What Do Drugs Smell Like?

If you suspect that a spouse, friend, or loved one is abusing drugs, your nose may be the key to finding out the truth. Maybe you’ve noticed strange behaviors, money problems, or have caught your loved one lying to you. If you’re suspicious about them using drugs and you ask them directly, they may not give you an honest answer.

In the early stages of drug addiction, people often deny that they have a problem with drugs. Or, if they are confronted by a loved one, they may simply try to develop more sophisticated ways of hiding it.

Fortunately, most drugs produce a distinct smell, especially if they are smoked. Below, we’ll dive into some of the unique aromas of several commonly abused drugs. This should help you get some answers and maybe even confirm your suspicions.

If you can confirm your loved one’s drug abuse, there are a few different ways you can approach them about the issue and help them get treatment. We’ll go into that in more detail below.

What Do Drugs Smell Like?

Meth	Powerful chemicals, cleaning products, burnt plastic, sulfuric
Heroin	Acidic and sour (like vinegar)
Crack	Burnt plastic, burnt rubber, cleaning chemicals
Marijuana	Musky, skunky
PCP	Permanent marker

What Does Meth Smell Like?

Meth (methamphetamine) is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse) NIDA, most of the meth in the U.S. is produced and then transported here from Mexico.¹ However, meth can still be made in small laboratories with easy-to-get ingredients.

Meth production involves several different toxic chemicals, including:

• Acetone
• Hydrochloric acid
• Lithium
• Sulfuric acid
• Red phosphorus
• Anhydrous ammonia

As a result, meth usually smells like powerful chemicals. When it’s smoked, it has a more subtle smell that’s almost sweet. Some other common ways people describe the smell of meth include:

• Cleaning products
• Burnt plastic
• Sulfuric (like rotten eggs)

Similar to a hospital or medical facility If someone has recently binged on meth, their sweat may also smell like ammonia. Unfortunately, unless you are in the same room while a person is using meth or you discover their meth lab, it may be difficult for you to detect meth use simply by smelling it.

If you want to know how to spot a meth lab, here’s what you should look for:

• Chemical smells
• Visitors at all times of the day and night
• Large bottles in the trash
• Suspicious or paranoid behavior of the residents or of the people who are coming and going

What Does Heroin Smell Like?

Heroin is an opioid that’s made from morphine, which is a naturally occurring substance found in the seed pods of opium poppy plants. It often looks like a white or brown powder, but it can also be a black sticky substance (called black tar heroin). People who use heroin usually sniff, smoke, inject, or snort it.²

Usually, heroin is odorless, which can make it difficult to detect based on scent. However, depending on how it’s made, it can have a strong acidic and sour smell like vinegar. Typically, if the heroin is purer, it will smell sour as a result of the production process (boiling morphine with the chemical acetic anhydride).

According to the United States Department of Justice, black or brown heroin is most likely to have a sour vinegar-like odor.³ Some heroin may smell differently due to various additives that may be used to make it, such as laxatives, talcum powder, or acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Unfortunately, heroin and fentanyl (which are frequently combined) hardly produce any smell at all. When it’s smoked, the smell dissipates very quickly, which can make the combo extremely difficult to detect.

What Does Crack Smell Like?

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that is made from the leaves of the coca plant. As a street drug, it’s manufactured into a fine, white, crystal powder and can be mixed with other drugs like amphetamine or synthetic opioids. It can also be cut with additives like corn starch or flour.⁴

Another common form of cocaine is called “crack.” Also called “freebase cocaine,” crack is cocaine that has been processed into a rock crystal which is smoked on its own, or sprinkled over marijuana or tobacco.

Generally, crack smells like burnt plastic or rubber and cleaning chemicals when it is smoked. It doesn’t have a scent when it’s not being smoked. Cocaine can have a sweet, floral scent but it also smells very metallic, like chemicals.

When crack isn’t being smoked, it can be a very difficult substance to detect by smell alone. For this reason, it’s often easiest to determine when a loved one is using crack based on their behavior and other physical changes, like:

• Extreme energy and happiness
• Extreme sensitivity to sound, light, and touch
• Paranoia
• Irritability
• Bizarre, unpredictable, or violent behavior

What Does Marijuana Smell Like?

