That certain odor on some patients and their visitors

[Emergent, RN]

I always smell this one musky, acrid, sweetish, sort of nauseating type smell on a lot of people. They are always the questionable types. I was wondering if that's meth I smell, pot, or something else. I'm sure a lot of you ER nurses know what I'm talking about.

I've never smelled it on on anyone in my real life until recently, a fellow I've hired to do some carpentry work. I think it's probably a drug smell.

Do you all know what that smell is? I don't remember smelling it from back in my youth (many, many moons ago), so I don't think it's pot, but I'm not sure. If you smoke meth, does it make a smell? What about spice?

[elkpark]

There's a v. distinctive smell to heavy drinkers who have drunk so much, for so long, that they've damaged their livers. It's the smell of the partially metabolized EtOH being excreted through the skin. I can't tell from your description if that's what you mean. Fortunately, I haven't had to encounter that smell in a number of years, so I'm not sure how to describe it (although I'd know it in an instant if I ran into it :)).

[Emergent, RN]

I don't think this is a drinkers smell because, at work I smell it in the younger set who look like the drug abusing set. They look like the people who are prone to meth abuse, lots and lots of tattoos, not very bright, sort of white trashy appearing. But, too young to have totally fried livers.

[toomuchbaloney]

I have seen sources refer to a "sweet ether smell" associated with meth.

[Sassy5d]

I don't know what meth smells like but I know pot. It could be meth and cigarettes. Or pot and cigarettes.

But I know what you're talking about.

[IrishErin]

I haven't smelt a meth abuser, that I'm aware of anyway. But I do know the sickly sweet smell of liver failure like elkpark referred to. And I've smelt it in fairly young people, we serve a lot of natives in my area. Sad.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

..... the younger set who look like the drug abusing set. They look like the people who are prone to meth abuse, lots and lots of tattoos, not very bright, sort of white trashy appearing....

I wonder, is this truly your belief? I can't tell you how many nurses I know who look like (IMHO) exactly what you are describing and they are not doing drugs. And then there are the drug addicts I met when I worked in a local rehab. Most did not fit your stereotype. Go to an AA meeting-you will be really surprised...

[exit96]

Oh heck yes! Poor, stupid, filthy people...they smell "earthy" but off to the left of that mixed with something "gamey"...

[sharpeimom]

Our Pakistani next door neighbors rented their house one summer when they went home for a visit. A clean cut squeaky clean looking young couple moved in and almost immediately, this sweetish, cloying, just plain weird smell began to escape from their cellar. Those

of us close enough to smell it or get a headache from the fumes closed our windows and stopped sitting on our porches.

About two weeks later, a former student of my husband's stopped for an unscheduled visit. He is a DEA agent and wanted us to meet his wife and new baby since they were in the area. He noticed the smell right away and notified the proper authorities right then. They were cooking meth! They admitted later when it went to court that they thought our Victorian neighborhood would be a perfect cover.

I can't describe the smell adequately but I know I'd immediately recognize it if I ever smelled it again.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I don't think this is a drinkers smell because, at work I smell it in the younger set who look like the drug abusing set. They look like the people who are prone to meth abuse, lots and lots of tattoos, not very bright, sort of white trashy appearing. But, too young to have totally fried livers.

I have a lot of tattoos, and I promise I smell nice; no drugs, either. lol

[Emergent, RN]

I have a lot of tattoos, and I promise I smell nice; no drugs, either. lol

Ah, but do you have "lots and lots" of tattoos, are you white trashy appearing, and do you smell weird? I forgot to mention, the tattoos are usually of the lower quality type.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Ah, but do you have "lots and lots" of tattoos, are you white trashy appearing, and do you smell weird? I forgot to mention, the tattoos are usually of the lower quality type.

I am very heavily tattooed, yes. Arms, legs, chest, back. Yeah, my tattoos are professionally done, but I'm sure some people find them trashy no matter what just based on the fact that I'm female, and very tattooed. You'd be surprised what complete strangers will do or say because one has tattoos ... I think of them as a "jerk filter" sometimes. But I don't say jerk. lol

Judging based on appearance is always risky, in my opinion. But judging based on smell might be more spot-on!