Meth has a distinctive smell that varies depending on its form and whether it is being produced, smoked, or simply present as a substance.
- Meth production smell: The chemicals used in making meth produce a strong, pungent odor often described as similar to ammonia, vinegar, cat urine, rotten eggs, paint thinner, or cleaning products like window cleaner. This smell is sharp, chemical-like, and sometimes compared to a "hospital smell" due to the use of powerful chemical cleaners. The odor can also resemble burning plastic or solvents such as acetone and hydrochloric acid
- Smell of meth when smoked: When meth is smoked, the smell becomes lighter, more subtle, and can have an almost sweet scent. However, it can also be described as acrid, chemical-like, or similar to burning plastic. The smoke odor tends to linger on clothing and in the air for a long time
- Pure meth smell: Pure crystal meth itself usually has little to no strong odor, but impurities and byproducts from manufacturing often give it a chemical or ammonia-like smell
- On a person’s clothes or sweat: Someone who has been smoking meth may have clothes that smell sharp, acrid, or chemical-like. After a meth binge, a person’s sweat may emit an ammonia-like odor
In summary, meth generally smells like a combination of strong chemicals—ammonia, vinegar, cat urine, rotten eggs, paint, and solvents—especially during production, while smoked meth has a lighter, often sweet or acrid chemical smell.
