Sulphur Compounds in Cannabis: The Skunk Molecule Explained | PatientsCann UK

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Understanding Sulphur Compounds

Cannabinoids and terpenes get all the attention. But a third group of molecules, the volatile sulphur compounds, is the real reason cannabis can smell so skunky, so gassy, or so surprisingly tropical. Here is what they are, and why they matter to patients.

9 compounds The skunk molecule explained Live chemical structures The garlic connection

What are sulphur compounds?

Sulphur compounds, or volatile sulphur compounds, are a group of smelly molecules the cannabis plant makes in tiny amounts. Volatile just means they float easily into the air, which is why you smell them the moment you open a jar.

They were only pinned down recently. In 2021 a team of scientists found a whole new family of them in cannabis, and showed that one, called 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, is the main reason strong cannabis smells skunky.

What makes them special is their power. Where terpenes are measured in whole percentages, these sulphur compounds work at a few parts per billion. A trace is all it takes to change how a whole plant smells.

The third pillar of aroma

Think of cannabis smell as a three-legged stool. Cannabinoids like THC and CBD do the medical work. Terpenes bring the citrus, pine and floral notes. Sulphur compounds add the skunk, the gas and the tropical punch. Together they give every cultivar its signature. Explore the other two in our cannabinoids and terpenes guides.

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The Three Aroma Families

Cannabis sulphur compounds fall into a few groups by how they smell: pungent skunk and diesel, savoury garlic, bright tropical fruit, and the milder everyday smells found in food. Pick any compound below to see its family, its smell, and how powerful it is.

The hopeful part

The Garlic Connection

Here is the exciting bit. Many of the sulphur compounds in cannabis are built almost exactly like the ones in garlic. The only real difference is a small chemical part: cannabis uses a "prenyl" group where garlic uses an "allyl" group.

Cannabis
Prenyl thiol
the skunk molecule
nearly the same shape
Garlic
Allyl thiol
a garlic molecule

Why it matters: Garlic's sulphur compounds have been studied for years for possible benefits to the heart and blood vessels. Because cannabis makes such close copies, scientists have raised a hopeful question: might the cannabis versions one day show benefits of their own?

Hopeful research, not proven

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Freshness: Why Timing Changes the Smell

Sulphur compounds are delicate. They build up late in the plant's life, peak at just the right moment, then fade away. This is why the same flower can smell powerful one week and flat the next. Tap each stage to follow the journey.

What this means for you: if aroma matters to you, fresher is usually better. Keep cannabis in an airtight container, somewhere cool and dark, and it will hold its smell for longer.

Illustration based on greenhouse monitoring by Oswald and colleagues (2021). The exact rise and fall differ from plant to plant.

Good to know

Why Your Lab Report Misses Them

If sulphur compounds matter so much to smell, why are they almost never listed on a product's lab report? The answer is that they are genuinely hard to catch.

1

They hide in tiny amounts

Sulphur compounds appear at parts per billion, or even parts per trillion. That is thousands of times less than a typical terpene, so they are very easy to walk straight past.

2

Normal tests are not tuned for them

The usual lab equipment is set up to measure cannabinoids and terpenes. It is not designed to spot faint sulphur smells, so it often does not report them at all.

3

It takes special kit

The 2021 discovery needed a powerful method called two-dimensional gas chromatography with sulphur detection. Very few routine labs run it.

The takeaway: a lab report (sometimes called a COA) tells you about cannabinoids and often terpenes, but rarely these sulphur compounds. If they are missing from the paperwork, it does not mean they are missing from the jar. Often, your own nose is the better guide.

Full library

The Sulphur Compound Family

Select any card to open the full profile, with its accurate chemical structure, how it smells, what the research says, and where else you meet it in daily life. Use the filters to narrow the list by aroma family.

    Questions

    Sulphur Compounds: Your Questions Answered

    What makes cannabis smell skunky?
    The main reason is a volatile sulphur compound called 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, sometimes called prenylthiol. In 2021 scientists showed that the more of it a plant makes, the skunkier it smells. It is powerful even at a few parts per billion, so a trace goes a long way.
    Are sulphur compounds the same as terpenes?
    No. Terpenes give the citrus, pine and floral notes and are measured in whole percentages. Sulphur compounds contain a sulphur atom, work at far lower amounts, and add the skunk, gas and tropical smells that terpenes alone cannot explain. You can read about the aroma side in our terpenes guide.
    Why do cannabis sulphur compounds get compared to garlic?
    Cannabis makes sulphur compounds built much like the ones in garlic and onion. Garlic's versions have been studied for possible heart and blood-vessel benefits, which is why researchers are hopeful about the cannabis ones. It is important to be clear that this is an early idea, not a proven health benefit.
    Does fresh cannabis smell stronger?
    Usually yes. Sulphur compounds rise in the last weeks of flowering and peak during curing, then fade once a jar is opened and over months of storage. Storing your cannabis airtight, cool and dark helps keep the aroma for longer.
    Why are sulphur compounds not on my lab report?
    Standard lab tests are set up for cannabinoids and terpenes. Sulphur compounds appear at parts per billion and need special equipment to detect, so most product lab reports do not list them. Their absence on paper does not mean they are absent in the jar.
    Do sulphur compounds affect how cannabis works as a medicine?
    There is no proof of that yet. So far the research is about smell, not treatment. Like terpenes, they may play a part in the overall character of a whole-plant medicine, but you should always be guided by your prescriber, never by aroma alone.
    Sources: Sulphur compound identities and aroma notes summarised from Oswald et al. (2021, 2023). The garlic comparison draws on Amagase (2006). Molecular structures drawn from PubChem canonical data (NCBI, 2025). This page simplifies new and developing science for patients and is not a substitute for advice from your prescriber.

    References

    1. Amagase, H. (2006) 'Clarifying the real bioactive constituents of garlic', Journal of Nutrition, 136(3), pp. 716S-725S. doi: 10.1093/jn/136.3.716S.
    2. National Center for Biotechnology Information (2025) PubChem Compound Database. Bethesda: U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (Accessed: 3 August 2026).
    3. Oswald, I.W.H., Ojeda, M.A., Pobanz, R.J., Koby, K.A., Buchanan, A.J., Del Rosso, J., Guzman, M.A. and Martin, T.J. (2021) 'Identification of a new family of prenylated volatile sulfur compounds in cannabis revealed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography', ACS Omega, 6(47), pp. 31667-31676. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04196.
    4. Oswald, I.W.H. et al. (2023) 'Minor, nonterpenoid volatile compounds drive the aroma differences of exotic cannabis', ACS Omega, 8(36), pp. 39203-39216.
    5. Russo, E.B. (2011) 'Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects', British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7), pp. 1344-1364. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01238.x.
    Important: This page is for education only. It is not medical advice. Research into cannabis sulphur compounds is very new, and most work so far is about smell, not treatment. The garlic comparison is about chemistry, not proven health effects. Always speak to your prescriber before changing your treatment. PatientsCann UK does not recommend any specific cannabis product.