If you’re asking if CBD smells like weed, you’re probably considering buying your first CBD product. The short answer is that the smell of CBD depends on the exact product you buy. For instance, a high-quality CBD isolate won’t smell like weed but a full- or broad-spectrum product may have that ganja smell.
Why is the smell of CBD isolate different from that of a full- or broad-spectrum product? We have all your answers here, starting with a quick dive into what CBD smells like.
What Does CBD Smell Like?
Terpenes are aromatic compounds that give a cannabis plant its scent. Compared to other plants, cannabis has way more terpenes.
Depending on the cannabis strain used to make a CBD product, the terpene content can give the product a fruity, skunky, earthy, or flowery smell. If you buy a CBD isolate, it will be odorless and tasteless because it contains no terpenes. That’s because CBD isolates undergo a thorough refining process that leaves behind only the CBD (cannabidiol) compound.
If the extraction or refining process leaves behind some THC, terpenes, and other compounds, it’s a broad-spectrum CBD product. Since broad-spectrum CBD contains some terpenes, it may retain the smell of its source cannabis plant.
Unlike broad-spectrum CBD, full-spectrum products undergo less refinement and have all the compounds available in a cannabis plant. Since all the terpenes are present, full-spectrum CBD will have the same scent as the weed plant.
Customers that want their CBD to have a specific smell or taste can opt for a flavored CBD vape juice. Several creative options are available, including products that smell like mint, strawberry, pineapple, cotton candy, and more.
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Does CBD Flower Smell Like Weed?
The answer to whether or not CBD flower smells like weed is yes but we need to explain why.
Everyone knows that a plant’s flower generates the most scent. A cannabis plant’s flower, or bud, is the same even though it looks nothing like a regular flower. Why do flowers have a potent scent? The answer is again terpenes.
Like we earlier mentioned, terpenes are the primary compound that determines a plant’s scent. The concentration of terpenes and other compounds is higher in CBD flower than in other parts of the plant. When you smoke cannabis flower or consume it in any other way, the smell and taste are stronger than when consuming any other part of the cannabis plant.
Note that a CBD flower’s exact scent depends on the cannabis plant strain, and there will be a scent regardless of if it’s a marijuana or hemp plant. Quality CBD flower should have a fruity, floral, earthy, or citrus aroma. If it smells like hay or it’s odorless, avoid it because that indicates low quality.
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Does CBD Smell Like Weed When It Burns?
When you roast or char vegetables, it releases more aroma and flavor due to diffusion. The same thing happens when you ignite weed. Does CBD smell like weed when it burns? That depends on if you are burning a CBD isolate or a full- or broad-spectrum product.
If it is an isolate, it won’t contain terpenes and won’t have the same smell as when you burn a whole weed plant. Broad or full-spectrum products contain terpenes and smell like burning weed when ignited.
Regardless of if it’s a broad or full-spectrum CBD product, the smell of burning weed is less noticeable if you are vaping CBD. That’s because compared to smoking CBD, vaping does not burn the product. Instead, it vaporizes it, leading to no smoke, a cleaner experience, and a smell that easily dissipates.
If you want to consume CBD at home, in your car, or office, and don’t want your space smelling like a hotbox, vaping is the way to go. However, if you’re looking for an experience similar to marijuana but without the high, then we encourage you to check out CBD pre-rolls or CBD cigarettes.
Related Reading: CBD Cigarettes vs. Tobacco Cigarettes
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Factors that Affect CBD Scent
Let’s take a deeper dive into the two factors that influence the scent of CBD: terpene profile and stabilization.
Terpene Profiles
Cannabis contains several terpenes, and these compounds do more than give your CBD its smell. They also contribute to the entourage effect, which is cannabis compounds amplifying the effects of one another.
Depending on the cannabis strain used to make your CBD, the present terpenes may include:
· Myrcene: Myrcene is the most common terpene in various cannabis strains. Its most distinctive feature is its earthy or musky scent. Myrcene is also the terpene that gives weed a skunky smell.
· Linalool: Linalool gives CBD a flowery scent, but it’s not present in many cannabis strains.
· Limonene: Limonene creates a citrus aroma that’s reminiscent of oranges and tangerines.
· Caryophyllene: Caryophyllene is the spicy terpene. Other plants or products that have this terpene are rosemary, cinnamon, and basil.
· Geraniol: Its scent is similar to tobacco. Cannabis strains that contain this terpene are a big hit among people who like cigarettes.
· Alpha-Pinene and Beta-Pinene: They give cannabis a pine tree smell.
· Humulene: It has spicy notes hidden within an earthy scent. Black pepper and cloves are other products that have this terpene.
· Terpineol: It is a very rare terpene that smells like lilacs.
Instead of focusing on scent, prioritize getting a high-quality CBD product that contains optimal cannabidiol levels. If your state doesn’t permit over 0.3% THC content, opt for a CBD isolate.
Stabilization
Everything, from the soil used to grow a cannabis plant to the refinement process, affects CBD stabilization. The more stable the plant’s genetics are, the higher the chances of the finished CBD product smelling like a cannabis plant. Avoid CBD that uses additives to replicate the aroma of your favorite cannabis strain.
CBD that Doesn’t Smell
We hope we have satisfied your “does CBD smell like weed” curiosity. If you want to enjoy all the health benefits of using CBD but are averse to the smell and taste of cannabis, stay away from full- or broad-spectrum CBD products.
Instead, go for CBD isolates, which you can get as oil, wax, or powder. Since it’s tasteless and scentless, you can mix it with food, drinks or take it orally by itself. It contains pure CBD and nothing else, meaning you don’t have to worry about getting high or breaking state laws against products with a THC content of over 0.3%.
Related Reading: CBD Isolate vs. Full-Spectrum CBD
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