Using Medical Cannabis and Combating the Smell

The cannabis plant has an unmistakable odor experienced noses can identify. Unfortunately, many people describe it as a pungent odor they would rather not smell. Equally unfortunate is the fact that some medical users avoid medicating because of the odor. They either do not want to offend others, or they want to keep their medical consumption a secret.

Is there a way to use medical cannabis and simultaneously combat the smell? Actually, yes. There are multiple ways. Just know that some forms of cannabis consumption create odors that are impossible to eliminate completely. The best you can do is mask them until they go away on their own.

1. The Smoking Problem

The people behind the Pure Utah medical cannabis pharmacy in Payson, UT say that smoking cannabis is the most odoriferous way to consume the plant. They recommend avoiding smoking in places where cannabis odors could be a problem. As a side note, smoking cannabis is illegal in Utah. Pure Utah patients are expected to dry heat their flower or use it to make edibles at home.

Dry heating and vaping also produce recognizable odors. On the upside, vaping and dry heating vapors are not as strong and do not tend to linger as long as smoke. They also don’t have a habit of embedding themselves in furniture and draperies. That makes vaping and dry heating less risky in terms of leaving smells behind.

2. Strategies for Reducing Odors

Pure Utah recommends a number of strategies for using medical cannabis without leaving unpleasant odors behind. The best such strategy is to limit consumption to capsules, tablets, and other products that can be ingested orally.

The downside to these sorts of products is that they do not offer immediate effects. Unlike vaping, dry heating and smoking, for which the effects are almost immediate, it can take anywhere from several minutes to several hours to experience the effects of an edible product.

If the need for instant relief dictates that edibles and tinctures are out of the question, here are some additional strategies for reducing cannabis odors:

1. Breath Mints, Gum, Etc.

You can mask cannabis odors on your breath by making use of gum, breath mints, or mouthwash. Among the three, alcohol-based mouthwash is the most effective because it neutralizes the germs and molecules that cause bad breath. Breath mints and gums work as well, but you may have to use them for longer.

2. Perfume, Cologne, Etc.

Dry heating, vaping, or smoking cannabis is bound to leave odors in your clothing. If you smoke, you will have the most difficult time masking those odors. But if you choose to dry heat or vape, it is easier to cover the smells with perfume, cologne, or body spray. A good perfume or body spray should keep you covered for the remainder of the day.

3. Hand Lotion or Sanitizer

A good hand lotion or sanitizer product can help cover any odors on your skin. They work especially well at eliminating the smells left behind by smoking and dry heating. The one caveat here is using a hand lotion or sanitizer to cover up the smell of a cannabis ointment or cream. If you apply the product directly over the medical product, you could actually negate the relief you are after.

There are still other strategies this post does not cover for lack of space. For example, wiping your skin down with baby wipes works for some people. Here’s the point: using medical cannabis sometimes leaves distinguishable smells behind. If those smells bother you, there are certain steps you can take to eliminate or reduce them.