What Do Dabs Smell Like?
Cannabis enthusiasts who are new to dabbing are often curious about the smell. As a method that uses vaporization rather than combustion, dabbing understandably produces a different scent from the distinct smell associated with smoking.
The scent of dabs is influenced mostly by the terpenes in the concentrate that is vaporized as well as the size of the dab. There are several ways to reduce the smell associated with dabbing if you want a more discreet experience.
What Are Dabs?
Dabs are highly concentrated forms of cannabis that come in various textures. They are typically placed on the heated nail of a dab rig and vaped. Dabbable concentrates include solvent-based products such as butane hash oil (BHO) in the form of wax, shatter, or budder, as well as solventless cannabis concentrates like rosin. Dabbing is a relatively new way of consuming marijuana and offers an alternative to smoking weed.
To make cannabis concentrate, THC and the plant’s other bioactive compounds are extracted from the cannabis plant using a solvent like butane, propane, hexane, supercritical carbon dioxide, or ethanol, or using a solventless extraction process like ice water extraction or rosin pressing. The resulting oil can contain between 39% and 80% THC—sometimes more, therefore offering a much more potent product than regular weed.
Many cannabis consumers dab using a dab rig. This is an accessory that resembles a bong or water pipe but is specifically designed for dabs. To use a dab rig, concentrates are heated and the consumer then inhales the vapor through the dab rig's mouthpiece.
Some people who are new to dabbing assume that dabs won’t emit any smell because dabbing produces vapor rather than smoke. However, this is a misconception because the vapor still contains odors.
Do Dabs Smell?
Yes, dabs do smell. However, they don't smell like bud does when it's smoked. Dabbing emits much less odor than smoking marijuana. Knowinghow to get rid of weed smell and control how much smell is emitted can help you mask any odors released by dabbing.
What Affects Dabs' Smell?
A high-quality dab will produce a stronger smell than a lower-quality alternative. This is because premium products contain terpenes and other compounds that weren't destroyed during processing. Other factors that can contribute to a different or stronger dab odor include:
Using different brands
The concentrated cannabis substance you use
The size of the dab: logically, a bigger dab will create more dab smell than a smaller one
Though dabs will inevitably produce some weed smell, dabbing vapor dissipates faster than marijuana smoke. The odor should dissipate within a few minutes as long as you smoke in a room with enough ventilation.
What Do Dabs Smell Like?
Dabs have a wide variety of different scents. The odor produced will depend on the terpenes contained in the cannabis strain used to produce the dab. Terpenes that can influence the vapor smell include:
Humulene: An earthy or woody smell
Pinene: A distinct spicy/sweet odor with a hint of pine
Caryophyllene: A spicy or woody scent
Linalool: A lush fruity and floral citrus smell
Limonene: A burst of citrusy lemon and orange
Myrcene: Clove, herbal, and citrus notes
Dabs have a smooth and natural odor that doesn't smell harsh or like burning.
Why Do Dabs Smell?
The cannabis plant is full of terpenes—aromatic oils that give cannabis and other plants their distinctive smell and flavor profile. Dabs have been described as having a “distinctive herbal scent.” This is because of the high terpene concentration in dabs that produces the smell when the concentrate is vaporized.
Do Dab Pens, Nectar Collectors, and Vape Pens Smell?
Using a dab pen or an electric nectar collector will produce a distinct odor. Because they're significantly smaller than dab rigs, these devices don’t produce such large clouds of vapor. This reduces the strength of the smell and can help hide the smell of weed.
An innocuous puff from a pen or nectar collector is unlikely to cause a huge amount of unwelcome odor. However, the smell can linger for a few minutes after you’ve finished dabbing.
Do Dab Rigs or Dab Pens Smell Stronger?
Dab rigs tend to produce a stronger smell because they are more powerful than dab pens. Dab pens may be a better option for a more discreet experience.
How to Reduce the Smell of Dabs
Dabs will emit fewer odors than cannabis smoke but still have an unmistakable smell. Luckily, there are some things you can do to minimize the odor if you live in a shared space, have nosy neighbors, or have any other reason for wishing to reduce the smell:
Increase Ventilation
Open a window to improve ventilation if you're dabbing indoors to let some fresh air in. This is generally a good practice as that way vapor won't soak into your surroundings. You can accelerate this process by blowing the vapor out of the window using a fan or by exhaling directly out of the window.
Use A Candle, Incense, or Air Freshener
You can try to disguise dab scents by using other items that produce strong smells, such as candles, incense, and air fresheners. Scented candles can be especially effective if you light one before dabbing. Adding essential oils to the melted wax can make the scent stronger.
Important safety tip: If using a candle, be very careful to stay in the room while it’s burning, and remember to blow it out when you're done.
Use A Sploof
A sploof is a cylindrical device that contains a carbon filter or a dryer sheet, which works to filter the odor of vapors as they pass through the cylinder. Sploofs can be homemade or store-bought and are effective for reducing the smell produced by dabbing or smoking cannabis.
How to Make a Homemade Sploof
A rudimentary sploof made with toilet paper rolls will mask some of the smell produced by dabbing:
Crumple up some dryer sheets and stuff them inside an empty toilet paper roll.
After taking a dab, blow the vapor through the toilet paper roll. The cloud of air that comes out will smell pleasantly of fresh laundry!
Dab Smells Are Pleasantly Mild
Dabbing doesn’t produce the distinctive smell associated with smoking but isn’t an entirely odorless activity. Many weed enthusiasts count weed aromas as a welcome part of the whole experience. However, others might prefer to be more discreet.
It’s easy and inexpensive to reduce the smell produced by dab rigs, dab pens, and nectar collectors. Ventilation, candles, and sploofs can help to reduce or eliminate any unwanted odors so you can enjoy your dabbing experience in peace.