Skunk Smell: Study Reveals Origin Of Marijuana's Distinctive Aroma

By Franca Quarneti via El Planteo

A study conducted by scientists in the United States revealed the reason behind the characteristic smell of marijuana, often compared to that of skunk urine.

You don't have to be a smoker to recognize the special aroma that cannabis has: on the street or at a party; our sense of smell is heightened upon its scent.

About the study of the smell of marijuana

In order to understand a little more about this strange phenomenon, a group of researchers analyzed 13 different strains of cannabis and came to a conclusion.

Apparently, the smell of marijuana comes from a family of volatile sulfur compounds that had not been identified before in nature, but which have similarities to compounds found in garlic.

"Our results found that the main compounds contributing to this odor are a new family of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), with 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol correlating most strongly with the aroma of 13 cannabis cultivars," noted the scientists in the study.

As reported by Canex, the researchers argue that because the VSCs in cannabis are similar to those in garlic, marijuana may possess similar health benefits to that vegetable.

"The structural similarities between the VSCs in cannabis and garlic, therefore, warrant further investigation to determine whether the former possess similar health benefits to the latter," concluded the study.

Original publication: 2021-12-14