Marijuana is the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plants. Researchers know that marijuana is physically and psychologically addictive and chronic marijuana use can lead to mild or severe marijuana use disorder.

Marijuana smells very musky and skunky and has a distinct and potent smell. (After you smell it once, you’ll recognize it instantly the next time.) Depending on the strain, its scent can also vary a bit. Unlike many other drugs, the smell of marijuana can be easily detected both before it’s smoked and after. It’s scent often lingers on clothes, hair, and personal items as well, which makes it difficult to hide.

According to the NIDA, marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in the United States.⁵ About 45.3 percent of individuals ages 12 or older have used marijuana at least once in their lifetime.⁶

As a result, most people know what marijuana smells like because they’ve smelled it before. The recreational and legalization of marijuana has also contributed to more widespread use and access to marijuana, which means you’re likely to smell its distinct aroma often.

What Does PCP Smell Like?

PCP (phencyclidine) is a hallucinogen and dissociative drug that was originally developed for medical use as a general anesthetic for surgery. It’s produced in many different forms, including tablets, capsules, liquid, or powder. People who abuse PCP usually snort it, smoke it, inject it, or swallow it. They may also sprinkle it on top of marijuana, parsley, or tobacco and then smoke it.⁷

Most people who use PCP smoke it, which produces a recognizable scent. Most people say smoked PCP smells like a permanent marker.

What Are Other Signs of Drug Abuse?

Since many drugs don’t have a smell unless they are smoked, you may not notice any particular odors associated with a loved one’s drug abuse. However, there are many other signs of drug abuse that should be cause for concern, such as:

• Strange behaviors
• Sudden lack of hygiene
• Financial problems
• Sudden change in social habits
• Loss of interest in usual hobbies and activities
• A sudden drop in performance at school or work

Help a Loved One Get Addiction Treatment Today

If you smell drugs on your loved one, you’ll want to approach them in a calm and non-judgmental way. Although it’s important to be firm about their need to get treatment, you also don’t want them to feel judged. That could make them more resistant to getting help.

You’ll also want to have a plan for treatment lined up before you confront your loved one about his or her drug use. Whether you do your own research or you work with an interventionist, having a plan for how you will confront your loved one is essential.

The following types of addiction treatment can help your loved one overcome their substance abuse problems and achieve sustained sobriety:

• Medical detox: A medical detox program will help your loved one overcome their physical dependence on drugs. Medical staff will administer medication as needed to manage your loved one’s withdrawal symptoms and clinical staff will provide counseling for a more manageable and comfortable withdrawal experience.
• Residential drug rehab: A residential rehab program will provide structured, individualized treatment, including individual therapy and counseling, group therapy, 12-Step programming, peer support services, and more. This type of treatment allows your loved one time to heal, helps them establish essential life skills and tools, and provides them with a supportive peer sober circle in the earliest stages of recovery.
• Outpatient rehab: IOP or an intensive outpatient program offers comprehensive and individualized treatment with a flexible schedule. Your loved one will attend outpatient treatment sessions several times a week, with individual and group sessions led by licensed and qualified staff members. Your loved one can also complete online IOP if they are unable to attend in-person or prefer not to.
• Sober living: A sober living program provides a supportive, safe, and sober living space for your loved one. Residents are also drug tested regularly and receive peer recovery support services such as employment assistance, educational planning, volunteer placement, and individualized recovery programming.

When you’re ready to find help for your loved one, call (512) 605-2955 to speak with a representative at Nova Recovery Center. We can help by identifying suitable addiction treatment options and connecting you with a qualified interventionist who will guide you through the intervention process if that’s how you choose to confront your loved one.

References:

1. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine
2. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin
3. https://www.justice.gov/opioidawareness/opioid-facts
4. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine
5. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
6. https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/marijuana/marijuana-trends-statistics
7. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/hallucinogens-dissociative-drugs/what-are-dissociative-drugs