly concerned about odors and aren't convinced that your glass jar or odor sachet alone will suffice, you may want to consider «double packaging». For example, you can store your flower in a small Mason jar inside a large tupperware container, offering two layers of odor protection.

Odor-absorbing gels

A popular method used by professional cannabis growers is the odor-absorbing gels.

Odor-neutralizing gels generally come in a scented candle-sized container and are composed of a mixture of essential oils suspended in a gel. Simply place a container of gel in the area in question and it does the trick on its own. An important note, however: Make sure you don't leave the container open next to your buds or inside a grow room - the gel can come into contact with the buds via the air, which could permanently alter the taste and smell.

Cover body odor

Much of the smell of cannabis smoke and flowers can also be carried on your body. After smoking, it can stick to your clothes, hair, skin and nails, even if you're no longer near the herb.

Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly once you've stopped smoking, and consider changing your shirt or putting on a hat to hide some of the smell. Your breath can still give you away, so you may want to brush your teeth and/or chew gum if you want to remain incognito.

A little cologne or perfume can also cover up some of the smell, although you replace it with a strong scent of cologne, which can turn heads, especially if you're not in your element.

Spray your clothes with Febreze

Changing clothes isn't always an option, but a few sprays of a clothing odor eliminator like Febreze can have you smelling like freshly folded laundry in no time.

Does cannabis decarboxylation emit a smell?

The smell of cannabis decarboxylation can be quite strong, especially if you live in a small apartment and/or your kitchen is poorly ventilated. Fortunately, the smell of decarboxylation doesn't last very long, and within half an hour of turning off the oven, it should be gone.

In addition, most edibles should not smell like cannabis. Cannabis oil may have a toasted nutty aroma, and space cake may have a hint of herbal or earthy aroma, but nothing like the smell of an open pot of cannabis flowers or a plume of smoke. What about THC gummies, mints and chocolates? Don't expect any smell at all.

In any case, you should keep edibles sealed and stored away from children and other guests, which will further eliminate potential odors.

How long does the smell last?

How long the smell lasts depends largely on where you smoke and what you do to minimize it. If you smoke in a damp room with shag carpeting and no windows or ventilation, the smell is likely to persist.

But if the room is well-ventilated and you take care to breathe out through the window, or that you use a sploof and a powerful ceiling fan, there will be fewer odors to contend with. And if the smell persists for a while, generous use of air fresheners can make a big difference.

As for your body, if you're really concerned about odors, the only thing to do is change your clothes and take a shower. The smell should disappear, although you may need eye drops if you experience any redness.

All in all, it's a good thing. Even if your room stinks for the first hour, if you leave the door or window open, everything should be back to normal by morning.

Put the odds in your favor

For many cannabis users, smell is a pleasant, comforting characteristic of the plant, to which they may have become less sensitive over the years.

Bear in mind that people who don't smoke tend to be much more sensitive to the smell: they can perceive it on clothes, hair or furniture, even if your nostrils have been somewhat desensitized by an accumulated layer of trichomes.

Remember that other people may be more sensitive to the aroma and a little less forgiving than you. Act accordingly. Be sure to air out the common areas of your home or office, and also consider taking the following approach: if you smoke cannabis, it's likely that the smell is stronger than you think, so take steps to remedy it.