Cannabis Smell and Community Part 2: Risks

The effects of cannabis smell on communities go far beyond a whiff of weed on the wind. In part one of this series we discussed using oxidation as a preventive strategy to help avoid problems in the community. Today, in part 2 of this series, we’re talking about controlling grow-room odor and its effects on cannabis businesses and their neighbors.

Cannabis Odor Control: It Matters!

First thing’s first...some people love cannabis odor, some people hate it, but everyone can agree that it’s an easy odor to pick out and identify. It is most often compared to skunk, and even for those who enjoy it, smelling it constantly can become a nuisance. 

Unpleasant odors in a community have been linked to increased annoyance and stress responses in community members. Everything from headaches to declines in property value have been reported over the past several years as the legalization of cannabis has ramped up commercial production and created a lucrative boom in business.  

Problems for Growers And Their Communities

As discussed in part one, cannabis odor control has until recently been mainly left to the discretion of growers, many of whom are unprepared when the issue of smell becomes contentious. One of the serious problems for growers is the risk that their operation will come under fire for a smell that’s an integral part of their product, resulting in a scramble to try and address the problem as fast as possible, which can be an extremely costly process for large operations and can range into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In these situations, results are not 100% guaranteed, and money that growers spend can end up being fruitless. Even worse, in some places growers can be sued over a problem they have no idea how to fix.

Can Grow-Room Odor Control Be Cyclical?

While cannabis smell is sometimes stronger than at other times based on the plant’s life cycle, the continuous nature of cannabis farming means that the issue never really goes away.  Generally speaking, there are certain phases of a plant’s growth, and certain phases of its production, where it will smell more pungent. 

During the growing cycle, the final four weeks of the plant’s life are generally the smelliest. Trimming is also susceptible to create more smell, so when plants are manicured before drying, they can release more scent. However, in almost all cases, solutions to cannabis smell will need to be constant, and cannot simply be temporary or cyclical. 

The Different Types Of Cannabis Odor Control

Weed odor control is generally categorized into source point odor control and perimeter odor control. Source point refers to attacking the smell where it is coming from, i.e. from inside the greenhouse or growing facility. This can include fans and carbon filters. Perimeter odor control, as the name suggests, refers to controlling the odor from outside. Odor neutralizing sprays, masking and oxidation are generally defined as perimeter solutions. 

In cases where cannabis facilities do not meet the requirements for source point odor control, perimeter control can sometimes be the only option. This is especially true in cases where greenhouses are designed in a way that does not take odor control into consideration, with some designs not permitting greenhouses to be sealed, and thus making cannabis odor control and ventilation a particular challenge. In these cases, perimeter odor control is a definitive way to tackle the problem head-on and from the most logical angle.

Foolproof Cannabis Odor Control

For those new to the cannabis industry and for veterans alike, it’s essential to be able to protect both your business and your community. In order to thrive, you need to be able to adapt and respond to odor complaints with an effective solution, or better yet, prevent odor complaints before they happen.