--- title: Why Cannabis Smells Different Today Than It Used To description: Cannabis smell is evolving as the industry shifts from skunky aromas to citrus, lavender, and more, driven by science and consumer demand. image: https://420intel.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20features%20a%20vibrant%20lush%20cannabis%20cultivation%20facility%20illuminated%20by%20soft%20natural%20light%20streaming%20through%20expansive%20windows%20Rows%20of%20healthy%20cannabis%20plants%20are%20meticulously%20arranged%20showcasing%20a%20variety%20of%20strains%20with%20different%20shapes%20and.jpeg --- [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) ### Press ESC to close [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) # Why Cannabis Smells Different Today Than It Used To - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - [Cannabis Technology News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - 17 June 2025 The signature skunky cannabis smell— once a telltale sign of a potent strain — may be fading into history. As legal cannabis markets mature and consumer preferences evolve, growers are increasingly breeding plants with more diverse, and sometimes more pleasant, aromas. From citrus to lavender and even freshly baked cookies, today’s cannabis smell far different from the pungent varieties of the past. NPR science correspondent Pien Huang recently explored this aromatic evolution during a visit to District Cannabis, a cultivation and retail company operating in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. During her tour of their grow facility, Huang got a firsthand look — and cannabis smell — at how plants are bred and cultivated with specific scents in mind. The cannabis smell comes from a complex mix of chemicals known as **terpenes**. These are the same compounds that give other plants — like pine trees, oranges, and mint — their distinctive aromas. Cannabis plants can produce over 100 different terpenes, each contributing to a unique scent and potentially affecting the plant’s effects on the body. Historically, the skunky cannabis smell was linked to strains high in certain terpenes like myrcene and skunky thiols. These strains became popular during the underground days of cannabis, when strength and smell often went hand in hand. But with legalization and a broader customer base, preferences have changed. New cannabis consumers — including those using it for wellness or medical purposes — often prefer milder, more inviting scents. As a result, breeders have begun selecting for strains that cannabis smell like fruit, herbs, or even dessert. This shift doesn’t just reflect changing tastes; it’s also part of how cannabis is marketed today. In dispensaries, cannabis is now treated more like wine or gourmet food — with product descriptions highlighting “flavor profiles” and “aromatic notes.”   The change in scent may also affect perception. A softer-smelling product might appeal more to curious new users, older adults, or those who were once put off by the stereotypical stench of marijuana. It’s all part of how the cannabis industry is evolving — cleaner branding, scientific cultivation, and a more refined consumer experience. For a deeper dive into this subject and the broader safety and science of cannabis, check out Pien Huang’s full reporting in NPR’s special series, “How Safe Is Your Weed?”   [by NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/06/16/1254264643/weed-cannabis-marijuana-skunky-smell) [Cannabis Technology News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-technology-news) ![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=200&height=200&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) #### [Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) At 420 Intel, we cover cannabis legalization news throughout the world, offer reliable information for cannabis business owners, detail technological advances that impact the marijuana industry, cover marijuana rallies from across the globe, and everything in between. - - - [Cannabis Laws](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-laws) [![N.J. Lawmakers Debate Over Cannabis Sales](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/debating%20over%20cannabis%20sales-1.jpeg?width=550&height=395&name=debating%20over%20cannabis%20sales-1.jpeg)](https://420intel.com/blog/n.j.-lawmakers-debate-over-cannabis-sales) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 30 May 2025 #### [N.J. Lawmakers Debate Over Cannabis Sales](https://420intel.com/blog/n.j.-lawmakers-debate-over-cannabis-sales) Lawmakers mulled Thursday whether New Jersey should ramp up enforcement against unlicensed cannabis... [Cannabis Laws](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-laws) [![US Basketball Star Faces Death Penalty Over Candy](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20features%20Jarred%20Shaw%20a%20tall%20African%20American%20man%20in%20his%20midthirties%20standing%20at%20a%20press%20conference%20He%20is%20wearing%20an%20orange%20prison%20jumpsuit%20and%20a%20black%20face%20mask%20which%20obscures%20his%20expression%20His%20hands%20are%20shackled%20in%20front%20of%20him%20indicating.jpeg?width=550&height=395&name=The%20image%20features%20Jarred%20Shaw%20a%20tall%20African%20American%20man%20in%20his%20midthirties%20standing%20at%20a%20press%20conference%20He%20is%20wearing%20an%20orange%20prison%20jumpsuit%20and%20a%20black%20face%20mask%20which%20obscures%20his%20expression%20His%20hands%20are%20shackled%20in%20front%20of%20him%20indicating.jpeg)](https://420intel.com/blog/us-basketball-star-faces-death-penalty-over-candy) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 16 May 2025 #### [US Basketball Star Faces Death Penalty Over Candy](https://420intel.com/blog/us-basketball-star-faces-death-penalty-over-candy) Jarred Shaw, a 34-year-old basketball player in the Indonesian Basketball League, was arrested... [Cannabis Business News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-business-news) [![Cannabis centre plans to 'tap into global sector'](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/9c4d/live/c01ce800-a391-11ef-b152-796f28e9b800.jpg.webp)](https://420intel.com/blog/cannabis-centre-plans-to-tap-into-global-sector) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 18 November 2024 #### [Cannabis centre plans to 'tap into global sector'](https://420intel.com/blog/cannabis-centre-plans-to-tap-into-global-sector) Cultivating medicinal cannabis on the Isle of Man provides an opportunity to "tap into a global... - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) Back to Top ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Buzz", "url" : "https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz" }, "dateModified" : "2025-06-18T12:37:55.667Z", "datePublished" : "2025-06-17T13:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Why Cannabis Smells Different Today Than It Used To", "image" : [ "https://420intel.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20features%20a%20vibrant%20lush%20cannabis%20cultivation%20facility%20illuminated%20by%20soft%20natural%20light%20streaming%20through%20expansive%20windows%20Rows%20of%20healthy%20cannabis%20plants%20are%20meticulously%20arranged%20showcasing%20a%20variety%20of%20strains%20with%20different%20shapes%20and.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://420intel.com/blog/why-cannabis-smells-different-today-than-it-used-to", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://420intel.com/hubfs/Asset%2016.png" }, "name" : "420 Intel" } } ```