Does Delta-8 Smell Like Weed?
Have you ever wondered if the delta-8 products so many people are trying out smell like cannabis? If so, you’re definitely not alone.
The short answer is it depends. The long answer is that some products do and some products don’t. Here are the details.
- What is delta-8 THC?
- Does delta-8 THC smell like weed?
- Do delta-8 THC gummies smell like weed?
- Do delta-8 THC vape pens smell like weed?
- Three things that give Delta 8 its unique smell
What is delta-8 THC?
Let’s take a brief overview of delta-8 before going into how it smells.
Delta-8 THC is derived from the hemp plant, a close relative of cannabis/weed/marijuana. While hemp doesn’t contain nearly enough ‘regular’ THC to get you high, it does contain plenty of CBD. Most delta-8 THC on the market today is produced from CBD in a process called isomerization.
Why is delta-8 getting so popular when simpler options like delta-9 are available, you may ask? Primarily because delta-8 is federally legal. Because it comes from hemp, not high-THC cannabis, delta-8 enjoys the same legal standing that CBD, CBG, and CBN do.
Technically speaking, Delta 8 doesn’t have any smell at all. Neither does CBD, regular THC, CBN, or any other cannabinoid. Cannabinoids themselves are tasteless, colorless, and odorless.
So when we talk about how delta-8 THC smells, we’re actually talking about how the trace compounds contained in delta-8 THC products contribute to their overall aromatic profile. The plants that make delta-8 and delta-9 do smell very, very similar. Some delta-8 products retain this characteristic smell…and some don’t. Here’s a closer look.
Does delta-8 THC smell like weed?
That depends what type of delta-8 product you’re talking about. Some delta-8 products smell almost identical to weed, while others don’t smell like anything at all. You’ll find some products that have a super earthy smell, some products that have a mild smell, and some products that have no smell whatsoever.
It all depends on how many of hemp’s aromatic terpenes got pulled into the final product(s). In general, the more processed a product is, the less it will smell like weed.
Do delta-8 THC gummies smell like weed?
Some delta-8 THC products are totally smell-free. Delta-8 gummies, chocolates, and edibles often fall into this category. Our Delta-8 Gummies are packed with 25 milligrams of delta-8 each, but you won’t be able to detect any hempy aftertastes here. You can probably hold one right up to your nose and inhale without smelling much. That’s because these gummies are made with a highly purified delta-8 distillate. (It’s also because they’re infused with all-natural fruit flavor.)
Do delta-8 THC vape pens smell like weed?
Do carts smell like weed? Not if they’re made with purified delta-8 distillate.
And even vape carts that aren’t made with distillate don’t usually smell that much. That’s because vapor is much less dense than smoke and dissipates quickly.
If less smell is what you’re after, you can also opt for a delta-8 blend that doesn’t contain cannabis-specific terpenes. These blends are specifically designed to mirror cannabis’s taste, scent, and effects — so they smell much like weed. Our Strawberry Lemonade’s fruity terpenes, on the other hand, make it a discrete, non-weed-tasting option.
You might also want to stay away from rosin vape cartridges. Rosin is rich enough in terpenes that it’s liable to smell exactly like weed.
Three things that give delta-8 THC its unique smell
The biggest contributor to a delta-8 THC product’s scent is its terpenes. Terpenes are what give virtually any hemp or cannabis drive product its characteristic aroma. Actually, terpenes give almost all plants their distinctive aromas.
Need some examples? Limonene smells like lemons. Pinene smells like pine trees. Eucalyptus smells like clothes, linen wool smells like lavender, etc. Think of the trademark smell of various cannabis strains as a sort of mix and match of these various terpenes. The same concept applies to hemp strains. [1]
One noteworthy exception: Delta 8 products derived from CBD isolate. These particular products are basically two steps removed from hemp’s original aroma, not just one, which means they’re pretty much scentless.
That might be a good thing if you dislike the earthy aspects of hemp, but it also means you miss out on the entourage effect that occurs when you combine delta-8 with other plant compounds.
Does delta-8 THC smell like weed? Summing things up
Yep, it’s true: a lot of Delta-8 THC products do smell like weed. But don’t let that scare you away from trying them. Most of these products have a much milder scent than their unprocessed counterparts. Besides, what you’re smelling are actually some of the product’s most important active ingredients! We think you’ll find that the juice is more than worth the squeeze.
