A stoner the other day told me that the stink associated with stoners isn’t residue from their habit, like the odor smokers get once they are coated in a nice patina of tar, nicotine, and tobacco residue.
He claims it’s from pachoolie (sp?) oil. He says it is used to mask the smell of dope.
I told him that it, to me, smells of ganja. But if he is correct, and the smell I associate with chronic weed abuse is really a odor they use to mask it, why would you use it to hide the smell of weed?
It would seem that it would be like painting yourself a bright orange because you want to hide the fact that you just painted yourself bright yellow.
So . . .
1). What is pachoolie oil?
2). Is it really the smell most people associate with a spliff?
3). If it isn’t, does pachoolie smell like marijuana?
Patchoulie oil does smell something like pot, though I prefer the smell of pot to patchoulie. I never really thought of patchoulie as a stoner thing so much as a hippie or new-age thing, they are the types who use it, and of course a lot of hippies and new-age freaks smoke pot as well…
I believe it’s spelled patchouli. It’s a perfume blend that is originally from India. Like sandalwood it is often associated with hippy-types or their modern equivalent. It doesn’t smell like marijuana, but it is pretty strong, so it could be used to cover other smells. If you are curious you can usually find samples of it in body/bath shops.
More than you probably ever wanted to know about Patchouli:
“The benefits of Patchouli are many, including medicinal, beauty enhancing, and emotional effects. First, this oil can help in weight loss. It can curb the appetite, and by increasing urination, it discourages water retention associated with PMS. It may relieve hot flashes during menopause. It is useful in treating athlete’s foot, fungi, and jock itch. Patchouli oil can reduce a painful sunburn, skin allergies and eczema. The oil has been used as an antidote for insect and snake bites.
[…]
Patchouli helps to regulate oiliness in the skin and hair and in scalp disorders such as dandruff and seborrhea. It can act as a deodorant and help in controlling perspiration. It is considered antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Hey, those hippies knew what they were doing when they splashed themselves with this aromatic scent. The emotional effects of Patchouli are numerous. It can ease and diminish anxiety and depression. In high doses it can stimulate and in lower doses it acts as a sedative. You can also use Patchouli to sharpen your intelligence, improve concentration, and provide insight.
[…]
In India this oil is used to deter insects from fine fabrics.”
Botanical: Pogostemon patchouli (PILL.)
Family: N.O. Labiatae
[…]
Its use is said to cause sometimes loss of appetite and sleep and nervous attacks. The Chinese, Japanese and Arabs believe it to possess prophylactic properties."
(from http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/patcho15.html )
Patchouli oil smells somewhat similar to marijuana, but not enough that one could be confused for the other. The reason stoners use to to “cover their habit” is probably because it is a very, very strong oil.
In modern America it is definatly a “hippie” scent, and I guess a lot of people automatically equate “hippie” with “pothead” and might assume that weed-camoflauge is patchouli’s only use. But just for the record a lot of non-stoners hippie-type swear patchouli oil just because it smells nice.
Thanks, Lunatic, that was pretty thorough. Note that patchouli is not a “blend” as someone said, it’s a “simple”–comes from just one species.
The name of it comes from the Tamil language of South India. You can use this knowledge to impress the Tamil network engineers and database admins at your workplace (they’re everywhere these days). The Tamil name is paccuLi, from pacu- ‘green, tender’ and ilai ‘leaf’ (or iLai ‘earth’, or uLai, ‘tenderness’–and I hope not from ûLai ‘stink’).
I had some growing in my backyard this summer. It’s so cool to pick a couple leaves and rub them between your palms and inhale the rich scent, just like the familiar oil. It likes warm, wet, shady places. Its fragrance is so sensuous and earthy. It was discovered in England in the early 19th century in shipments of Madras cloth; the Indian exporters packed patchouli leaves in with the sheets to keep the bugs away. People liked the scent and figured out how to distill the essential oil.
And a lot of hippie types (stoner and non-stoner) wear it because they are grimy bastards and only shower seven times a year. Not only does it camoflauge weed smell, it camoflauges BO. And, FTR, I think it is a disgusting smell, only because I equate it with dirty people. YMMV.
