# What is pachoolie (sp?) oil?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-pachoolie-sp-oil/41389>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 16, 2000, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-pachoolie-sp-oil/41389 "2000-11-16T00:42:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![orion007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@orion007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orion007)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-pachoolie-sp-oil/41389/21 "2000-11-17T01:09:39Z")

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I like the smell, but I don’t wear it, I just burn the inscense.

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ishmintingas \*  
> \*\*I had some growing in my backyard this summer. \*\*

Where did you get the plant from? I wouldn’t mind having one in my backyard… and was it very expensive?

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**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-pachoolie-sp-oil/41389/22 "2000-11-17T03:28:54Z")

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    - I used to go bicycle riding in rural areas and every now and then, while riding down the road in particular places, I could smell pot plants that somebody (?) was growing off in the woods. The dope smokers at work were amazed by this ability. - I only went to investigate the smell once; the most common area I would smell it in was a swampy low-lying creek area that was heavily infested with biting blackflies an inch long. You just about needed a beekeepers’ suit to go back in there. - MC

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-pachoolie-sp-oil/41389/23 "2000-11-17T03:37:08Z")

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I got it at the Takoma Park Farmer’s Market. Takoma Park is one of the last wildlife refuges for hippiedom in the Eastern United States. There are a lot of people selling potted plants including all kinds of herbs. My patchouli plant was only 3 or 4 bucks.

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**Author:** ![Ludo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ludo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludo)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-pachoolie-sp-oil/41389/24 "2000-11-18T03:48:57Z")

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I think that patchouli is definitely a love/hate thing. Everyone I know either despises it religiously, or treats it like a holy concotion. Myself, I used to choke when I caught a whiff off my sister. But very recently, I’ve grow really attached to it. I dunno, it grew on me rather nicely.

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**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-pachoolie-sp-oil/41389/25 "2000-11-18T03:59:40Z")

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1. My ex (notice how I use the term \*\* Ex\*\*) husband loved the stuff. It was one of the many, many, many things I did not miss when he left.

2. Working at the correction center and with convicts for 20+ years. I can attest that it does NOT cover up the mj smell (on a similar note, chewing gum and peppermint Schnapps do NOT smell the same, either).

I agree with the folks who say ya either love it or hate it.

Wear it around me, I hold my breath til you’re gone. (or I walk away). Gives me a headache, brings back bad memories etc.

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