Dogs have sensitive noses with incredibly strong scent receptors. They have the capacity to detect and distinguish even the slightest odors. As many do in their capacity as police/security dogs, this makes them invaluable and ideal for sniffing out stashes of a variety of drugs (and explosives).
Everything you need to know about whether dogs smell dab pens and vapes is in this article.
The presence of explosives, drugs, vapes, dab pens, and even infectious diseases in patients can be precisely detected by trained dogs. They can even smell underwater thanks to their highly developed noses.
A number of “body language” cues are used by dogs to express that they are smelling something. These signs include:
Drug dogs are specially trained to use their noses in risky situations. Drug sniffing dogs can find any drug, even those with the slightest scent, even though cocaine and marijuana are the most popular drugs they are used to find.
Drug dogs are trained to smell for specific scents. This means that as long as it has a scent, a drug dog can be trained to find almost anything. Accordingly, depending on the contents of the juice and cartridge, drug dogs can detect vapes and dab pens.
Drug dogs are typically only taught to recognize two to five different substances. These dogs can distinguish between odors that are mingled. They may and probably will be able to detect cannabis/THC even if it is in liquid form and blended with nicotine vape liquid.
Drug dogs are able to detect your vape, regardless of how well it has been concealed, for the following reasons:
Can TSA Dogs Smell Weed Cartridges?
The majority of TSA dogs aren’t actively searching for marijuana; instead, they’re more concerned with security.
Yup. Unlike a drug dog, TSA sniffer dogs are not specifically searching for your dime-sized bag of marijuana or vape pen.
Instead, they are looking for weapons of mass destruction and other potentially harmful objects.
Since the 9/11 incident, airport security has significantly tightened and is now more concerned with explosives, hard drugs, and potentially dangerous suspects.
However, the TSA will turn you over to local law enforcement for handling if you are discovered at an airport in a state where marijuana or cannabis is illegal.
And depending on how much marijuana you are carrying, you might be in violation of the state’s laws.
Therefore, depending on where you land or stop over, you could be in danger.
Therefore, unless you have a prescription and all the necessary documentation to support it, it is best to leave your cannabis and vape cartridges at home.
Drug detection dogs frequently do not search for marijuana while performing their duties. Instead, they are searching for explosives, stronger drugs, or objects that could be harmful or dangerous.
If you live in a state where it is acceptable to use it recreationally, there is no need to worry. However, we advise against leaving the airport for a vape pen puff if you have a layover in a state where it is prohibited.
This is due to the fact that you will need to pass through TSA security once more and they may have a drug dog that can recognize marijuana. If you are found, you might be turned over to police from the neighborhood law enforcement offices.
Bring all necessary documentation if you have a prescription for your vape cartridges. That way, if a drug dog happens to find you, you are covering your behind.
Can Airport Drug Dogs Smell Weed Cartridges?
Yes, sniffer dogs can smell weed cartridges and alert their handlers to the presence of these cartridges, IF they have been trained to look for weed. The TSA has gone on the record multiple time saying they are concerned with safety, meaning they look and use dogs to detect contraband and potentially dangerous materials. They are apparently, NOT looking for cannabis (however if they find it they say they’ll alert local airport police).
Even if you are stopped for a routine bag check, most middle-aged TSA agents probably won’t even know what a vape cartridge is, let alone be able to locate it if you “lose” it among a variety of other items that are similarly shaped, such as a make-up bag or a backpack pouch that contains metal-bodied pens and mini-flashlights.
Technically, however, sniffer dogs are able to identify the THC in marijuana as well as a few particular terpenes (both of which are present in large quantities in dab pens), and they will be able to do so even if you hide your marijuana cartridges in something else that has a strong odor, like your full lunchbox.
If trained properly, drug dogs can even detect CBD oil and other cannabis-related products, which are perfectly legal in most places.
TL;DR: You shouldn’t be alarmed by the fact that marijuana is legal where you are (traveling), provided you have the necessary medical cannabis prescription where applicable.
Additionally, sniffer dogs are more likely to be searching for drugs like MDMA or meth than marijuana if they are present in an area where cannabis is lawful.
Additionally, the TSA isn’t actively searching for marijuana even if you are in a country where it is illegal to do so. People we know who have flown to all but one of the lower continental United States always travel with their carts and have never encountered any issues, even when passing through dog sniffing boxes.
It would appear that the TSA is being truthful when they claim that they are not looking for drugs in real-world situations, especially not your clever little vape pen.
Fun Facts about a Dog’s Sense of Smell
You might be wondering how canines can distinguish one scent from a variety of others. Take a stew as an example. While you can smell the stew as a whole, dogs can detect the various ingredients that went into making it, though they might not be able to do so correctly without the right training. Here is how their sense of smell works:
FAQ
Can drug dogs smell dab carts?
Therefore, the answer to the question of whether dogs can detect dab pens is a resounding yes. Even if the vape pen is small and covert, dogs can detect whether you are inhaling marijuana or tobacco.
Can dogs smell dab wax?
One can only speculate as smoking substitutes become more inventive whether drug dogs can keep up. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether dogs can detect wax pens is a resounding yes. Puppies can detect smoke from tobacco or marijuana inhalation.
What smells can dogs not smell through?
Dogs have an incredibly acute sense of smell, so there is literally nothing they can’t detect. Some breeds have a 100 million-fold greater sense of smell than humans. Dogs have a very keen sense of smell, regardless of breed.