I agree with you on all counts. Most everyone I’ve encountered wearing patchouli oil used it as an alternative to bathing.
Also, as far as BO camoflauge, I think patchouli smells quite a lot like BO already. However, it’s only slightly less offensive than actual BO, since it smells the same coming from anyone.
Geez don’t you guys go into head shops? I’ve been wearing the stuff since 1970. It’s a comforting scent to me. Always makes me think of Grateful Dead concerts. It’s on the woodsy side like sandalwood and amber.
One thing I’m not getting here, is how people can just reek of marijuana so bad that they need to cover it up. And before I get multiple eyes rolls, let me say that I used to be an everyday pot smoker for about seven years. The way you are going to stink the most is when you smoke a joint, because you get resin on your fingers. Besides that, any smell comes from your breath. And maybe some smoke in your clothes. Really, people, its not that difficult. If you are so worried about how you smell after you get high, wash your hands and brush your teeth, then when you step out side, air out your shirt a bit. It’s not difficult.
that any incense might be used to mask the scent of pot, not just patchouli.
As an aside, I think patchouli is also the kind of incense that the Catholic Church uses. Can any observant Catholics who also use patchouli at home comment on this?
You’re fooling yourself, mouthbreather. I guess because they’re inundated by the smell, smokers of weed and tobacco both think they can sneak a puff and come back in with no one the wiser.
Trust me, to nonsmokers (some of us, anyway), you all reek.
Actually, the funniest thing in the world to see are the people who smoke a joint as they walk down the street, pretending that they’re smoking a cigarette or not doing anything suspicious at all. I’ll usually catch a whiff of ganja and then look around, and see the dude coming from halfway down the block.
The Catholic Church uses frankincense, which has been in use in religious ceremonies since the ancient Romans. Patchouli is not used in church! In church they burn resinous gums like frankincense on a disk of charcoal in a censer. They do not sprinle essential oils like patchouli.
Europeans didn’t learn of patchouli until the 19th century. Hobson-Jobson, the classic of Anglo-Indian philology by Yule & Burnell, says:
So maybe those stoners you asked about had been toking on patchouli-leaf joints!
My wife loathes the scent as much as I like it. I guess it’s one of those either-you-love-it-or-you-hate-it deals. It is redolent of decaying humus under the soil. Deep, dark, mysterious, and earthy.
:rolleyes: yerself, toadspittle. That brush you’re painting with sure is wide.
I’m not attempting to fool anyone. I made it a point to make sure I didn’t smell like weed (if the situation called for it – going out into public, etc.). And I didn’t.
Sneak a puff?? I’m not talking about being in a conversation with you, stepping outside for 30 seconds to do a bong hit, and running back in and trying to hide that from you (?!?!?) Who does that? I really dont even know what point you are trying to make. If you are talking about cigarettes, then I agree. But we weren’t talking about cigarettes, were we? My point is that if I smoke at home, and cleaned myself up, then came to meet you, you would not smell a thing.
Who is “you all”? I rarely smoke weed anymore, maybe once a month if even that much. And if I do it, I do it at home and don’t go anywhere. Therefore, I don’t see anyone. Therefore, I don’t reek to anybody.
I think you’re the one who is being fooled here, toadspittle. If someone has a big enough set of balls to walk down the street smoking a joint, then THEY obviously know people can smell it and THEY don’t care if you know.
Anyway, smoking in public is stupid, and not what I was talking about (again).
FWIW I hate the smell of patchouli; it gives me a headache. I’m very glad that The Body Shop isn’t using patchouli in their hemp products anymore (or is that just in the US?)
Yeah, I’ve noticed that if I wash my hands and chew some gum or eat something nobody can tell I smoked pot 15-30 minutes afterwards - I have a friend who always tells me when she can smell it on me. There is one exception - if I am wearing a jacket and I smoke in a confined area (like in a car with the windows up) the smell can linger in the jacket considerably longer.
